The Champions League returns this week with two fascinating semi-final matches in Europe’s biggest club competition. Paris Saint-Germain – Borussia Dortmund brings together two dynamic young teams, but it is the meeting of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid that really grabs the attention.
Munich and Madrid, two of the most dominant teams in European football, meet on Tuesday at the Allianz Arena with a place in the Champions League final on the line. No team is as familiar with UCL late-stage action as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid; these are the teams with the most semi-final appearancesboth in the Champions League and throughout the history of the European Cup.
Which teams have the most appearances in the UCL semi-finals?
1. Real Madrid (17)
2. Bayern Munich (13)
3. Barcelona (12)
4.Chelsea (8)
=5. Juventus (7)
=5. Manchester United (7)
=5. AC Milan (7)
Which teams have the most appearances in the European Cup/UCL semi-finals?
1. Real Madrid (33)
2. Bayern Munich (21)
3. Barcelona (16)
4. AC Milan (13)
=5. Juventus (12)
=5. Liverpool (12)
=5. Manchester United (12)
Unsurprisingly, given how often they qualify for the last four of the competition, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are both among the most successful teams in the European competition. Real Madrid have been crowned European champions 14 times, a record number. In the meantime Bayern Munich have won it six timesbehind only Madrid and AC Milan (seven).
Who is the top scorer in the Champions League semi-finals?
Real Madrid’s European dominance has been accompanied by some trophy-laden periods. The Spanish club won five consecutive titles in the 1950s; three in five years at the turn of the century; and then another five in nine years before the 2021/22 triumph.
In the most recent period of domination, Cristiano Ronaldo has broken countless Champions League records, both in terms of goals and appearances. The Portuguese superstar made the most appearances (187)marked the most goals (141) and contributed to most assists (42) in the history of the Champions League.
His record in the latter stages of the competition is particularly impressive, having appeared in 21 Champions League semi-final matches. This is the UCL and European Cup record for the competition. Ronaldo scored 13 goals in the semi-finalsmuch more than the total of the second top scorer and his former teammate Karim Benzema (eight).
