Madrid: Needing at least three goals to reach the final for the 13th time, Real Madrid are ready to go after the "impossible." The nine-time European Cup winners are out to overturn last week's 4-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday. A tall task, but one that Madrid have done in the past.
"This is our last chance to put things right," Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira said. "In the first leg, we didn't convince as a team and we produced a weak performance. Now we have to achieve the impossible." Nearly 40 years ago, Madrid recovered from the same deficit against English club Derby, winning 5-1 in extra time in the second leg and advancing to the European Cup quarter-finals. In the 1985 UEFA Cup, the Spanish team won 3-0 in the second leg after a 2-0 loss to Inter Milan at the San Siro.
Besides Khedira, Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has also said a comeback is possible. But he will likely need Cristiano Ronaldo, who has recently returned to full training following a thigh injury, to play a key role. The Portugal forward scored his 50th goal in the competition in the first leg, giving Madrid a valuable away goal that would put the team into the final with a 3-0 victory.
Dortmund, however, are unbeaten in Europe this year and should be rested for the second leg. Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp made 10 changes to the
06:41 PM, Apr 29, 2013
Berlin: Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski have not signed a deal, the newly-crowned champions said on Friday, shooting down widespread speculation of another surprise transfer. "Bayern, as opposed to some reports, has no contract with Robert Lewandowski," the Bavarian Champions League semi-finalists said in a brief two-line statement. Bayern stunned Dortmund fans a day before their team crushed Real Madrid 4-1 in their Champions League semi-final first...
03:45 PM, Apr 26, 2013
Warsaw: Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski played down his stunning one-man demolition of Real Madrid, saying he had played better than Wednesday's four-goal masterclass. The Poland international scored all his team's goals in a 4-1 win over the nine-times champions in their Champions League semi-final first leg. "In the second half Real Madrid did not know how they should play, at some moments they were helpless," Lewandowski told the Polish...
07:04 PM, Apr 25, 2013
Dortmund: Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski became the first player to score four goals in a Champions League semi-final on Wednesday as speculation mounted about his future. The Poland striker opened his account in the first leg against Real Madrid in the eighth minute and added three more in a stellar second half to give his team a 4-1 advantage to take into Tuesday's return leg. Lewandowski, who has scored in...
09:02 AM, Apr 25, 2013
Dortmund: A rampant Borussia Dortmund are by no means favourites to reach the Champions League final despite their crushing 4-1 win against nine-times winners Real Madrid, coach Juergen Klopp said on Wednesday. Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski became the first player to score four goals in a Champions League semi-final as the Germans produced a stunning display of attacking football in the home first leg. Klopp played down his team's performance, saying...
08:54 AM, Apr 25, 2013
Dortmund: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho could not understand how his well-drilled side let Robert Lewandowski score four goals in Borussia Dortmund's 4-1 win on Wednesday but vowed that his team could still reach the Champions League final. The nine-times European champions have a huge task on their hands in Tuesday's home second leg after Mourinho acknowledged they had been outplayed in the semi-final first leg in Germany. "I saw...
08:51 AM, Apr 25, 2013
Dortmund: Robert Lewandowski scored four goals as Borussia Dortmund romped to a convincing 4-1 victory over Real Madrid on Wednesday and took a huge step toward the Champions League final. Dortmund's triumph in the first leg of the semi-final also lined up the prospect of an all-German final at Wembley Stadium on May 25, following Bayern Munich's 4-0 rout of Barcelona on Tuesday. The second leg matches will be played...
02:45 AM, Apr 25, 2013
Berlin: An injury scare to Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski is unlikely to derail unbeaten Borussia Dortmund's focus ahead of their Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday as they bid for their first final spot since 1997. Poland international Lewandowski, who scored for a 12th consecutive league game in their 2-0 win against Mainz 05 on Saturday, picked up a knock on his thigh but said...
02:46 PM, Apr 23, 2013
Dortmund: Borussia Dortmund completed a dramatic comeback Tuesday by scoring twice in stoppage time to defeat Malaga 3-2 and advance to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 15 years. Trailing 2-1 as three minutes of added time began, Dortmund equalised through Marco Reus but Malaga still held the away goals advantage. That all changed, however, when Felipe Santana scored from what looked to be an offside position...
02:56 AM, Apr 10, 2013
Amsterdam: Mario Goetze was involved in all four goals, including two by Robert Lewandowski, as Borussia Dortmund cruised into the knockout stage of the Champions League by outclassing Ajax 4-1 on Wednesday. Dortmund sealed the win before halftime at Amsterdam Arena thanks to its clinical finishing on the break and Goetze's skill and vision. The 20-year-old Germany forward set up Marco Reus for the opener, scored the second, while his...
05:11 AM, Nov 22, 2012
