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The two European heavyweights Bayern Munich and Real Madrid will go head-to-head in the first leg semifinal clash of UEFA Champions League at the Allianz Arena. Considering the firepower possessed by both the teams, it surely is going to be a treat for football fans around the world.
Bayern and Real have gone head to head 22 times in the competition's history, with Bayern winning eleven encounters and Real Madrid winning on nine occasions, along with two draws. Of late, Real have the edge over Bayern, but the Bavarians are in good form at the moment.
The star-studded lineups of both the teams reveal that a very entertaining match is on the cards.
Here are the five things one should look out for in the highly-anticipated clash.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - The UEFA Champions League goal-machine
They say that strikers become slower and lose their scoring capabilities as they age. Cristiano Ronaldo is a player who contradicts the statement. He is becoming better each day, just like fine wine. Even though he is 33 years of age, he is showing no signs of slowing down and keeps contributing to Real Madrid's run to the title.
Ronaldo has scored a total of 41 goals this season and assisted 8 times for Los Blancos. He has scored a staggering 15 goals in the Champions League and often turns out to the mastermind of his team's victory or the saviour in a tightly-contested encounter.
The world was taken aback by his bicycle kick in the first leg of the semifinal against Juventus. He proved his mettle once again by scoring the decisive penalty in the second leg, that sent Real Madrid into the semifinals.
He leads the attack with Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale and is surrounded by a pool of quality players like Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Isco and Marco Asensio who supply him with all the confidence and passes he needs. He is undoubtedly the 'Numero Uno' finisher at the moment.
Will Cristiano prove to be the difference for Madrid against Bayern?
#2 The attacking firepower of Bayern Munich
Real Madrid will never forget the 4-3 defeat on aggregate to Borussia Dortmund in 2013. The star of the tie was Robert Lewandowski who scored all the four goals to send Real Madrid out of the semi-finals.
He has been a very consistent performer for Bayern Munich ever since he signed for them, from league rivals Dortmund. He is the top scorer in the Bundesliga this season with 28 goals and stopping him would be crucial.
He is supported in the flanks by the dynamic duo of Franck Ribery, who plays on the left wing and Arjen Robben, who is a threat on the right.
In the attacking midfield, James Rodriguez and Thomas Muller deputise as the creative playmakers, chipping in with goals or providing assists whenever possible. They are ably supported by the pacy Kingsley Coman and Corentin Tolisso.
In the pivot, Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez control the tempo of the game. Bayern are very unlucky because midfield maestro Arturo Vidal has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an injury.
Can the creativity and energy of Bayern's attack defeat Real Madrid?
#3 Homecoming: James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos
James Rodriguez joined Real Madrid in 2014 from AS Monaco, for a hefty fee of £63 million. He has had a trophy-laden career at Real Madrid, winning two Champions League titles and a La Liga title.
The Colombian had a difficult time at Real Madrid and didn't get enough playing time, to be able to make justice to his potential. He was pushed down in the pecking order because of the presence of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. In the last season, the competition with Marco Asensio, Isco and Mateo Kovacic also limited his playing time further even though he scored 11 goals and bagged 13 assists.
He moved to Bayern Munich on a loan transfer and has lit up the Bundesliga with his skills, winning the Bundesliga this season. He will definitely be looking to go out and prove a point against his old club.
Toni Kroos, the perfect midfield engine, on the other hand, used to be a Bayern Munich player, having come from their academy. He established a solid partnership with Bastian Schweinsteiger in midfield and was a part of the very successful Bayern team in the early years of this decade.
He went on to sign for Real in the summer of 2014 and has become an indisputable member of the squad. His partnership with Luka Modric and Casemiro in the midfield provides balance to the team. He has won the UCL twice and the La Liga with Los Blancos. It will surely be a trip down the memory lane for him when he comes out to play in the Allianz Arena.
#4 The tactical battle: Heynckes vs Zidane
Zinedine Zidane has been hailed as one of the best managers in Real Madrid history. One of the best players to have played the game, he has won the Champions League twice, a La Liga title, a Spanish Super Cup, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cup titles in his two seasons at the helm.
Zidane's tactics are based on free-flowing and fast-paced football when the team continuously tries to attack, playing the game mostly in the opposition half. Pressing high up and delivering crosses when the opposition is defending deep, makes Zizou's game a pleasure to watch.
Jupp Heynckes, on the other hand, is a legend at the Bavarian club having led them to their treble back in 2013. He transformed a tired Bayern side that he inherited from Carlo Ancelotti last year into a well-oiled dynamic team.
He is a master at fielding a team that can swiftly change formations from 4-3-3 to 4-5-1 whenever required. Exploiting the wings with the use of composed fullbacks and pacy wingers and deploying his counter-pressing strategy often leaves the opponents helpless.
It will be interesting to see, who will come out on the top tomorrow.
#5 The rock-solid defences of both the teams
When it comes to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, the quality they possess in attack is matched by the quality of defenders both team possess.
Real Madrid have the rock-solid Sergio Ramos marshalling the centre-back position, along with the young but very dependable Raphael Varane. The right-back position is bossed by Dani Carvajal, and Marcelo is by no-doubt the best left-back on the planet. Both the full-backs often link up beautifully with Ronaldo and Bale up front.
Bayern Munich have one of the toughest defences to break down. The experience and composure of Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng makes it easy for them to snuffle out opposition strikers with ease.
David Alaba controls the pace of the game, pulling strings from the left-back position with Juan Bernat stepping up in his absence. Joshua Kimmich is one of the finest right-backs in the world right now, and Rafinha also deputises for the position.
The match is going to be a spectacle to watch. May the best team win.
