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Champions League updates
Given that FC Barcelona have played in nine of these semi-finals over the last 13 years, and also won this competition three times since 2006, it is arguable that, pound for pound, they have been Europe's dominant side over that period.
Which makes their home record in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals remarkably surprising. Only once in the last seven Camp Nou semi-final ties have Barça won and across those matches they have only scored four times. On the one occasion they did win, 1-0 over José Mourinho's FC Internazionale Milano in 2010, it was insufficient to prevent them being eliminated. Not an encouraging statistic for their hopes this evening.
It has been a record-breaking season on numerous fronts for FC Bayern München, and their dominance of the Bundesliga has seen them rack up numerous firsts. No other team has clinched the league title earlier than Jupp Heynckes' side, who have also collected the most points, recorded the longest winning streak and won more league encounters in one campaign than any other team in the history of the competition. The frightening thing is that all these records can be extended, with three games to play.
The benchmarks for fewest goals conceded and best goal difference also look likely to be in their hands by the time the campaign's final whistle blows. There is one record breaker standing in their way tonight, however. Lionel Messi's five goals against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the round of 16 last season is a feat unrivalled in the competition, and if he is able to repeat the achievement tonight we will see a remarkable comeback.
