UEFA Champions League Semi Finals (Second leg)
Real Madrid (2) vs (1) Bayern
Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Tuesday, 01-05-2018 @09:45pm
Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (Tur)
Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal is likely to miss out with a hamstring problem, but Isco trained on Monday despite a shoulder injury. Zidane was coy on who would play in Carvajal’s place, with centre-back Nacho and winger Lucas Vazquez the most likely candidates.
Bayern are without winger Arjen Robben for the trip to the Bernabeu after he suffered a leg injury eight minutes into the first leg. Left-back David Alaba (thigh) and midfielder Javi Martinez (head) are both expected to return from injury.
No team has overturned a 2-1 home first-leg defeat in the Champions League, in seven previous such occurrences. Bayern and Real will meet for the 26th time in European competition, more than any other fixture. Real have won 12 of these encounters to Bayern’s 11 victories (two draws). Bayern have lost their past six games against Real (all in the knockout stages of the Champions League), their longest run of defeats against one opponent in European competition. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored nine goals against Bayern Munich in the Champions League – the only player to have netted more goals against a single opponent in the competition is Ronaldo himself, scoring 10 against Juventus. Real Madrid have scored in each of their past 41 Champions League games at the Bernabeu, last failing to find the net in April 2011 against Barcelona (2-0). Bayern Munich are on a run of two Champions League games without a win (D1 L1). They have not gone three matches in a row without a victory in the competition since 2009 (September-November).
The Bundesliga champions have to score at least twice in the Spanish capital to have a chance of progressing to the final.
Despite the fact that Real came from behind to win 2-1 at the Allianz Arena in the first leg, Bayern boss Heynckes has reminded them that they are not invincible and is taking inspiration from Juventus’ 3-1 win at the Bernabeu in the previous round. Real had an even healthier lead over the Italians in the quarter-final, winning 3-0 in Turin, but their place in the final four was under threat as they conceded three goals before Ronaldo’s controversial last-minute penalty ultimately put them through.
Prediction: Real Madrid and Bayern to play a scoring draw.
UEFA Champions League Semi Finals (Second leg)
AS Roma (2) vs (5) Liverpool
Olympic Stadium, Rome
Wednesday, 01-05-2018 @09:45pm
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slo).
Liverpool sit with one foot in the finals of the Champions League finals after a 5-2 win in the first leg semifinal at Anfield. But Roma will take a lot of positives into the second leg at their own backyard having scored twice to give them a chance in the tie. Moreover, they undone Barcelona by overturning a similar deficit. So, we are in for another thrilling encounter.
First, let’s look at how Roma can get to the finals? A win with 3 goals margin without conceding 2 goals will see them through, this refer to the score-lines 3-0 and 4-1. The Roma win with same 5-2 ft score take the game to extra time and penalties. If Liverpool scores 3, then Roma must win here by at least 4-goal difference.
Rick Karsdorp is the only player sidelined for Eusebio Di Francesco. Changes are expected both in personal and tactics to cope with Liverpool’s high pressing game.
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is the latest addition to Liverpool’s injury list. The England international was taken off after 18 minutes in the first leg at Anfield. Adam Lallana, Emre Can and Joel Matip are on the sidelines since a while. Meanwhile, there are fitness concerns over Sadio Mane, Jordan Henderson and Alexander-Arnold. However, the trio is expected to see through full 90 minutes at Rome.
Roma are unbeaten at home in Champions League this season with 4 wins and 1 draw. They are yet to concede a goal during this period. The Giallorossi had successfully overturned first leg defeats in the previous two knockout rounds to reach the semifinals. Highlight is the 3-0 win against Barcelona in the last round after going down 4-1 at the Camp Nou. Liverpool are unbeaten in Champions League this term starting from the play-off fixture against Hoffenheim – 9 wins and 4 draws from 13. Their away record is 4 wins and 2 draws from 8. The Reds scored 3 or more goals on 8 occasions, 3 of them on the road.
Liverpool have a head-to-head record of 3 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss from 6 meetings with AS Roma. They are unbeaten in two visits to Rome with a draw and win and clean sheets in both games. The 5-2 win at Anfield last week is their first meeting that saw more than 2 goals.
Unlike their previous opponents, Liverpool present substantial threat to Roma’s defense. So, it is almost impossible to keep the likes of Salah, Mane and Firmino from scoring.
Prediction: Roma to win but Liverpool will go onto the finals.
