Down 4-1 from the first leg in Dortmund, can Real Madrid make the impossible comeback they have been talking about since Wednesday night?

The presence of Iker Casillas - whether on the field or on the bench - could be key for Real Madrid in their quest to overturn their 4-1 loss against Borussia Dortmund.Team news and analysis

The big news is that Cristiano Ronaldo is back after missing Saturday’s league derby against Atletico. The UEFA Champions League top scorer has been in the tabloids recently for issues concerning his relationship with girlfriend Irina Shayk. Ronaldo, who strongly refuted The Sun’s report via Twitter, will be hoping to rebuild his tarnished image with a perfect performance on the pitch this Tuesday.

The Portuguese number 7 will likely be given a free role with Karim Benzema and Kaka in contention for a First XI spot along the likes of Mesut Özil, Xabi Alonso, Fabio Coentrao, Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane.

The Spanish press will have its eyes fixed on Real Madrid’s goal post. Which man, between veteran Iker Casillas and January signing Diego Lopez, will Jose Mourinho pick in what Emilio Butragueno described as ‘Real Madrid’s game of the decade’?

 

Borussia Dortmund’s key players enjoyed a rest over the weekend while Nuri Sahin made the most of his playing time – scoring a goal and making an assist as the team defeated F. Dusseldorf 2-1. Sahin, who had unsuccessful spells at Real Madrid and Liverpool, will be hoping to roll the ball at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.

Inevitably, the media spotlight keeps shining bright on Robert Lewandowski. His four goals have put him above Thomas Mueller, Lionel Messi and Burak Yilmaz in the goal scorers chart. This incredible feat has earned him much respect. He appears as the number one danger for Los Blancos’ defence.

Follow us on Twitter @LiveSoccerTV for live text commentary of Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, April 30, 2013.

Real Madrid’s last four matches

April 14, 2013: Bilbao 0-3 Real Madrid
April 20, 2013: Real Madrid 3-1 Betis
April 24, 2013: Dortmund 4-1 Real Madrid
April 27, 2013: Atletico 1-2 Real Madrid

Borussia Dortmund’s last four matches

April 13, 2013: G. Furth 1-6 Dortmund
April 20, 2013: Dortmund 2-0 Mainz 05
April 24, 2013: Dortmund 4-1 Real Madrid
April 27, 2013: F. Dusseldorf 1-2 Dortmund

Six facts which put pressure on Real Madrid to upset Borussia Dortmund:

1) Howard Webb has officiated three previous matches involving Real Madrid and he has been appointed as referee for this crucial semi-final second leg game.

2) Real Madrid have not scored more than two goals in any of the matches where Howard Webb was the referee: Bayern 2-1 Real Madrid (2012); Milan 2-2 Real Madrid (2010); Real Madrid 2-1 Werder Bremen (2007).

3) Only one of Real Madrid’s last five results against Borussia Dortmund will be enough for Los Blancos to make a comeback this Tuesday: Dortmund 0-5 Madrid (2009).

4) Borussia Dortmund have lost only once in their last five meetings against Real Madrid.

5) The last time Borussia Dortmund lost by conceding more than two goals was in February 2013 in a 4-1 defeat to Hamburger SV in the German Bundesliga.

6) Borussia Dortmund have lost eight games – two less than Real Madrid – in all competitions this season. This record includes the 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup in August 2012.

Prediction

Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund is an extremely hard one to call. Dortmund could further humiliate the Spanish giants. Likewise, the latter could bite back after going down 4-1 in Germany. However, will Los Blancos do enough to book tickets to Wembley?

This game is yours to predict. Comment with your final result!