Kick-off – Bayern v Real Madrid
1. Here we go! It’s Bayern that get the first leg of the first Champions League semi-final underway…
…and within 42 seconds Leroy Sane is through on the goal!
A delicate touch by Harry Kane plays the German in, and his shot across goal is kept out by the foot of Andriy Lunin.
Here come the two teams!
The Allianz Arena is awash with red and white with a huge tifo of the late, great Franz Beckenbauer adorning one end of the stadium.
Unsurprisingly, emotions are running high, and there is already a sense that we’re in for a special, special night.
The players of both teams make their way down the stairs, out of the tunnel, and on to the pitch as the atmosphere somehow manages to ramp up another notch.
The Champions League anthem plays, Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel share an embrace, and we are all set to go.
It’s Bayern Munich against Real Madrid, and kick-off is next.
The stage is set…
…and look what is just three games away.
Don Carlo plays squad game
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti masterminded the defeat of Bayern Munich in a Champions League semi-final ten years ago on the the way to La Decima – and believes history can repeat itself in the coming week.
Although the Italian coach has confidence in his selected starters, he also believes that those on the bench can have a huge impact in both legs of this tie.
We have a good feeling. I have a lot of confidence in my team because the attitude has always been there this season. I have chosen this line-up because of small details. More than 11 players deserve to play, but we have five substitutions that can be very useful in this kind of match.
Carlo Ancelotti
Harry proving he’s Kane man
That trophy may still elude him, but Harry Kane has continually shown that his move abroad to Bayern Munich has been a prosperous one.
The England captain has been directly involved in 10 goals in 10 games for Bayern in the Champions League this season, scoring seven goals himself and laying three assists on for teammate.
Should he score or provide in this game, he would establish a new record for the most goal involvements by an English player in a single Champions League campaign, moving clear of the 10 achieved by both David Beckham in 1998-99 and 2001-02, and Steven Gerrard in 2007-08.
How the sides shape up
The selection of Thomas Muller as support for Harry Kane is a bold move that could just as easily backfire as it could succeed.
Either way, it will mean that Aurelien Tchouameni will require his wits about him to track any runs from deep that roll back the years.
Elsewhere… well… there are matchwinners all over the pitch!
