There are no teams that understand the European Cup better than Real Madrid and Bayern Munich; There are also few in which it causes such transformative effects, in which it elevates so much. It is the European classic, repeated 26 times already, and one more tonight in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Allianz Arena (9:00 p.m., Movistar). Perhaps this repetition, the eighth in a semi-final, never in a final, is one of the most improbable of all.
“Few thought I could do this press conference,” said Carlo Ancelotti yesterday, who sees another final just two games away after a course of accumulation of injuries in key positions and without reinforcements, after also surviving the avalanche of Manchester City until leaving him out on penalties. But here he is and here is Madrid, against a Bayern deprived of the Bundesliga after eleven titles in a row, and in internal combustion: the club announced in February that Thomas Tüchel will not be its coach next year, and the honorary president, Uli Hoeness burst the days before the Madrid hearing with harsh public criticism of the coach’s work with young people. But here he is, and here is Bayern, also despite the doubts about the injuries of Sané, Musiala, De Ligt, Laimer and Upamecano.
Ancelotti pointed out the influence of Orejona: “They have not had a fantastic season in the Bundesliga, but they have had a spectacular tie against Arsenal. We have to take this into account, the quality, the history of this club, which is more or less ours. “History in the Champions League counts for a lot.”
Tüchel, who suffered one of the impossible comebacks of 2022 at the Bernabéu at Chelsea’s command, also considers the weight of these almost supernatural factors: “You play against Real Madrid, against the myth, against the shirt…”.
The wind has turned in this gigantic rivalry. Bayern won four of the first five semi-finals they played in. For decades, Madrid faced the prospect of traveling to Bavaria in the hope of suffering as little damage as possible, leaving room for a comeback at the Bernabéu. Real did not beat Bayern in Germany until 2014. Precisely with Ancelotti on the bench: 0-4 against the team then coached by Pep Guardiola. The semi-final heading to the Decima.
Not only that. Since then, Madrid has always won at the Allianz. Twice: in 2017 (with Ancelotti on the German bench) and in 2018. No team has ever won three times in a row at Bayern’s home in the European Cup, according to Opta records. Madrid has become the ogre of the team that it was for them for so long. Kimmich yesterday described the type of respect that Real now commands, remembering the qualifying rounds they won against Leipzig and City: “They weren’t the best team, but they qualified. Because they believe in their strengths, they know their qualities: Madrid is dangerous for that reason.” Tüchel entrusted himself to something a little beyond the rational: “We need tactics and luck. “If you want to beat Madrid, you need the complete package.”
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