Barca In Champions League Final …As Juve Plans To Attack Real At Bernabeu

Barcelona reached their first Champions League final since 2011, despite Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich salvaging pride in the return leg in Germany.
Trailing 3-0 from the first leg, Bayern revived their hopes through MedhiBenatia’s early downward header.
Barcalevelled when Luis Suarez squared for a tap-in from Neymar, who drilled in after the pair combined again.
Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller both curled in as Bayern won on the night, but Barca still progressed.
And the Catalan club’s success means the tantalising prospect of an ‘El Clasico’ showpiece against Real Madrid in the 6 June final in Berlin remains alive.
Their La Liga rivals must overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Italian champions Juventus today for the opportunity to defend their European crown against Barca.
Few outsiders had given German title-winners Bayern any chance of overturning the visitors’ advantage after a clinical victory at the Nou Camp last Wednesday.
And ultimately they were proved right as the Spanish league leaders comfortably maintained their ambitions of a La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey treble.
But Bayern were left wondering what might have been after spurning several chances and failing to keep out Barca’s potent attack with some hazardous defending.
Guardiola’s side had made the perfect start through Benatia’s first Champions League goal. The defender was allowed a free header to nod into the bottom left corner from 15 yards.
But the optimism that swept across the vast majority of the Allianz Arena lasted less than eight minutes.
Guardiola, in charge of Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, insisted his team would attack sensibly and patiently as they aimed to become only the second team to overturn a three-goal first-leg deficit in a Champions League knockout tie.
However, Bayern were guilty of naive defending as their early lead on the night was wiped out.
Lionel Messi’s perfectly-weighted pass allowed Suarez to run beyond the home defence, before the Uruguayan unselfishly squared for team-mate Neymar to roll in.
Bayern, still encouraged by their vocal fans, continued on the front foot and created several chances which were notably squandered by Muller and Lewandowski.
Meanwhile, Defender Giorgio Chiellini knows Juventus cannot afford to play with an overly defensive approach in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid.
The Serie A champions visit the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday holding a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Turin.
Ex-Real striker Alvaro Morata gave Juve the lead before Cristiano Ronaldo equalised, only for Carlos Tevez to settle the contest with a 57th-minute penalty.
But Real’s away goal means a 1-0 win would be enough to see the holders through to the final in Berlin next month.
And Chiellini told Tidesports sources  “We will need to score a goal, because we know that that you can’t go to Madrid and defend such a slender advantage.
“Our spirits are high and we’ve had a relaxing week, having already won the Scudetto. We’ve prepared well for the match and can’t wait for Wednesday evening.”
Carlo Ancelotti’s Real head into the contest on the back of a 2-2 draw with Valencia that all-but ended their hopes of winning the Liga title.
That setback effectively leaves the Champions League as the FIFA Club World Cup winners’ only remaining chance of further silverware this season.
Despite the pressure surrounding the fixture, Real playmaker James Rodriguez insisted in an interview with that; “Real Madrid don’t fear anyone.
“We respect all the teams in the world, and we know what Italian teams are like – they defend very well and we will have to be very good to break through their defence.
“We have to score goals and if we manage that we will be going to the final in Berlin.”
Real will again be without midfielder Luka Modric because of a knee problem but Karim Benzema is expected to be fit enough to play after nearly a month out with a similar issue.
Toni Kroos picked up a thigh injury in the draw with Valencia and is a doubt, while Juve are without Kwadwo Asamoah (knee) and Martin Caceres (ankle).
One player that will be available for Juve is France midfielder Paul Pogba, who marked his return from a hamstring injury with a goal in a 1-1 draw with Cagliari at the weekend.
Real are one of the teams to have been linked with the in-demand Pogba, and stopping the former Manchester United man is likely to be key for the hosts if they are to keep their hopes of retaining the trophy alive.

Barcelona’s Neymar scores his second goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final second leg.