War of Ball: The Destiny

Neutrals will be hoping this UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg lives up to the first as both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played out an exhilarating 2-2 draw. This game is therefore a straight shootout for the final, and although Bayern have won four of the seven meetings on aggregate between these two at this stage of the competition, Madrid have won each of the past two which hints that recent history is on Los Blancos’ side. Carlo Ancelotti’s men should enter the clash in a buoyant mood too after finally clinching what was their 36th La Liga crown this past weekend after they beat Cádiz 3-0 while Barcelona fell to defeat. That was their 37th competitive win of the season (D10, L2), and having scored 2+ goals in each of their past five matches at this venue, it’s likely Bayern need a big night from their attack if they’re to match their hosts again. But the German side had a far from ideal weekend in which to build any confidence after they were downed 3-1 by Stuttgart. Although it was a much-changed starting XI with this game in mind, the result did extend their recent run to just four wins from nine competitive matches (D2, L3), while Thomas Tuchel’s men have also conceded two or more goals in eight of their last ten road trips in any competition (W3, D2, L5). With this context, it’s understandable why Bayern come into this game as the underdogs, yet their record against La Liga sides suggests they can’t be overlooked. Player to watch tonight: England teammate Harry Kane has scored five goals in Bayern’s past four matches, with three coming from the penalty spot.