Big Match Feature: Real v BVB

Source: thewillnigeria.com

Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund renew their rivalry at the Santiago Bernabéu a year after the German side ended Madrid's dreams of winning a tenth European Cup with a thrilling semifinal victory.

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The sides met four times in 2012/13, Dortmund winning 2-1 at home in the group stage as Robert Lewandowski and Marcel Schmelzer scored either side of Cristiano Ronaldo's strike.

In Spain Dortmund led twice through Marco Reus and Álvaro Arbeloa's own goal, Madrid replying through Pepe and Mesut Özil, although it was the German side who finished the group on top, three points above their opponents.

The teams were reunited in the semifinals and again Dortmund prevailed, Lewandowski scoring all four goals -- a European Cup semifinal first -- in a 4-1 first-leg win in Germany.

Late goals from Karim Benzema (83) and Sergio Ramos (88) set up a frenzied finish to the second leg, but Dortmund held on, although they went on to lose the Wembley final to Bayern Munich 2-1.

The full lineups for the semi-final second leg at the Bernabéu on 30 April 2013 were: Real Madrid: López, Essien, Varane, Ramos, Coentrão (Kaká 57), Ronaldo, Özil, Alonso (Khedira 67), Modric, Higuaín (Benzema 57), Di María.

Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer, Blaszczykowski, Bender (Felipe Santana 90+1), Gündogan, Götze (Grosskreutz 14), Reus, Lewandowski (Kehl 87).

Carlo Ancelotti's charges could look for inspiration from the 1997/98 semifinal when Fernando Morientes and Christian Karembeu's first-leg goals in the Spanish capital gave Madrid a 2-0 aggregate triumph on their way to collecting the trophy.

The full lineups in Madrid on 1 April 1998 were: Real Madrid: Illgner, Panucci, Sanchís, Sanz, Roberto Carlos, Karembeu, Redondo, Seedorf, Mijatovic (Šuker 51), Raúl, Morientes (Jaime 88).

Borussia Dortmund: Klos, Julio César, Binz, Kree, Reuter, Freund, But, Reinhardt, Ricken (Zorc 81), Chapuisat, Herrlich (Decheiver 47).

Current Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc and youth team coordinator Lars Ricken featured in both games for Nevio Scala's side.

Madrid also overcame Dortmund 2-1 at home in the 2002/03 second group stage as Raúl González and Ronaldo overturned Jan Koller's goal.

Six days later Koller struck again but Javier Portillo's added-time effort made it 1-1.

Madrid qualified in second place, one point above Dortmund.

From those 2002/03 fixtures, Sebastian Kehl and then reserve keeper Roman Weidenfeller are still at Dortmund and Iker Casillas remains at Madrid.

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