Bayern Munich will take on Real Madrid for the 25th time in a European Cup as Allianz Arena hosts the first leg between the two sides in the semi-final.
There’s never a dull moment when these two sides face each other, and the last time they met in a UEFA Champions League game, Real Madrid knocked Bayern Munich out of the quarter-finals in the 2016-17 competition.
Both teams have star-studded lineups and there will no shortage of lively football. Madrid will look to make it to the finals for the third time in a row, while Munich will want to avenge their painful defeat last year.
On that note, let’s take a look at the five players who could decide the first leg.
5. Thomas Mueller
Deployed primarily on the right in an attacking role, the Germany international has been excellent for Jupp Heynckes’ side so far and his link-up play with Robert Lewandowski has been excellent.
The 28-year-old has scored ten goals and assisted 13 more in the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League this season and will be the key to unlocking Real Madrid’s defence.
Muller is not new to big occasions, having played many a Champions League knockout game in his career.
4. Casemiro
The central midfielder may not score a lot of goals or create them but is an unsung hero for Zinedine Zidane’s side.
In a team full of attacking talents, Casemiro’s patience and defensive abilities hold the key to keeping the opponents at bay. He sits back and prevents opponents’ attacking threats, allowing Marcelo and Dani Carvajal to play up the pitch.
He averages 4.7 tackles per game in Champions League this season, which is simply phenomenal. Bayern Munich has no shortage of midfield talents and Casemiro has the biggest job on the night of keeping them quiet.
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3. Joshua Kimmich
A revelation this season, he has scored goals, created them, defended brilliantly, and been an ever-present figure in the Bayern Munich and Germany lineup.
With four goals and 13 assists already this season, the 23-year-old right-back is having the best season of his career.
With 2.2 key passes per game in Champions League this campaign, Kimmich holds the key to Bayern’s play on the wide areas. He gets into good attacking positions and can put in a good cross as well, so he’ll be a threat.
Marcelo has to be at his best to stop the young fullback from making forward forays.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brilliant hat-trick when these two sides last met in a UEFA Champions League game and finished the 2016-17 quarter-finals tie against with a total of five goals.
He single-handedly won Madrid the quarter-finals last year and is in the form of his life at the moment, having scored 26 goals in his last 15 competitive games for Real Madrid, after being written off due to his slow start to the season.
1. Robert Lewandowski
Arguably the best No.9 in world football right now, with 38 goals already this campaign, including eight goals in his last eight competitive games for Bayern Munich.
The Pole is the only player in Champions League history to score six goals against Real Madrid – four coming while he played for Borussia Dortmund in the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League semi-finals, helping his side to the final.
He played only 23 minutes in the game against Hannover 96 but is expected to lead the line once again for the German champions.
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