With both ties nicely poised, it really is difficult to predict which two teams will make their way to Milan to play in the UEFA Champions League final later this month. Bayern Munich vs Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid vs Manchester City will be the two semifinal second legs on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will decide the two finalists from this season.
Both first legs, to a certain extent, were a bit of a disappointment, with only one goal scored over the two matches. While that one strike was a goal of the season contender, there really is room for improvement for all four teams going into their respective second legs.
Bayern Munich will know they need to play quicker, more incisive football if they are to find a way past the Atletico Madrid defence. Too many times in the first leg at the Vicente Calderon, the Bayern Munich attack was too passive. To outfox a wonderful defence like Altetico's, the attacking needs to be a lot more dynamic, something Pep Guardiola will be aware of.
Atletico, on the other hand, played the near perfect game, even if they would have liked to take a bigger lead to the Allianz Arena. A moment of magic from Saul Niguez gave the team a 1-0 win, and while that is far from a lead big enough to guarantee them a spot in the Champions League final, knowing their defensive capabilities and penchant to find the goals when necessary, you wouldn't bet against them doing that is needed against Bayern on Tuesday.
There was no such magic in the first leg at the Etihad between Manchester City and Real Madrid. Neither team really found their attacking groove, with City failing to take advantage of the fact that there was no Cristiano Ronaldo at all for Real Madrid and no Karim Benzema in the entire second half.
Having suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Southampton on Sunday, albeit while fielding a weakened team, Manchester City will need to bring their A-game, and more, if they are to qualify for their first ever Champions League final.
Real Madrid will know the importance of having Ronaldo back in the lineup, and the signs look good in that direction, with the Portuguese returning to training on Sunday, having sat out the 1-0 win over Real Sociedad, when Gareth Bale scored a late winner.
Bale, however, could not make enough of an impact in Ronaldo's absence in that first leg in Manchester, but the Welshman will be raring to go, with or without Ronaldo, when the two teams meet on Wednesday at the Bernabeu.
UEFA Champions League semifinals schedule: Second leg:
Bayern Munich vs Atletico Madrid
Date: Tuesday, May 3.
Time: 8.45 p.m. CET (7.45 p.m. BST, 2.45 p.m. ET, 12.15 a.m. IST).
Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich.
TV listings: India: Ten2, Ten 1 HD. Spain: TV3 and Antena 3. Germany: ZDF and Sky Sport 1. UK: BT Sport Europe. USA: Fox Sports 1. China: QQ Sports and PPTV. South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa: SuperSport. France, Middle East, North Africa, Australia, Canada, Thailand, Indonesia: Bein Sports.
Real Madrid vs Manchester City
Date: Wednesday, May 4.
Venue: Bernabeu, Madrid.
Time: 8.45 p.m. CET (7.45 p.m. BST, 2.45 p.m. ET, 12.15 a.m. IST).
TV listings: India: Ten 2, Ten 1 HD. UK: BT Sport Europe. Spain, France, Thailand, Indonesia, Middle East, North Africa and Australia: Bein Sports. USA: Fox Sports 1. Canada: TSN. South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa: SuperSport.
