So far, Bayern Munich have not had the easiest path through this season's Champions League. Die Roten have had to face two champions of their respective domestic leagues. First up were the Serie A leaders Juventus in the round of 16. Then, in the quarter-finals was a two-legged tie with Primeira Liga powerhouse Benfica.
And now in the semi-finals will be a crunch clash with 2014 La Liga winners Atletico Madrid. Interestingly enough, this also is the third straight season that Bayern have to take on Spanish opposition at this juncture. The last two times the Bavarians faced La Liga sides, it ended in disappointment as they were dumped out by Real Madrid and then Barcelona - both of whom went on to win the trophy.
So, this time around, will they be able to avoid the same fate? With two of the most prolific attackers in their ranks - Thomas Müller and Robert Lewandowski, who have combined for a whopping 46 Bundesliga goals, Bayern fans will certainly hope so. Here are some things to keep in mind ahead of what should be a very interesting match between Los Rojiblancos and die Roten in Madrid later today.
1. 16 goals...and hopefully more to come
In the group stages, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller combined for a total of 12 goals (7 for the Pole and 5 for the German). During the knockout rounds, Müller chipped in with three more, whilst Lewandowski netted the first for die Roten in Bayern's impressive comeback against Juventus. This adds up to a total of 16 between the two attackers alone.
As a team, Bayern have scored 19 in the group stages and 28 overall. In comparison, Atletico scored a total of 11 goals in the group stage, and a total of 14 overall as a team.
To simplify it: Lewandowski and Müller have scored more goals than the entire Atletico Madrid squad in the Champions League this season.
2. Mr. Consistency
Here's a pretty impressive record - Müller has 15 goals in his last 17 Champions League starts, including three so far in four knockout appearances for Bayern this season.
The only game he did not score in was in their home match against Benfica during the quarter-finals. Pep Guardiola will be counting on the 2014 World Cup to find the back of the net later today in Madrid, of course. Bayern's chances at progressing might depend on it, and it will definitely help if:
3. He won't want to forget his shooting boots at home this time
We all know that Lewandowski has no problems scoring for Bayern Munich, whether it's in the Bundesliga or in the Champions League. That is, except when it's away from the Allianz Arena, especially in European competition, where he has failed to net in seven in his last eight European matches on the road.
So, the ex-Dortmund man will be really keen on finally ending that barren spell - especially considering the upcoming stat for Atletico Madrid:
4. Fearsome attack? Well, they have the meanest defense
Atletico Madrid have kept a clean sheet in 13 of its last 15 home Champions League games. Meanwhile, they have conceded just 26 goals in all competitions so far this term, and goalkeeper Jan Oblak recently surpassed Thibaut Courtois' club record of league shutouts in a single campaign, with the Slovenian now on 23.
And finally, a vital reason why Bayern's star attacking duo must get back to form quickly:
5. Road struggles that need to be corrected - fast
Bayern will be coming into this game having failed to win their past seven European matches on the road with three draws and four losses. This includes two draws from this season against Juventus and Benfica.
Considering that Lewandowski and Muller alone have scored more than Simeone's entire squad, the onus will be on them to make an impact in order to give die Roten a huge advantage heading into the second leg next week.
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