Harry Kane (left) of Bayern Munich and Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid.
Photo: EFE Agencies – AFP
Incredible survivor against Manchester City, the next stop for a euphoric Real Madrid on their way to the Wembley final is the Allianz Arena, where on Tuesday they visit a downtrodden Bayern Munich in the first leg of the semi-finals in the ‘European Classic’ of the 20 Cups.
Six trophies for the German giant and 14 white ‘Orejonas’, five of them accumulated since 2014, are scheduled to take place on the grass of the Bavarian capital. Two teams that curiously have never met in a final, used to doing so in the semifinals, up to seven, with a balance of 4-3 for the locals.
But in recent years the Spanish team has taken command, winning the semi-finals in 2014 and 2018, as well as the quarterfinals in 2017. In all three cases they ended up lifting the big trophy.
In addition to the statistics, the emotional state is on your side. Real Madrid arrives euphoric at the big moment of the season. With the League title tied up, coach Carlo Ancelotti could afford to give his heavyweights a rest on Friday against Real Sociedad (1-0 win) and has managed to empty his infirmary, in which only David Alaba and Thibaut Courtois remain. about to return.
Nor will he be able to count on the suspended right back Dani Carvajal in Munich, who will be replaced by Lucas Vázquez, a brilliant appearance in this stretch of the season, or the always compliant Nacho.
The house of trouble
Different ‘vibes’ in Munich. With the dismissal, announced in February and which will take effect in June, coach Thomas Tuchel paid for his catastrophic year in national competitions: dethroned from the Bundesliga by Leverkusen after having dominated it since 2013, eliminated from the Cup by a third-category team and beaten by Leipzig in the Super Cup (3-0).
The last chapter of the ‘delayed’ divorce between coach and club came this weekend, an exchange of statements with the honorary president, Uli Hoeness, who a few days ago questioned his ability to improve the team’s young assets. “He prefers to sign,” he told him.
Tuchel responded on Saturday very hurt: “It has hurt my honor as a coach, if we have shown something in 15 years it is that youth players always have a place. If it had been someone else he would not have responded, but he comes from our boss four days before the game against Real Madrid.”
Kane, unflappable goalscorer
The coach, European champion with Chelsea in 2021, does not have the squad as healthy as Ancelotti. Konrad Laimer and Matthijs De Ligt had to retire injured on Saturday in the 2-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt, a match in which the talented Jamal Musiala did not play, with an overloaded tendon.
Yes, the incredible Harry Kane will be in the game, who with his double on Saturday reached 35 goals in the Bundesliga, plus seven in the Champions League, a total record that improves his best scoring season with Tottenham. His adaptation to a new team after a lifetime at the Spurs has been perfect. And he threatens to boycott Real Madrid’s path towards their 15th European Cup.
The tie will close on May 8 at the Santiago Bernabéu. The winner will face the survivor of Borussia Dortmund vs. PSG on June 1 at Wembley, London’s cathedral of football.
Time and where to watch Bayern Munich vs. real Madrid
Date: Tuesday April 30
Hour: 2:00 pm (Colombian time)
Stadium: Allianz Arena, Munich (Germany)
Channel: ESPN and Star+ platform
