Champions League semi-finals: how last four teams compare | Jonathan Wilson

[Jonathan Wilson]

Can Atl?tico Madrid last the pace? Will Pep Guardiola's tinkering harm Bayern Munich's hopes? Does Jos? Mourinho have the right gameplan and will Real Madrid's forward line be too strong for everyone? Here we analyse all four teamsHow are they not exhausted yet? Atlético benefited in Europe two years ago when they faced a shattered Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League final in Bucharest, sweeping them aside 3-0, and the fear all season has been that they would suffer a collapse similar to that suffered by Marcelo Bielsa's side. The intensity isn't quite so high, but it is high enough and, with a limited squad, fatigue is a realistic concern. Until or unless it hits, though, Atlético plough on, a defensively solid side that presses intelligently, eschewing the all-out frenzy of bielsisme for something more carefully targeted which should help to preserve energy.
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