The Final Four

On display tonight is the first of two blockbuster Champions League matchups as Bayern Munich host Real Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final. Two European giants clashing for the first time competitively in six years, this is a must watch game! Last time these two faced one another was in the 2018 semi-finals, as Madrid won 4-3 on aggregate on their way to lift the trophy in Kyiv. Munich will be out for vengeance after failing to get the better of Madrid in any of their last three European knockout battles, falling short in 2018, 2017, and 2014. Thomas Tuchel’s side will be hoping they will headline the next chapter in the battle between these clubs.

Bayern haven’t had their usual dominance in Germany this season, with Bayer Leverkusen winning the Bundesliga and Saarbrücken knocking them out of the DFB-Pokal in a surprise to everyone. The Champions League is a potential season saver for the German giants! Meanwhile, Madrid have all but won La Liga, and already have the Supercopa de España in the trophy cabinet. Ancelotti’s side are on the hunt for a treble season. With both sides main focus now being the Champions League, this semi-final should be a classic.

Both clubs progressed after knocking out English sides and denying the opportunity for Arsenal or Manchester City to lift the Champions League trophy on home soil. Wembley however is a place Munich hold close, it was the ground which they won their fourth UCL on in 2013 as Arjen Robben’s last minute goal gave them victory over German rivals Borussia Dortmund. There is real potential that this final could be recreated again this summer with both sides in the competition’s semi-finals! 

Borussia Dortmund are the hosts in the second semi-final as they welcome Paris Saint-Germain to the Signal Iduna Park. Dortmund will be hoping to prove the bookies wrong and defeat PSG who are the favourites to reach the final and have their day out at Wembley. Luis Enrique’s side are still searching for their first Champions League title and after winning Ligue 1 for a twelfth time this weekend confidence will be high heading to the first semi-final! On the flip side, Borussia Dortmund are coming off the back of a 4-1 defeat to RB Leipzig this weekend which won’t help their nerves at all. 

It is Dortmund who are the ones with a Champions League to their name though, defeating Juventus 3-1 in 1997 to claim their sole title. They’ll be hoping to add another to the list and make a more positive memory at Wembley than their last trip if they make it past the Parisians…

The quarter-finals saw both of these sides come from behind versus Spanish giants to claim victory. PSG won 4-1 in the second leg to overcome Barcelona’s 3-2 first leg lead, and Dortmund shocked everyone as they defeated Atletico Madrid 4-2 to overturn their 2-1 lead! Although both will hope to get off to a strong start in the semi-final and not leave too much work for themselves in the second-leg!