James Rodriguez's career renaissance with Bayern Munich could haunt Real Madrid

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    Familiar foes and similar stakes see Bayern Munich and Real Madrid meet for a 25th time in Europe – the most played fixture in European competition – with a place in May’s Champions League final on the table.

    The Bundesliga kings host the current Champions League kings at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday and so ahead of the first-leg clash, we examine some of the key talking points from ‘European Clasico’.

    JAMES OR ROBBEN OR BOTH?

    Bayern Munich's Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez

    Bayern Munich’s Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez

    The tie is hallmarked by reunion with pivotal figures from both sides facing their former clubs.

    Bayern’s loved leader Jupp Heynckes ended Real Madrid’s 32-year wait for European glory with success in 1998 but the German was ruthlessly axed just eight days later following their dismal domestic form in his solitary season in charge.

    While Heynckes’ heart will be far from divided, the same cannot be said of Los Blancos midfield maestro Toni Kroos who has long melted Munich souls.

    The German’s emergence into a premier talent in Madrid has been a sore subject, although, his exit four years ago has been tempered somewhat by a devilish duo switching allegiances.

    Arjen Robben and James Rodriguez represent the old and new, but both could be competing for a spot in Heynckes’ XI as they bid to oust their ex employers.

    The Colombian is among a dying breed of pure No10s but he has enjoyed a career renaissance with the Bavarians, marrying his destructive dynamism with a newfound defensive responsibility.

    Heynckes insists Rodriguez can only be deployed in behind Robert Lewandowski which means shunting Thomas Muller out wide to accommodate.

    And domestically, Bayern have certainly profited with Rodriguez plundering six times and laying on 10 assists, though, Heynckes did bench him in the first-leg with Sevilla meaning he could prefer the aging Robben.

    The Dutchman’s explosive ability has dimmed but with Marcelo’s tendency to press high up the pitch, the 34-year-old could exploit the gaps with his signature cut-and-strike from the right.

    Of course, both could feature in either a 4-1-4-1 or in a 4-3-3 but regardless, Rodriguez will likely start either way.

    LEWANDOWSKI’S AUDITION

    Robert Lewandowski celebrates

    Robert Lewandowski celebrates

    The Bayern/Real rivalry is difficult to gauge given it’s a fixture which isn’t played seasonally and so it misses a genetic element.

    It’s not one marked by hostility and if anything the two appear to enjoy a good relationship off the pitch with Bayern’s impending steal of Rodriguez for €42million reminiscent of the €25million bargain capture of Kroos for Real.

    However, that could change this summer with Robert Lewandowski seemingly trying to engineer a move to the Spanish capital.

    The Poland international is said to be keen on making one final big move before entering a physical decline and earlier this season he switched from his agent of 10 years, Cezary Kucharski, to ‘super-agent’ Pini Zahavi to facilitate his wish.

    Los Blancos are prime candidates to sign him in the summer with Karim Benzema’s drifting form under increasing scrutiny.

    Lewandowski’s ruthless pedigree – he’s scored 38 goals in all competitions this season – is viewed as far more fitting of a Real No9 and the 29-year-old will have an opportunity to audition is talent over the two legs.

    He has scored six times in Champions League semi-finals and with Madrid’s frailties from set-pieces and crosses, he will no doubt be afforded the opportunity to stretch that tally.

    BBC IS OFF THE AIR

    Isco in action against Malaga

    Isco in action against Malaga

    For Isco, winter was bitter, but brought in from the cold, April has inspired a spring in his step and the summer appears positively blazing.

    Indeed, after declaring himself “the problem” for club coach Zinedine Zidane having just scored a hat-trick for Spain in a 6-1 win over Argentina, he has now become the solution, demoting Gareth Bale to the bench after a string of impressive performances.

    In the two ties with Juventus the little magician was simply splendid, achieving a perfect 54 passes completed from 54 attempted in the first leg and then cushioning the crash in the second with the highest pass success rate of any Real player.

    He was brilliant against Malaga last week, scoring one and assisting another and after indifferent form in the beginning of the season, the Spaniard is fast finally becoming a Zidane favourite.

    But it is two of the Frenchman’s other crown jewels who have lost their shine.

    The boss admitted Benzema is short of confidence with his compatriot yet to hit double figures across all competitions this season while Bale has been predictably plagued by chronic injury problems.

    It means that the once ironclad ‘BBC’ trio is breaking up with only the superhuman Cristiano Ronaldo remaining at the forefront.

    The tie with Bayern will provide another platform for Isco to showcase his flair but for the foreseeable future BBC is off the air.

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