Champions League: Bayern, Madrid in battle of European elite (Preview)

IANS  |  Madrid 

Former champions Munich and record title holders Real will clash in the first leg of what is probably the most interesting semi-final of this season's here on Wednesday night.

Munich, on the other hand, will have revenge on their minds.

Coached by legend Zinedine Zidane, Real know that everything hangs on winning a third successive title after a domestic campaign which sees them 15 points behind FC Barcelona in the and out of the del Rey.

However, all of that will be forgotten if Real are able to lift for a third consecutive year -- something no team has ever been able to do in this iteration of the tournament.

Madrid's season was close to ruin when Juventus were 3-0 up in the Bernabeu in the second leg of their quarter-final, but Cristiano Ronaldo's time penalty saw them squeeze into the last four and perhaps learn the dangers of overconfidence.

The doubt for Zidane is defender Nacho Fernandez, who has been out of action since the end of March. will play after missing the return leg against Juventus through suspension.

The question for is who will partner Ronaldo in attack with Lucas Vazquez, and all providing different attacking possibilities.

will view the tie as a chance to avenge last season's controversial exit to in the quarter-finals when they had players (and Arturo Vidal) sent off in both legs as ran out 4-2 aggregate winners after extra time in the Bernabeu.

The German side has already won a seventh consecutive and has not forgotten the performance of referee in last year's quarter-finals in which he sent off Vidal and committed several other errors.

"Last year the referee knocked us out," commented right back on the club's TV station on Sunday.

Apart from the return leg against Juventus, have been excellent in the knockout stages of this season, playing exceptionally well to knock out Paris Saint Germain and winning 3-0 in

Bayern's knows what it is like to and he will be hoping his side can keep Ronaldo at bay.

Heynckes has two options for his starting 11 in the on Wednesday. To make the right choice couldbe the key to a repeat of the club's best ever year in 2013 when his team won the treble.

While the defense in both options will be made of right back Joshua Kimmich, central defenders and plus left-back David Alaba, the midfield selections will ultimately decide the Bavarian's approach.

Choosing the wingers and next to behind spearhead contains more offensive power as only and are available to do the defensive job in midfield. Chilean is injured.

Going for a midfield triangle (Martinez, James and Thiago) would leave Robben on the bench. So far Heynckes has mainly chosen a triangle but this time could change as his side needs to create a cushion to survive in the second leg a week in the Spanish capital.

The more will require the strikers do a lot of work tracking back as "the most important thing will be the right balance between offense and defense" as former put it.

Ribery, Robben, Mueller, and James will have to help stop Real's dangerous counterattacks and neutralize their star striker

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Tue, April 24 2018. 21:32 IST