In what should have ideally been a final, two European heavyweights - Real Madrid and Bayern Munich - lock horns in the Champions League semifinal, starting with the first leg at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
Where to Watch Live:
The game is scheduled for an 8.45 local time (7.45 pm BST, 12.15 am IST, 2.45 pm ET) start with live coverage on Ten Action, Ten Sports and Ten HD in India, Sky Sports 1 in the UK and Fox Sports in US.
The quarterfinal can be watched via live streaming online in the UK HERE, while India viewers can do the same HERE. Catch the action in the US live online HERE, while Germany viewers can live stream the match HERE, with audience in Canada able to live stream the action HERE. Catch the quarterfinal in the Middle East and North Africa HERE, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can go to the link HERE. The game can be live streamed in Latin America HERE, while viewers in Australia can go HERE.
While the first semifinal between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea was attritional in nature, the second one is not expected to be as defensive-minded.
Both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have wonderful attacking qualities, with one team at their best on the counter attack, while the other thrive on possession. So, the semifinal between two of the world's biggest teams promises to be a classic.
"We need to work hard, stay compact in defence and take control of the game in order to show our quality," Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said. "We are in an important semifinal and we are more driven than anyone to win this competition, which is an advantage and a great motivation for us, not an obsession.
"We are not going to try and stop the opposition from playing, we will try and use our quality to win. Balance, as always, is fundamental and we have to be compact across the pitch. We are only thinking about the match.
"We're playing against a very strong team. It does not matter if people think we're not the favourites. We'll do the best possible and the best side will win. My goal is to play in the final. We have to fight hard against a tough team, but reaching four semifinals in a row is not bad."
Real's obsession with the La Decima has seen them fall one hurdle below the final time and again, and in their fourth straight semifinal appearance, they are up against perhaps their toughest opponent yet.
"Against Bayern, with the characteristics they have, if we don't play well together we may lose control, but we're working on it," Real midfielder Xabi Alonso said. "It's the fourth consecutive year we have got to the semifinals and we want to take that last little step. Our motivation is absolute and the concentration we need to have is high."
Bayern faced Real's biggest rivals Barcelona in the semifinal last year, and put the Spanish side to the sword in both legs. When they are in their mood, Bayern can be near unstoppable, and after overcoming three-game winless streak in the Bundesliga with a hard-fought victory over Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday, Pep Guardiola's men will be gunning for Real.
"We are two great international teams," Bayern captain Philipp Lahm said. "These games are decided with heart and passion. It's very nice to play at the Santiago Bernabeu, I feel comfortable here. I have fond memories of this ground and have always had a good feeling when we're been here.
"It's not enough to settle for a draw, we're a strong team. We've won the Bundesliga and we must be ambitious and want to win the Champions League. We're here to win, but we are all aware that it is a difficult task."
Team news: Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo returned to training after a hamstring injury kept him out of the last few games. Ancelotti insisted he will not take a risk with the Portuguese superstar, and will start him against Bayern only if passed 100 percent fit.
"He will play if everyone can be assured that he can play without any problem," the Italian said on Tuesday. "We are confident at the moment, but the decision will be taken tomorrow. "If there is a risk of a recurrence of the injury he will not play because we need to think that this is a tie of two games and will not be decided tomorrow. The decisive match in the tie will come next Tuesday."
Alvaro Arbeloa and Jese Rodriguez remain sidelined, but Marcelo is expected to be named on the bench with Gareth Bale, scorer of that wonder goal against Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey final, also set to recover from flu.
Bayern Munich: Thiago Alcantara, Diego Contento and Xherdan Shaqiri are ruled out, but David Alaba and Manuel Neuer are expected to return to the lineup after missing the game on Saturday due to illness and a calf injury respectively.
Expected lineups: Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Coentrao; Di Maria, Alonso, Modric; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo.
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Boateng, Alaba; Martinez, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Kroos, Ribery; Mandzukic.
