On Wednesday, Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich will face off for the first time in quite a while. How long? Well, the last time Los Rojiblancos and die Roten met, it was well before any of the 22 players who will be on the pitch were even born: in 1974. This was during the European Cup final, and Atletico were just second away from lifting the trophy before Bayern snatched a late equalizer.
Back then, a draw meant that the final had to be played as a second leg instead of extra-time like we have today. But the heartbreak for Atletico Madrid back then was the same as it would be 40 years later against Real Madrid in Lisbon. Bayern Munich thrashed them 4-0 during the replay to lift the first of what would be three straight European Cup titles. And as we know, back in 2014, Real Madrid's late equalizer forced extra-time, during which they scored three to win the tie 4-1 on the night.
Atletico Madrid
Even if Diego Simeone's men were not born yet when that disappointing 1974 night occurred, many of them were on the pitch back in 2014 in Lisbon. The memory of nearly having their hands on the Champions League trophy, only to have it cruelly snatched from their grasp will certainly be still fresh in their minds as they hope to make it to this season's final at Milan's Stadio San Siro.
Los Rojiblancos will be coming into this match having won five out of their past five matches across all competitions. Most significant is the fact that they are in the final four after powering past Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate. This is despite losing the first leg at Camp Nou 2-1 and having to play most of the game with ten men following Fernando Torres's controversial red card. However, a brace from Antoine Griezmann at the Vicente Calderón was enough to give Atletico a fair and deserved spot in the semi-finals.
In addition, Simeone's troops are still in contention for the domestic crown, as they are now level on points with Barcelona with three games to go. With the best defense in La Liga and in the Champions League, los Rojiblancos will certainly prove to be a difficult opponent to break down for upcoming visitors Bayern Munich - especially considering that they have won 24 out of 29 European matches at the Vicente Calderón and have just lost one of their past seven games against German sides.
Atletico will have to make do without the services of experienced midfielder Tiago due to a broken leg, and key defender Diego Godin is highly likely to miss out due to a hamstring injury.
Bayern Munich
Now in his final season with Bayern, Pep Guardiola again has the opportunity to win the one thing that has eluded him thus far - the Treble. The Spanish tactician has managed to win the Bundesliga title, but has failed to make it to the Champions League final in his past two seasons. With die Roten set to make it a fourth - and historic - consecutive league title within the next few rounds, part one of the Treble is done.
Bayern are also in the finals of the DFB-Pokal, with a Klassiker clash against Borussia Dortmund set to take place next month. Part two of the Treble is not guaranteed, but at the very least, they are in the final. The big question, is, of course, whether they can make it to this season's Champions League final. So far, die Roten have been solid, but not spectacular in European competition. At the same time, however, they have not had the easiest draw, and twice had to face two champions: Juventus and Benfica.
Against the Bianconeri, they were in danger of being knocked out at the round of 16, but staged a late rally to score an impressive four goals in less than 30 minutes. And against Benfica, they were fortunate that the Eagles did not score at the Allianz Arena or add more in Lisbon, as Guardiola's side looked far from comfortable as they scraped by with a 2-2 draw.
Atletico Madrid, of course, will represent an even tougher opponent than either Juventus or Benfica. And the Bavarian powerhouse do not have a good track record when it comes to facing Spanish opposition - especially under Guardiola's tenure. Twice they have taken on La Liga teams and twice, they have been dumped out - first by Real Madrid, and then by Barcelona.
Historically, Bayern Munich have won only two of their last 12 away trips to Spain, whilst losing eight. Since Guardiola's arrival, they have won just two out of their past nine road fixtures, whilst losing four. So far this season, die Roten have drawn their two away knockout games by scorelines of 2-2 (against Benfica and Juventus), so it will be very interesting to see what happens in Madrid on Wednesday evening.
The visitors will be still missing Arjen Robben and Holger Badstuber due to injury. Despite returning to training, Jerome Boateng is not likely to feature from the start for this match, and Sebastian Rode is currently suffering from illness, so may not make the trip to the Spanish capital.
Which channel is broadcasting Atletico Madrid vs Bayern Munich on TV or Online?
The famed Estadio Vicente Calderón will be hosting this interesting semi-finals clash between Los Rojiblancos and die Roten. Anyone who has been there in person knows what an energetic and buzzing atmosphere it is to catch any match live.
However, if you are too far away to make it to Madrid, don't worry. You can still stay on top of all the action in this game featuring Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich. LiveSoccerTV.com has compiled some selections to tune in via your TV, computer, mobile, or tablet.
Here are some choices for fans residing elsewhere in Spain and in the following countries:
- In the USA at 14.45 EST on: Fox Soccer 2GO USA, Fox Sports GO, Fox Sports 1 USA, Fox Deportes
- In Spain at 20.45 CET on: beIN Sports Spain, beIN Sports Connect S.P.
- In Germany at 20.45 CET on: TeleClub Sport Live, Sky Go Deutschland, SRF zwei, Hr-Info, MDR Info, NDR Info Spezial, B5 aktuell, WDR Event, ORF 1, Sky Sport 1 HD, B5 plus, ZDF
- In the UK at 19.45 BST on: BT Sport Showcase, BT Sport Europe, BT Sport Live Streaming
- In Canada at 14.45 ET on: beIN SPORTS CONNECT Canada, beIN Sports Canada
Live elsewhere? Check out our special Atletico Madrid vs Bayern Munich broadcast page for viewing times and options for your current location.
*Note: Live broadcast data is subject to change*
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
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