Poor Sven. All he wanted to do was hang out on the Bayern bench and rack up trophies, but then Manuel Neuer had to go and get injured in September. Now, after another Sven Ulreich howler against Real Madrid on Tuesday, the Bayern Munich backup is making a name for himself in all the wrong ways.
Just eight minutes after Joshua Kimmich had given Bayern Munich a dream start at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid restored their aggregate lead (3-2) after a sweeping 28-pass move was finally finished off by Karim Benzema.
“The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost; for none now live who remember it.” -What middle-aged soccer fans will be saying come 2040
In order to advance to the Champions League final, Bayern Munich will have to make history at the Bernabeu. The advantage of hosting the second leg is made most apparent by looking at the record of teams who have needed a comeback after dropping the first leg at home.
Since the 2003-04 season, 18 teams have trailed heading into a Champions League quarterfinal or semifinal second leg on the road. None of those teams have advanced.
Cristiano Ronaldo is now the player with most UCL victories in the history of the UEFA Champions League.
After Real Madrid beat Bayern Munich 1-2 in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals, Ronaldo surpassed Íker Casillas, a former Real Madrid teammate, who previously held the record with a total 98 wins in the tournament.
Interestingly, both players have played the majority of their UCL games for Real Madrid.
In one of the ultimate glamor ties of European club football, it was Real Madrid left back Marcelo who emerged as Wednesday’s Man of the Match in his side’s 2-1 away leg victory over Bayern Munich.
The 29-year-old Brazilian’s day got off to a flyer when opposition winger Arjen Robben was forced off with an injury as early as the 8th minute. The introduction of Thiago Alcantara as his replacement immediately shifted Bayern’s focus to the middle of the park and allowed Marcelo more freedom to get forward on the wing.
It’s 1-1 at halftime in an enthralling UEFA Champions League semifinal between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena, Joshua Kimmich opening the scoring for Bayern in the 28’ before Marcelo’s sweet strike evened things up in the 44’.
Jupp Heynckes has been forced into two early substitutions with both Arjen Robben and Jerome Boateng limping off injured, but Bayern took the lead when Real failed to track the run of Kimmich. The 23-year-old left back then punished Real with a clinical finish.
The first leg of Liverpool Roma lived up to the billing. After a cagey first half hour where Roma had the better chances, Mo Salah took over. His goal in the 35th minute sparked a Liverpool blitzkrieg.
It's getting silly, folks.
Mo Salah AGAIN. His 43rd goal in all competitions this season. pic.twitter.com/ng4fkRt5Ol— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 24, 2018
The atmosphere outside Anfield is full of smoke, fire and exactly what you'd expect from Liverpool fans. Before the first leg of the Champions League semifinal between Roma and Liverpool, at least this time around Liverpool fans have allowed the opposing players to enter the stadium without incurring significant safety risks. At least off the field.
The scenes outside Anfield looked like B roll footage from a post-apocalyptic Michael Bay movie.
Mo Salah is on another planet. After a tense first half hour of the match in which Roma had the game's best chances, Liverpool began to threaten with attacks over the top. After a few Sadio Mane missed chances, the PFA Player of the Year stepped up in a big way. Two vintage Mo Salah goals have spotted the Reds with a significant advantage at the half.
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