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Bayern star is missing against Real
FC Bayern will face Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Coach Thomas Tuchel has to do without an important key player. How do the German record champions fare in the first leg?
Missed the championship, been out of the cup for a long time: FC Bayern have their last chance of the season in the semi-finals of the Champions League against Real Madrid – but now, of all times, a top performer is missing!
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FC Bayern: De Ligt is out against Real Madrid
Matthijs de Ligt falls SPORT1-Information definitely out. The Dutchman had already missed the final training sessions due to knee problems and was threatened with failure on Monday.
Min-jae Kim will step in for de Ligt in central defense – alongside Eric Dier, who is already deployed.
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The expected lineups:
- FC Bayern: Neuer – Kimmich, Kim, Dier, Mazraoui – Laimer, Goretzka – Sané, Musiala, Guerreiro – Kane.
- Real Madrid: Lunin – Vázquez, Rüdiger, Nacho, Mendy – Tchouameni, Kroos – Valverde, Bellingham, Rodrygo – Vinícius Júnior.
“This semi-final feels a bit like a final,” said coach Thomas Tuchel at the official press conference before the first leg on Tuesday in Munich’s Allianz Arena – making it clear: now it’s really all about everything.
Apart from de Ligt, the 50-year-old can rely on the majority of his players: Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sané, who were recently injured, took part in the final training session on Monday. Serge Gnabry also returns to the squad after his torn muscle fiber.
“Of course we need tactics, but also luck. You can achieve a lot through tactics. The approach is the car, the players drive it. We have to find a good balance and moments in which we have solutions ready,” Tuchel revealed his plan against Los Blancos.
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The last meeting between the two European heavyweights in the Champions League took place in 2018, when Real won 4-3 on aggregate – despite Bayern’s best chances, in which goalkeeper Sven Ulreich made a bad mistake.
Already there at the time: Joshua Kimmich, who also spoke about his experiences against Real at the PK on Monday.
“Real Madrid is a very experienced team that has a lot of quality. They are often not the better team and still get ahead. They believe in their quality. But we should also believe in our own strengths and act with enough self-confidence,” said the 28-year-old, who will probably play as a right-back again.
Meanwhile, the Spanish defender David Carvajal is missing from the Madrilenians – alongside the long-term injured David Alaba and Thibaut Courtois – due to a yellow card suspension. Ex-Bayern star Alaba is still in Real’s squad to support his teammates.
At the press conference on Monday evening, coach Carlo Ancelotti also spoke about his time at Bayern. The Italian was with the German record champions from summer 2016 to October 2017 – and has many good, “fantastic memories” of Munich.
“It’s a great city. “It’s just that the German language didn’t want to get into my brain,” said the Italian before the semi-final first leg of the Champions League at FC Bayern on Tuesday SPORT1-Demand.