On Wednesday evening, the second semi-final of the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League season will take place, promising even more intrigue and competition. In Germany, we will witness a European football classic - the clash between Munich's Bayern and Madrid's Real clubs. Both clubs have unfinished business between them, so the battle at the "Allianz" fortress should be even more interesting. The Bavarians will try to eliminate the European champions for the second time in a row at 21:45 Lithuanian time. The road to the final Bayern started their performance in Group B, where they competed against Paris Saint-Germain, Glasgow Celtic, and Brussels Anderlecht. The Bavarians' performance in this group can be considered successful, except for the disappointing defeat in Paris. Currently, Jupp Heynckes' team has won five out of six matches and lost to PSG 0-3. The Germans managed to recover in the return match against the Parisians, but their second-place finish in the group was sealed. In the quarter-finals, Bayern faced the relatively easy task of playing against Istanbul's Besiktas. After a 5-0 victory at home in the first leg, they defeated them again in the return match with a score of 3-1. In the quarter-finals, the Bavarians faced Sevilla, a team that did not underestimate them. Despite difficulties in the first leg, Bayern achieved a 2-1 victory. The second leg against the Spanish team ended goalless, securing their spot in the semi-finals. Real Madrid had a much harder path to the semi-finals - in Group H, they faced teams like Tottenham, Borussia Dortmund, and APOEL Nicosia. The tournament champions did not have an easy route - with four wins, two draws, and a loss. In the quarter-finals, they faced Paris, who were considered favorites. However, the champions once again showed their strength - a 3-1 victory at home and a 5-1 aggregate score ensured their place in the next stage. A repeat of last season's final took place with Juventus. A surprising result was already achieved in the first leg when Real defeated Juventus 3-0 in their own stadium. The second leg did not promise much, but Juventus was close to a sensational achievement - the Italian champions managed to score three goals at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, putting the tournament champions in a difficult situation. However, Michael Oliver's penalty allowed Real to advance to the semi-finals without extra time. Team performances This season, the performances of both teams in their respective domestic leagues differ significantly - Bayern has already secured the championship title, while Real is forced to settle for third place in the league. Bayern is currently in great form - they have won four out of their last five matches and drew once with Sevilla. In their last matches, Bayern defeated Hannover. Before that, they had victories against Augsburg, Borussia Monchengladbach, and Bayer Leverkusen. In these matches, Bayern managed to score 18 goals. Real has had a tougher time - they only enjoyed two victories in their last five matches and conceded goals only in the match against Juventus. Zinedine Zidane's side did not play over the weekend - the match against Sevilla was postponed due to their appearance in the King's Cup final. However, before that, Real failed to win at home against Athletic Bilbao, playing out a 1-1 draw. Real celebrated victories against Malaga and Juve but also suffered a defeat against the Italian club and played a draw against Atletico. Team news Real traveled to Germany with a full squad, but defender Nacho will not be available due to injury. Bayern have more serious absentees - Kingsley Coman, Arturo Vidal, Manuel Neuer, and doubts about David Alaba's availability. It is predicted that Rafinha will replace Alaba on the left side. It is also expected that Jupp Heynckes will play with an attacking lineup - Javi Martinez as the lone defensive midfielder, supported by James Rodriguez and Thomas Muller. There are no major surprises expected from the Real team - they will field their usual Champions League lineup. According to Marca, Zidane is undecided on Karim Benzema's position, with Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez also in contention. Predicted starting lineups: Bayern: (4-1-2-3) Sven Ulreich; Joshua Kimmich, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Rafinha; Javi Martinez; James Rodriguez, Thomas Muller; Franck Ribery, Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben. Real: (4-3-1-2) Keylor Navas; Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos; Isco; Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo. Interesting facts This will be Real Madrid's eighth consecutive Champions League semi-final - they have reached the final three times. Both clubs know each other very well - this will be the 25th time Real and Bayern will compete in the Champions League tournament. Seven times, these two teams have faced each other in the semi-final stage. Real has won all of their last five matches against Bayern, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring at least one goal in each of these games. In the game, we should see 12 players belonging to Real Madrid at once - Bayern's midfielder James Rodriguez still officially has a contract with the Spanish club. It will not be easy for Real in Munich - Bayern has not lost at home this season (18 wins, 3 draws). Bayern has kept their goal dry in 12 out of these matches. Bayern should pay close attention to Cristiano Ronaldo - the Portuguese has scored in every Champions League match this season, with a total of 15 goals, continuously breaking tournament records. Bayern is second in yellow cards received in the Champions League this season - the Germans have received a total of 21 warnings.
