German powerhouse Bayern Munich will be seeking to banish a recent semifinal hoodoo against Spanish sides while Real Madrid has a third straight Champions League title in its sights when the two meet today. The semifinal pairing is the Champions League final many had wanted to see, but instead one of the two powerhouses will go out ahead of the May 26 final in Kiev. Bayern overcame Spanish opponents in Sevilla to reach the last four but go into today's first leg in the Allianz Arena knowing it has been knocked out by Spanish side in the last four seasons. Bayern's last three semi-finals resulted in elimination - to Real in 2014, Atletico Madrid in 2015 and Barcelona in 2016. Last season Real put them out in the quarterfinals.
Madrid has also won its last five matches against Bayern, but the record the German champion may prefer to look back on the 2011-12 last four when - then as now coached by Jupp Heynckes - they came out on top only to lose to Chelsea in the final in their own stadium, according to dpa. What's more, Bayern is in form and confident, having wrapped up a sixth straight Bundesliga title while on track for the treble and comprehensively winning 3-0 at Hanover on Saturday.
"The games come at the right time," midfielder Thomas Mueller said. "We're going through a good phase. We're together as a group, the quality is extremely high and the will to win enormous. We are full of confidence going into the game."
Real defender Nacho is back in light training after a right hamstring injury so Zinedine Zidane's side could be at full strength for the first leg. With so many attacking options coach Zidane must again decide who he leaves on the bench. Midfielder Casemiro, who was left out of Real's most recent league game against Athletic Bilbao, should return alongside Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. That will leave the Madrid coach choosing between Isco, Lucas Vazquez, Marco Asensio, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema for the two remaining starting berths alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Madrid president Florentino Perez said, "The players are going to give everything humanly possible to bring the European Cup back again and achieve a new record."
Real will ease the pain by retaining their Champions League title, their only hope of salvaging a disappointing season, according to Reuters. It would not be the first time Real's season has been salvaged by a European triumph. In 2016 they lifted the trophy after Barcelona won the double and in 1998 they triumphed after finishing fifth in La Liga.
