You could make a good case that all the semi-finalists are somewhat of a surprise, the exception perhaps being Bayern who beat Arsenal in the quarter-finals.
No one expected Real to beat Man City or PSG to beat Barcelona. The two European heavyweights and multiple winners are in the first game of the week and will play two sides who, though they have made it through to a Champion League final, have never won it.
Whoever wins the Bayern/Real tie will be the favourites. Oddly enough on the last occasions that PSG (2020) or Dortmund (2013) made it to the final, they were both beaten by Bayern. Another odd fact – if Bayern make it through, they will be the third different club that Thomas Tuchel has taken to the final in four years after PSG and Chelsea.
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How to watch Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid
When: Tuesday April 30th, 20:00 KO
Where: Allianz Arena
How:
UK – TNT Sports 1 & TNT Sports Extra + streaming on Discovery+
Spain – Movistar Liga de Campeones
France – Canal +
Italy – Sky Sport/Canale 5
Germany/Austria – Sky Sport/Amazon Prime
Ireland – RTE 2
US – Paramount+
Canada – DAZN
Denmark – TV3+/Viaplay
Sweden – TV4
Norway – TV2 Play
Portugal – DAZN
Netherland – RTL 7/Ziggo Sport
Turkey – TV8
Belgium – Pickx+Sports 1
Brazil – HBO Max/TNT
Australia – Stan Sport
How to watch Borussia Dortmund vs Paris St Germain
When: Wednesday May 1st, 20:00 KO
Where: Signal Iduna Park
How:
UK – TNT Sports 1 & TNT Sports Extra + streaming on Discovery+
Spain – Movistar Liga de Campeones
France – Canal +
Germany – Sky Sport/ DAZN
Austria – Sky Sport/DAZN
Ireland – Virgin Media 2
Italy – Sky Sport
US – Paramount+
Canada – DAZN
Denmark – TV3+/Viaplay
Sweden – TV4 Play
Norway – TV2 Play
Portugal – DAZN
Netherland – RTL 7/Ziggo Sport
Turkey – TV8
Belgium – Pickx+Sports 1
Hungary – M4 Sport
Brazil – HBO Max/TNT
Australia – Stan Sport
Champions League previews and predictions
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid
A tie between serial winners, Real 14 times and Bayern 6. Bayern have also lost five finals with Real losing three. It is an intriguing tie with Bayern having a poor season by their standards in the Bundesliga and Real easing to another title.
Even the advent of Harry Kane and all his goals haven’t helped as expected, but his duel with Antonio Rudiger should be the highlight of both legs.
Bayern need a healthy league to take back to the Bernabeu next week if they are to stand any chance and I’m not sure they’ll get it. There is no doubt Jude Bellingham has made a huge impression in his first season in Spain and his arrival has taken the pressure off the ageing superstars, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, whom Carlo Ancelotti has been able to use sparingly.
An entertaining game in prospect, but Bayern will need more than a one goal lead to win the leg back in Madrid.
Borussia Dortmund vs Paris St Germain
The two really surprising teams in the semi-final face off. If there was one thing Atletico Madrid are famed for under Diego Simeone, it’s defending, but they couldn’t keep out a rampant Dortmund side in Germany. The last time Dortmund reached a Champions League final in 2013, they were managed by Jurgen Klopp.
They are now managed by Edin Terzic, the only manager in the semi-final, who doesn’t know what it’s like to win the trophy. Mats Hummels and Marco Reus still remain from that team joined by two Premier League loanees, Jadon Sancho (Man Utd) and Ian Maatsen (Chelsea) plus three ex-Premier League players in Emre Can (Liverpool), Sebastien Haller West Ham) and Marcel Sabitzer (Man Utd). PSG go through managers almost as rapidly as Chelsea, but they have now the ex-Barcelona manager Luis Enrique who won with Catalans in 2015.
He has overseen a great season with the French side who have already won the league. Only losing once all season, he has also done it without superstars like Messi and Neymar and moulded a proper team around Kylian Mbappe. They may have been slightly lucky in the quarter-final when Barcelona had a player sent off, but they now have a chance to make a second Champions League final.
Again one would think that Dortmund need at least a two goal advantage for the second leg, but with the way they played at home against Atletico, they must have a chance. Another exciting game with everything in balance for next week.
