Real Madrid-Borussia Dortmund Preview: Visitors have one foot in the final

Jurgen Klopp's side recorded a 4-1 win over the Spanish champions in Germany last week and will look to finish the job at the Bernabeu on Tuesday

By Enis Koylu

Festejo Lewandowski tercer gol

Real Madrid are likely to welcome Alvaro Arbeloa back into the defence after his suspension for the first leg. Pepe will drop to the bench, leaving Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane to partner one another at centre-back.

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Angel Di Maria will start on the wing after the birth of his daughter confined him to the bench in Germany. Cristiano Ronaldo has been training on his own as he looks to overcome a thigh injury and, although he is classed as a doubt, the Portuguese is likely to make the XI.

Finally, Gonzalo Higuain is likely to retain his place up front ahead of Karim Benzema.

Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, should name the same team who won so impressively at Signal Iduna Park. Lukasz Piszczek has been struggling with a groin problem but should start in defence alongside Neven Subotic, Mats Hummels and Marcel Schmelzer.

The likes of Felipe Santana, Mitchell Langerak, Moritz Leitner, Oliver Kirch and Julian Schieber were given a run-out against Fortuna Dusseldorf but will drop out as BVB name a more familiar line-up.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Real Madrid are bidding to reach their 13th European Cup final. The last time they lost in the showpiece was in 1981. BVB have reached one final in their history, beating Juventus in 1997.
  

• Cristiano Ronaldo's goal against the Germans in the first leg was his 50th in the competition.

• Jose Mourinho's side lost to German opposition - Bayern Munich - in last season's semi-finals. This is the third straight year that they have reached this stage.

• Only one team have progressed having lost the first leg 4-1, with Deportive La Coruna recording a 4-0 second-leg win in Spain against AC Milan.

• Borussia Dortmund overcame Spanish opposition in the last round of the competition, beating Malaga 3-2 on aggregate.

• BVB lost at this stage of the competition to Real Madrid in 1998, with the Spaniards going on to win the competition.

• Robert Lewandowski became the first player to score four goals against Madrid in the Champions League in the first leg. ---------------------- goal.com