After a series of complicated matchups, the UEFA Champions League enters its final stages. Bayern Munich, Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid will fight for the two spots in the Final match, which will be held in the German city of Berlin.
With 21 Champions League trophies won between the four clubs, which facts stand out as the most interesting prior to the semi-final draw this Friday? Here's a closer look at some of these four European giants' stats when playing football's most coveted tournament.
1. First semi-final for Juventus in 12 years
La Vecchia Signora has risen from the ashes to regain their top spot among Europe's finest. Following their Calciopoli scandal, Juventus has struggled to put themselves between the continent's top teams again, being this the first time they get to the semi-finals of the tournament they won back in 1985 and 1996. Curiously enough, their last Final Four appearance ended up with a victory against Real Madrid with an aggregate of 4-3.
2. Bayern holds the best record against their possible opponents
Pep Guardiola's team will try to live up to the hype after destroying Porto in spectacular fashion during the Quarter-final stage. Furthermore, the Bavarians will try to improve their semi-final record against three well-known opponents, having faced them 28 times. In fact, Bayern is the only team among the semi-finalists to have a positive balance against all opponents. When they've faced Barcelona, Bayern has won five games, drawn 2, and lost only one time. Against the Italians, Bayern's record shows four wins, one draw and three losses. Finally, their games against Los Blancos show 11 victories, two draws and nine losses.
3. All four teams rank among the tournament's top ten teams
If you granted three points for each win regardless of the stage, these four teams would be included among the best in European football history. Real Madrid (514 points) would lead the standings, followed by Bayern Munich(396 points) in second place. Barcelona, with only 25 UEFA Champions League seasons under their belt, would rank third with 361 points, while Juventus' record would only be good enough to have them holding the sixth spot with 274 points.
4. Bayern: The only team with NO top ten scorers
There's a popular saying among footballers that says "there's no 'I' in the word team", and Bayern Munich can certainly live up to that. Even with historic scorers among their ranks like Gerd Müller or Karl Heinz Rummenigge, Die Roten have not been able to establish one of their players among the top ten scorers of Europe's most important tournament. Real Madrid have three (Cristiano Ronaldo, Raúl and Alfredo Di Stefano), Juventus has one (Alessandro del Piero) and Barcelona have the best scorer in the tournament, none other than Lionel Messi.
5. Barcelona, the team with the best record this season
Los Blaugranas have displayed wonderful Champions League football under coach Luis Enrique in his first season at the helm. Their record sheet for this tournament shows nine wins and only one loss, which came during their group stage matchup against Paris Saint-Germain. That game also represents the only time Los Culés have conceded more than one goal.
6. Catenaccio masters: Juventus has allowed the fewest goals this season
The Bianconeri have surely made their ancestors happy, putting together excellent defensive displays in most of their games, as the Italian tradition requires. Having lost two games so far, Massimiliano Allegri's men have conceded the fewest goals (5) among the semi-finalists, with Bayern allowing the most (8).
7. Barcelona: the team with the WORST semi-final record
Even with their recent form, Barcelona's record when it comes to playing semi-finals is the only one between this year's final four teams with a negative balance. Los Culés have played 14 semi-final rounds, winning six times and losing eight. Their previous appearance in this stage was in 2013, when they were blasted by Bayern Munich with an aggregate of 7-0.
8. Euro-Clasico? Real Madrid hold the edge over Los Blaugranas historically
One of football's biggest rivalries is the one between Real Madrid and Barcelona. When it comes to European football, these two sides have met eight times, with Los Blancos winning three times. Barcelona has won two of those games, and if there was another pairing between the two teams, Los Blaugranas could flip the stats around. Regarding goals scored between them, Real Madrid also holds the lead, having scored ten goals and allowing ten.
9. Real Madrid: the team with the most semi-finals won
Carlo Ancelotti's side will try to become the first team to win back-to-back Champions League trophies under the new format, but first they need to get past this round, where their background shows a positive balance. The team from Chamartín has won twelve semi-final series, losing twelve times in this stage of the tournament.
10. Bayern: this year's top scoring team
The Bavarians have blossomed under Pep Guardiola, scoring an astonishing amount of goals this season. Fueled by their home-field performances against Shakhtar and Porto, Die Roten have scored 30 goals in this UEFA Champions League edition, allowing only eight. If they are granted the chance to receive the second leg at home, their visitors will surely want to defend their net with all they've got to end their goal scoring fiesta.
