Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich

After beating title rivals Barcelona at Camp Nou on Saturday in the second of the season's El Classico's and all but confirming their status as the new Spanish league champions, Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid now shift focus to the Champions League, as they host German giants Bayern Munich in the second leg of their semi-finals, on Wednesday.

The German side won the first leg 2-1 in Munich last week, thanks to a dramatic late goal by German international Mario Gomez. The Bavarians now head to the Spanish capital with just one thing in mind - reach the final that is scheduled to be played on their home turf, the Allianz Areana, on 19 May. Moreover, with Borussia Dortmund clinching the Bundesliga title over the weekend, Bayern can now put all focus into battling the attack-minded Los Blancos.

The match will be available live on vslive.tv in the UK and FOXSoccer.tv in the US

Team News: Real Madrid have a nearly full strength squad for the tie, with only defender Ricardo Carvalho considered an injury doubt. Mourinho might ponder fielding the same team that beat Barca at the weekend. However, playmaker Kaka could make a return to the starting line-up after being benched for the first leg at Munich and the El Clasico, while fellow Brazilian Marcelo may replace Fabio Coentrao at left-back.

Bayern Munich rested several of their key players for the weekend's trip to Werder Bremen and have the strongest available line-up for this game. They also have no fresh injury worries but defenders Daniel Van Buyten and Breno remain sidelined.

Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Gonzalo Higuain, Fabio Coentrao, Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Holger Badstuber, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba and Luiz Gustavo will all miss their teams' potential final in Munich if they get booked on Wednesday.

Facts

  • Real Madrid have won 10 of their last 11 Champions League matches at the Santiago Bernabeu, while Bayern Munich have managed only one victory in their last four away games in the competition.
  • Real have beaten Bayern six times at home in nine matches and have lost to the Germans only twice.
  • Bayern's 2-0 win at Villarreal in the group stages of this campaign was the club's first victory in Spain in more than a decade.

Probable Starting Line-up

Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Khedira, Alonso, Kaka, Ozil, Ronaldo, Benzema

Bayern Munich: Neuer, Lahm, Boateng, Badstuber, Alaba, Gustavo, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Robben, Ribery, Gomez

Real Madrid Bayern Munich Cristiano Ronaldo