Bayern Munich-Real Madrid: The semifinal matchup with 20 combined Champions League titles
In the other semifinal of the highest competition in European soccer, Borussia Dortmund welcomes Paris Saint-Germain, who open as favorites.
This Tuesday, the first leg games of the UEFA Champions League semifinals begin with one of the most iconic matchups in European soccer at the club level. Bayern Munich, which will play at home, welcomes Real Madrid at Allianz Arena (70,000 seats), in a duel that brings together a combined 20 Champions League titles. Maximum quality is expected in this match.
The Germans advanced to the penultimate round of the UEFA Champions League after eliminating Arsenal in the quarterfinals. In the second leg, the team led by Thomas Tuchel was able to sneak out a 1-0 victory against the English side to break the tie (2-2) that stood after the first leg. Striker Harry Kane and midfielder Jamal Musiala are the main stars for a Bayern Munich team that hopes to qualify for the final.
Real Madrid managed to advance after an intense match against Manchester City in the quarterfinals. Both teams needed the second leg to try to seal their place in the semifinals, after drawing 3-3 in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu. It was in the second duel in which the team led by Carlo Ancelotti qualified in the penalty shootout (1-1). Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr. and the English rising star Jude Bellingham are the biggest threats against Bayern Munich.
Borussia Dortmund - Paris Saint-Germain
The other first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals will also be played in Germany. About 380 miles from Munich is Signal Iduna Park, the stadium of Borussia Dortmund, which will host Paris Saint-Germain this Wednesday. As in the other round, the Germans start as underdogs.
After being defeated in the first leg against Atlético de Madrid (2-1) in the quarterfinals, Borussia Dortmund made a comeback in the second leg, defeating their rival (4-2). The world of soccer sees the team led by Edin Terzic as having less chance of advancing to the final, who will rely on several players such as Englishman Jadon Sancho to defeat their rival.
With the status of favorite, Paris Saint-Germain goes to Germany seeking a comfortable result for the second leg to vault them into the final. In the quarterfinals, FC Barcelona surprised and defeated the team led by Luis Enrique Martínez 3-2 in France. However, the French appealed to the epic and not only managed to come back, but also thrashed their rival on Spanish territory (4-1). Kylian Mbappé, for many the best player alive, is the undisputed leader of the team from the French capital.
The two winning teams will compete for the title in the final, which will be held at Wembley Stadium (London) on June 1.