Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes knows that the Bavarians have what it takes to stop Real Madrid in their mission to win their third consecutive Champions League final. Bayern know they have what is needed, having dominated the Spanish side in their first leg encounter last week. However, one fact that didn't escape anyone was the inability of their talisman, Robert Lewandowski to score, despite being presented with a couple of clear-cut chances.
File image of Robert Lewandowski. Reuters
Those goals could have made the difference as that would have set them up perfectly to play on the counter and take advantage of their opponents as they went in search of goals to win the tie. To their credit, Bayern have defended their Polish striker with great fervour, implying that he is crucial to their hopes of qualifying for the final, and that he will be at his best during the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. Yes, he has scored 38 goals this season, showing incredible consistency.
Since he joined the Bavarian giants in 2014, he has scored goals at a rate of 0.78 per game, making him one of the most lethal strikers in the game. After a long time, the German side had a truly world-class striker in their ranks, complementing their great defence and midfield. However, it also remains a painful fact that in these four seasons, they have never managed to get past the Champions League semi-finals and have been left clutching at straws at the final hurdle.
When he moved from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, Lewandowski was one of the most sought-after players in the world and probably the best striker at that time as well, with many calling him the complete striker. He had terrorised Madrid by scoring four goals past them as Dortmund got the better of the Spanish side to move to the Champions League final. That is the Lewandowski his current team need to secure their passage to the final. He has not been able to take Bayern to the final twice, fluffing his lines against Barcelona in 2015, while Atletico Madrid advanced to the final in 2016 despite his goal.
In 2017, the Bavarians suffered another loss to Real Madrid, this time at the quarter-final stage, going out on aggravate 6-3. Lewandowski was out due to injury in the first leg, while he played only as a substitute in the second leg. Last year, however, the referee's decisions made the headlines more than the game itself, as some important calls went against Bayern Munich, giving Real an advantage they capitalised on.
That is another big concern the German side have going into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. People from the board to Heynckes to players have all commented about the referee, hoping for a fair game and that the referee's decisions in the second leg do not affect the outcome of the tie. Yes, Real Madrid have had much the better of refereeing decisions in the past against Bayern, but that is not something the German side can influence on the pitch, and they would be better served improving their efficiency in front of goal, to ensure that their profligacy in the first leg doesn't come back to haunt them.
On the other end of the spectrum are Real Madrid, as they pursue the only title they can win this season with great vigour and fortitude. They have shown on multiple occasions that they are an efficient side, devastating in front of goal and competent enough to hold the opponent at bay when they have to play that way. The first leg of this tie was an example of the latter, as they defended for their lives, sacrificing their bodies to try and ensure that Bayern didn't get the advantage their play deserved.
Under Zinedine Zidane, the team has been an extremely cohesive unit from top to bottom, and that shown in the success they have achieved, winning the Champions League two years in a row and winning the La Liga title last season. Their ability to counter at pace and the threat they pose in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo makes them a team adept at dealing with difficult encounters in Europe. They have overcome Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus in the previous two rounds of the competition, and if they defeat Bayern and go through, they would have overcome the toughest set of fixtures in the competition to reach the final.
Zidane's man management and ability to set his team up tactically to achieve their objectives are what makes the Frenchman a good coach. He might not be the best at trying to formulate a style of play and working extensively with his players to improve them, but what he does is talk to his players, keep them engaged and ready to play at all times. He has gotten the best out of Ronaldo and others like Casemiro and Isco have consistently raised their levels under him. That is a big step indeed as that has pivoted them to become the best European side in the last half-decade.
Both teams go into the second leg with some crucial players missing due to injury. Arjen Robben and Jerome Boateng both got injured during the first leg and will not be a part of the squad while Dani Carvajal and Isco, who also got injured during the first leg, will not play any part in this match.
The Los Blancos have had a tough time in their home encounters in the knockout stages of the competition, not least against Juventus in the previous round, when they relinquished by going down 3-0 before a late Ronaldo penalty secured their spot. Similarly, they needed an own goal to progress past Manchester City in the semi-finals in the 2015/16 season. Even last year, they were down 2-1 after 90 minutes in the second leg, needing extra-time to secure a 4-2 win that helped them go through.
Heynckes was the coach when Bayern Munich won their last Champions League title and he also helped Real win the competition when he was their manager. It remains to be seen whether he can inspire off-colour Lewandowski to take his team through to the final while Zidane works on his team's ability to take punishment and draw confidence from that to grind their way through to reach their third successive final.
Updated Date: May 01, 2018 14:51 PM
Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes knows that the Bavarians have what it takes to stop Real Madrid in their mission to win their third consecutive Champions League final. Bayern know they have what is needed, having dominated the Spanish side in their first leg encounter last week. However, one fact that didn't escape anyone was the inability of their talisman, Robert Lewandowski to score, despite being presented with a couple of clear-cut chances.
File image of Robert Lewandowski. Reuters
Those goals could have made the difference as that would have set them up perfectly to play on the counter and take advantage of their opponents as they went in search of goals to win the tie. To their credit, Bayern have defended their Polish striker with great fervour, implying that he is crucial to their hopes of qualifying for the final, and that he will be at his best during the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. Yes, he has scored 38 goals this season, showing incredible consistency.
Since he joined the Bavarian giants in 2014, he has scored goals at a rate of 0.78 per game, making him one of the most lethal strikers in the game. After a long time, the German side had a truly world-class striker in their ranks, complementing their great defence and midfield. However, it also remains a painful fact that in these four seasons, they have never managed to get past the Champions League semi-finals and have been left clutching at straws at the final hurdle.
When he moved from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, Lewandowski was one of the most sought-after players in the world and probably the best striker at that time as well, with many calling him the complete striker. He had terrorised Madrid by scoring four goals past them as Dortmund got the better of the Spanish side to move to the Champions League final. That is the Lewandowski his current team need to secure their passage to the final. He has not been able to take Bayern to the final twice, fluffing his lines against Barcelona in 2015, while Atletico Madrid advanced to the final in 2016 despite his goal.
In 2017, the Bavarians suffered another loss to Real Madrid, this time at the quarter-final stage, going out on aggravate 6-3. Lewandowski was out due to injury in the first leg, while he played only as a substitute in the second leg. Last year, however, the referee's decisions made the headlines more than the game itself, as some important calls went against Bayern Munich, giving Real an advantage they capitalised on.
That is another big concern the German side have going into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. People from the board to Heynckes to players have all commented about the referee, hoping for a fair game and that the referee's decisions in the second leg do not affect the outcome of the tie. Yes, Real Madrid have had much the better of refereeing decisions in the past against Bayern, but that is not something the German side can influence on the pitch, and they would be better served improving their efficiency in front of goal, to ensure that their profligacy in the first leg doesn't come back to haunt them.
On the other end of the spectrum are Real Madrid, as they pursue the only title they can win this season with great vigour and fortitude. They have shown on multiple occasions that they are an efficient side, devastating in front of goal and competent enough to hold the opponent at bay when they have to play that way. The first leg of this tie was an example of the latter, as they defended for their lives, sacrificing their bodies to try and ensure that Bayern didn't get the advantage their play deserved.
Under Zinedine Zidane, the team has been an extremely cohesive unit from top to bottom, and that shown in the success they have achieved, winning the Champions League two years in a row and winning the La Liga title last season. Their ability to counter at pace and the threat they pose in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo makes them a team adept at dealing with difficult encounters in Europe. They have overcome Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus in the previous two rounds of the competition, and if they defeat Bayern and go through, they would have overcome the toughest set of fixtures in the competition to reach the final.
Zidane's man management and ability to set his team up tactically to achieve their objectives are what makes the Frenchman a good coach. He might not be the best at trying to formulate a style of play and working extensively with his players to improve them, but what he does is talk to his players, keep them engaged and ready to play at all times. He has gotten the best out of Ronaldo and others like Casemiro and Isco have consistently raised their levels under him. That is a big step indeed as that has pivoted them to become the best European side in the last half-decade.
Both teams go into the second leg with some crucial players missing due to injury. Arjen Robben and Jerome Boateng both got injured during the first leg and will not be a part of the squad while Dani Carvajal and Isco, who also got injured during the first leg, will not play any part in this match.
The Los Blancos have had a tough time in their home encounters in the knockout stages of the competition, not least against Juventus in the previous round, when they relinquished by going down 3-0 before a late Ronaldo penalty secured their spot. Similarly, they needed an own goal to progress past Manchester City in the semi-finals in the 2015/16 season. Even last year, they were down 2-1 after 90 minutes in the second leg, needing extra-time to secure a 4-2 win that helped them go through.
Heynckes was the coach when Bayern Munich won their last Champions League title and he also helped Real win the competition when he was their manager. It remains to be seen whether he can inspire off-colour Lewandowski to take his team through to the final while Zidane works on his team's ability to take punishment and draw confidence from that to grind their way through to reach their third successive final.