Barcelona v Bayern background

Josep Guardiola returns to the stage he graced as both player and coach when his FC Bayern München side visit FC Barcelona for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final.

• Guardiola's homecoming to the club where he won three European crowns will dominate the build-up but Barcelona minds will be focused on gaining revenge for their 7-0 semi-final defeat by Bayern two years ago.

• Both teams left a marker in the quarter-finals as Barcelona swept aside Paris Saint-Germain 5-1 on aggregate while Bayern overturned a 3-1 first-leg deficit by beating FC Porto 6-1 in Munich.

Previous meetings
• Bayern have won three of their four past encounters with Barcelona at the Camp Nou, including a 3-0 success in the 2012/13 semi-finals.

• Juup Heynckes's eventual champions had already won the first leg 4-0, Thomas Müller scoring twice and Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben once each. Robben and Müller struck again in the return, either side of a Gerard Piqué own goal.

• The lineups for that second leg on 1 May 2013 were:
Barcelona: Valdés, Alves, Bartra (Montoya 87), Piqué, Adriano, Song, Xavi (Sánchez 55), Iniesta (Alcántara 64), Villa, Fàbregas, Pedro.
Bayern: Neuer, Lahm (Rafinha 77), Boateng, Van Buyten, Alaba, Martínez (Tymoshchuk 74), Schweinsteiger (Luiz Gustavo 66), Robben, Müller, Ribéry, Mandžukić.

• Bayern won the clubs' only other semi-final meeting 4-3 on aggregate on their way to lifting the 1995/96 UEFA Cup. Otto Rehhagel's side drew 2-2 in Germany before prevailing 2-1 away to a Barcelona outfit that included Guardiola and goalkeeper Carles Busquets, father of Sergio.

• Guardiola was coach of Barcelona when they earned their only previous two-legged victory over Bayern in the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Lionel Messi scored twice as they dominated the first leg 4-0 at the Camp Nou before a 1-1 draw back in Munich.

• Luis Enrique was in the Barcelona team downed 1-0 at Bayern in the 1998/99 group stage. Bayern then came from behind to edge it 2-1 at the Camp Nou, where they would return for that season's final loss to Manchester United FC.

Match background

Barcelona
• Four-time winners Barcelona are seeking their eighth final appearance.

• Barcelona have won all five home games in this season's UEFA Champions League, including a 2-0 success over Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals. They are unbeaten at home in the competition since crashing to Bayern in 2013 – the sole reverse in their last 32 UEFA Champions League home matches, of which 25 have been victories.

• The Blaugrana have an overall home record of W19 D1 L7 against Bundesliga sides. Messi notched five goals – a UEFA Champions League first – when Barcelona overwhelmed Bayer 04 Leverkusen 7-1 in the 2012/13 round of 16.

• They have won 13 of their 18 previous two-legged ties with German teams, including semi-final triumphs over Hamburger SV in the 1960/61 European Champion Clubs' Cup and 1. FC Köln in the 1968/69 European Cup Winners' Cup.

• Barcelona are in their seventh UEFA Champions League semi-final in the last eight seasons.

• They have won six of their previous 14 semi-finals in the European Cup:
0-7 v FC Bayern München, 2012/13 (0-4 a, 0-3 h)
2-3 v Chelsea FC, 2011/12 (0-1 a, 2-2 h)
3-1 v Real Madrid CF, 2010/11 (2-0 a, 1-1 h)
2-3 v FC Internazionale Milano, 2009/10 (1-3 a, 1-0 h)
1-1 v Chelsea FC, won on away goals, 2008/09 (0-0 h, 1-1 a)
0-1 v Manchester United FC, 2007/08 (0-0 h, 0-1 a)
1-0 v AC Milan, 2005/06 (1-0 a, 0-0 h)
1-3 v Real Madrid CF, 2001/02 (0-2 h, 1-1 a)
3-5 v Valencia CF, 1999/2000 (1-4 a, 2-1 h)
3-0 v FC Porto, 1993/94 (3-0 h)
3-3 v IFK Göteborg, won 5-4 on penalties, 1985/86 (0-3 a, 3-0 h)
2-3 v Leeds United AFC, 1974/75 (1-2 a, 1-1 h)
1-0 v Hamburger SV, 1960/61 (1-0 h, 1-2 a, 1-0 replay)
2-6 v Real Madrid CF, 1959/60 (1-3 a, 1-3 h)
* Barcelona advanced to the 1991/92 final as group winners.

Bayern
• Five-time winners Bayern are attempting to reach their 11th final.

• They suffered a 5-0 aggregate defeat by Real Madrid at this stage last season but have won five of their seven European Cup semi-finals against Spanish teams.

• Their overall record against Spanish opponents in two-legged contests in UEFA competition is W9 L7.

• Bayern have drawn one and lost two of their last three away games in the UEFA Champions League – including a 3-1 reverse at Porto in the quarter-finals. Their last away win was the 7-1 triumph at AS Roma in October.

• Bayern's away record against Spanish sides is W6 D5 L11.

• This is Bayern's fourth semi-final in the past five campaigns. Their overall European Cup semi-final record is ten victories and six defeats:
0-5 v Real Madrid CF, 2013/14 (0-1 a, 0-4 h)
7-0 v FC Barcelona, 2012/13 (4-0 h, 3-0 a)
3-3 v Real Madrid CF 3-3, won 3-1 on penalties, 2011/12 (2-1 h, 1-2 a)
4-0 v Olympique Lyonnais, 2009/10 (1-0 h, 3-0 a)
3-1 v Real Madrid CF, 2000/01 (1-0 a, 2-1 h)
2-3 v Real Madrid CF, 1999/2000 (0-2 a, 2-1 h)
4-3 v FC Dynamo Kyiv, 1998/99 (3-3 a, 1-0 h)
2-5 v AFC Ajax, 1994/95 (0-0 h, 2-5 a)
3-4 v FK Crvena zvezda, 1990/91 (1-2 h, 2-2 a)
2-2 v AC Milan 2-2, lost on away goals, 1989/90 (0-1 a, 2-1 h)
4-2 v Real Madrid CF, 1986/87 (4-1 h, 0-1 a)
7-4 v PFC CSKA Sofia, 1981/82 (3-4 a, 4-0 h)
1-1 v Liverpool FC, 1-1, lost on away goals, 1980/81 (0-0 a, 1-1 h)
3-1 v Real Madrid CF, 1975/76 (1-1 a, 2-0 h)
2-0 v AS Saint-Étienne, 1974/75 (0-0 a, 2-0 h)
4-1 v Újpest FC, 1973/74 (1-1 a, 3-0 h)

• Bayern beat Club Atlético de Madrid in the 1973/74 European Cup final and Valencia CF on penalties in the 2000/01 final.

Coach and player links
• In four golden years between 2008 and 2012, Guardiola amassed 14 trophies as Barcelona coach, including the UEFA Champions League in 2009 and 2011. He added the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cups in those same years and on the domestic stage claimed three successive Liga titles (2009–11), two Spanish Cups (2009, 2012) and three Spanish Super Cups (2009–11).

• As a Barça player, Guardiola landed six league titles and was part of the team that lifted the club's first European Cup in 1992. He made 263 appearances between 1991 and 2000, also featuring in their 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final success – alongside Luis Enrique – and the 1992 UEFA Super Cup victory.

• Luis Enrique scored for Barcelona in their 2-0 home win over Borussia Dortmund en route to a 3-1 aggregate success in the 1997/98 UEFA Super Cup.

• Thiago Alcántara, whose brother Rafinha plays for the Catalans, netted seven goals in 68 Liga games for Barcelona between 2009 and 2013 having come through the club's youth ranks. Pepe Reina is another La Masia product, making 30 Liga outings before leaving Barcelona in 2002.

• Robben was a Real Madrid player from 2007–09, picking up one Liga title and scoring against Barcelona in a 4-1 Liga win on 7 May 2008. He struck twice in the Netherlands' 5-1 thrashing of Spain at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Piqué, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and substitute Pedro Rodríguez all figured for Spain, whose goal came from Xabi Alonso.

• Mario Götze got Germany's winner in the 2014 World Cup final against the Argentina of Messi and Javier Mascherano.

• Marc-André ter Stegen played against Bayern seven times for former club VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach. His record was W2 D1 L4 with 17 goals conceded and only two clean sheets.

• Ivan Rakitić played with Bayern's Manuel Neuer and Rafinha at FC Schalke 04 from 2007–10. He registered in a 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Bayern in September 2007.

• Alonso played 20 times against Barcelona with Real Madrid, winning five and losing nine. At Liverpool he was in the side, alongside Reina, that prevailed 2-1 at the Camp Nou in the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League round of 16.

• With Athletic Club, Javi Martínez faced Barcelona 15 times but was never on the winning team, enduring Copa del Rey final defeats in 2009 and 2012.

• Juan Bernat triumphed 3-2 at the Camp Nou with Valencia in February last year.

Match facts

Barcelona
• Barcelona have won 36 of their last 40 games in all competitions, and 15 of their past 16.

• The Liga leaders scored five or more goals in a match for the 13th time this season when they defeated Córdoba CF 8-0 on 2 May, a result which relegated their hosts.

• Messi (2), Neymar (1) and Luis Suárez (3) were all on target in that win, with Suárez scoring his first hat-trick for the club and Messi taking his Liga tally for the season to 40.

• Between them, Messi, Neymar and Suárez have scored a record 108 goals this term, bettering the century of strikes Samuel Eto'o, Thierry Henry and Messi collectively managed in 2008/09.

• Pedro made his 200th Liga appearance in the 6-0 victory over Getafe CF on 28 April; Xavi had reached the 500 mark three days earlier during the 2-0 success at RCD Espanyol.

• Long-term absentee Thomas Vermaelen is available for selection.

Bayern
• The 6-1 second-leg win against Porto was Guardiola's 100th competitive game in charge of Bayern and his 79th win.

• Bastian Schweinsteiger's second goal of 2015 earned Bayern a 1-0 win against Hertha BSC Berlin on 25 April. VfL Wolfsburg's 1-0 reverse at VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach the following day meant the Reds were crowned German champions with four games to spare.

• Forward Sinan Kurt, 18, made his senior debut as a half-time substitute against Hertha.

• Bayern were denied a fourth successive German Cup final appearance when, following a 1-1 draw, they lost 2-0 on penalties to Borussia Dortmund on 28 April. Lahm, Alonso and Neuer all missed from the spot, with Götze having his attempt saved by Mitchell Langerak.

• Robben – sidelined since 22 March with an abdominal muscle problem – made his return in the semi-final visit of Dortmund but was replaced 16 minutes after his second-half introduction having sustained a left calf tear. He has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

• Robert Lewandowski, who opened the scoring against Dortmund, completed the 120 minutes despite suffering concussion and breaking his nose and jaw. He was not in the squad for Saturday's league game at Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

• Thiago bruised a foot in the Dortmund game and was replaced midway through the second half. He was on the bench for the Leverkusen game, and came on as a substitute.

• Josep Guardiola rested several more players as Bayern lost 2-0 at Leverkusen on Saturday; Thomas Müller and Jérôme Boateng did not travel, while Juan Bernat and Alonso were unused substitutes. Rico Strieder and substitute Lukas Görtler made their Bayern debuts.

• Medhi Benatia (out since 8 April, thigh) started against Dortmund. Martínez (13 August, knee) started against Leverkusen.

• Franck Ribéry (11 March, ankle), David Alaba (31 March, knee) and Tom Starke (5 April, ankle) are sidelined.