Pro Sports

Semifinal meeting between Bayern and Madrid rich in history

Posted April 24, 2018 7:00 am

By TALES AZZONI

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, left, and Real Madrid's Mateo Kovacic challenge for the ball during a training session in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. FC Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid for a Champions League semi final first leg soccer match in Munich on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) The Associated Press

MADRID (AP) - They are two of the biggest clubs in the world, both with enough trophies to fill a warehouse.

They are Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

On Wednesday, the giants of European soccer will meet yet again in the Champions League semifinals.

"We will need a big performance against a strong opponent," Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said ahead of Wednesday's first leg in Munich. "Bayern is a great club with great team spirit."

It will be the seventh time they have played each other at this stage in the tournament's history, with Bayern winning four of those previous six. They have competed in the knockout stages of the Champions League 11 times, including three times in the last six seasons.

Here's a look at some of their most memorable matchups, either at the semifinal stage or earlier:

2017 QUARTERFINALS

Their most recent meeting went Madrid's way, thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portugal forward scored both goals in Madrid's 2-1 win in Munich, and he then had a hat trick in the return match to give the hosts a 6-3 aggregate victory.

Two of Ronaldo's goals came in extra time in the second leg at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, keeping Madrid on track to winning its third title in four seasons.

Bayern had players sent off in both matches - Javi Martinez in the first leg and Arturo Vidal in the second. The German team played the entire extra time in Madrid with 10 men.

2014 SEMIFINALS

Even with Pep Guardiola calling the shots for Bayern, Madrid eliminated the German team 5-0 on aggregate on its way to another title.

Karim Benzema scored the winner in the 1-0 victory in Madrid. The Spanish team then won 4-0 in Munich to hand Bayern its worst European home defeat.

Sergio Ramos and Ronaldo each scored twice for Madrid in the return match.

2012 SEMIFINALS

Coached by Jupp Heynckes, who is now back in charge at the German club, Bayern got the best of Madrid on penalties after each side recorded a 2-1 home victory.

An early goal by Franck Ribery and a late winner by Mario Gomez put Bayern ahead in the series, but Madrid rebounded with two goals by Ronaldo in the first 15 minutes of the second leg before Arjen Robben pulled one back for Bayern before halftime.

Neither team could score after regulation and Bayern eventually won the penalty shootout 3-1 as Ronaldo, Kaka and Ramos all missed their shots from the spot.

2007 LAST 16

Bayern eliminated Madrid on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate draw.

Madrid won 3-2 in the first leg at home, when Raul Gonzalez scored twice, but Bayern advanced with a 2-1 win in Munich after Roy Makaay scored 10 seconds into the match for what remains the fastest ever Champions League goal.

2004 LAST 16

Zinedine Zidane, the current Madrid coach, scored the decisive second-leg goal that allowed the Spanish team to advance.

Zidane beat goalkeeper Oliver Kahn with a shot from inside the area.

The first leg in Munich ended in a 1-1 draw with goals by Makaay in the 75th minute and Roberto Carlos in the 83rd.

OTHER MEETINGS

The teams faced each other in three straight Champions Leagues between 2000-02, with the winner going on to win the title each time.

Madrid won the 2000 semifinal series 3-2 on aggregate and advanced with the same score in the 2002 quarterfinals. Bayern won the 2001 semifinals 3-1 on aggregate, and also got the best of Madrid in the group stage in 2000 with a 4-2 victory in Madrid and a 4-1 win in Munich.

Bayern also won the teams' first two matchups, in the semifinals in 1976 and 1987. Madrid, however, won in the 1988 quarterfinals.

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More AP Champions League coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/ChampionsLeague

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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

Team Real Madrid gather prior to a training session in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. FC Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid for a Champions League semi final first leg soccer match in Munich on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) The Associated Press

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, from left, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo warm up during a training session in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. FC Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid for a Champions League semi final first leg soccer match in Munich on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) The Associated Press

Bayern's Robert Lewandowski, front and Sebastian Rudy celebrate a goal during a German Bundesliga soccer match between Hannover 96 and Bayern Munich in Hannover, Germany, Saturday, April 21, 2018 (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Hannover's Miiko Albornoz, left, and Pirmin Schwegler, right, and Munich's Sebastian Rudy challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hannover 96 and Bayern Munich in Hannover, Germany, Saturday, April 21, 2018. (Peter Steffen/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Hannover's Salif Sane, left, amd Munich's Sandro Wagner challenge for the ball during a German Bundesliga soccer match between Hannover 96 and Bayern Munich in Hannover, Germany, Saturday, April 21, 2018. (Peter Steffen/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, center, jokes with team mates during a training session in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. FC Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid for a Champions League semi final first leg soccer match in Munich on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) The Associated Press

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo warms up during a training session in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. FC Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid for a Champions League semi final first leg soccer match in Munich on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) The Associated Press

Real Madrid's head coach Zinedine Zidane arrives for a news conference in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. FC Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid for a Champions League semi final first leg soccer match in Munich on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) The Associated Press

Bayern's Jerome Boateng attends a news conference in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. FC Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid for a Champions League semi final first leg soccer match in Munich on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) The Associated Press

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes attends a news conference in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. FC Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid for a Champions League semi final first leg soccer match in Munich on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) The Associated Press

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