Two of European Football’s powerhouses take on each other in the Champions League’s most awaited Q/F as Bayern Munich host Real Madrid in the first leg of the UCL Q/F at the Allianz arena.
This fixture holds a record in itself as it is the most played fixture in the Champions league history. The count will reach to record 17 times when the Bundesliga outfit take on the Spanish giants. In this fixture both the teams have almost identical records as Madrid have won seven times while Bayern have shaded it with eight wins to their name and drawing only one.
Both teams have players who have played for both the clubs. The likes of Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben and Xabi Alonso are the players who have undergone the Cross-Pollination process as they have played for both the teams at some point in their professional careers.
Bayern Munich host Real Madrid in the first leg of the UCL Q/F
The last time when Los Blancos visited the Allianz arena in the semi-final stage of the 2014/2015 tournament they ran out as winners as they defeated the Bavarians 4-0. Carlo Ancelotti was the manager of the visitors at that time, but this time around he will be seen in the Bavarians dug out. His former assistant and one of world football’s famous personalities Zinedine Zidane will be leading the Los Blancos side from the dugout.
Allianz arena is the fortress of the German heavyweights as they have a very good record on their home soil. Bayern Munich have won their last 16 home champions league games scoring 58 goals and conceding only 9 goals and this is the longest winning run in the history of the champions league. Bayern Munich has averaged 70% possession which is the highest ratio in this year’s champions league.
Bayern come into the match as favourites to win this special fixture as they have a 70% chance of winning on their home soil.
Bayern will miss the services of Mats Hummels who has been ruled out due to season ending injury. On the other hand, Madrid will miss the services of the Portuguese international Pepe in the defence. For Madrid to dominate in the match at the Allianz arena they need the “BBC” Bale, Benzema, and Cristiano to give their best performance.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to score in his last 613 minutes in the Champions league action, the longest goal drought since when he was at Manchester United in the 2008/2009 champions league tournament. None of his 33 shots on the target have found the back of the net, and if Madrid are to win this fixture then they will need their Portuguese talisman back onto the scoring sheet. This is the 20th consecutive season in which Real Madrid have made it to the champions league knockout stage and it is a record in the competition. The Spanish heavyweights have also reached to the semi-final stage in each of the last 6 seasons.
It will be a tight affair as the away goals will be a huge factor in the outcome of the tie. It should be an exciting match as Bayern Munich host Real Madrid in the first leg of the UCL Q/F.
