Champions League semi-final first leg: 42-year debt between Atletico - Bayern

Reuniting with Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of this year's Champions League is an opportunity for Atletico Madrid to avenge their bitter defeat in the 1974 European final.

* The match takes place at 1:45 a.m. on April 28, Hanoi time, live on baonghean.vn

Schwarzenbeck's goal condemned Atletico to defeat in their first ever European final.

In the match that decided the European title 42 years ago, Atletico came very close to winning when they opened the scoring thanks to the legendary Luis Aragones in the second half of extra time. However, fate did not smile on the Madrid representative when Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck scored in injury time, forcing both sides to play the final again.

Two days later, Bayern, in a near-death experience, crushed Atletico 4-0 at the Heysel Stadium. This was the championship that opened three consecutive seasons of European domination for the German giants. For Atletico fans, they are still haunted by Schwarzenbeck's 25-meter shot. They even nicknamed it "the cursed goal" (el pupas).

That was the beginning of the luck turning away from Atletico in the decisive moments in Europe's most prestigious playground. Two seasons ago, Atletico once again came very close to winning the Champions League if Sergio Ramos had not equalized in the final minutes of the two halves (then lost 1-4 on aggregate).

Simeone and his students are full of confidence. Photo: Reuters.

Two defeats on the threshold of glory have made Atletico even more determined this season. The victory over defending champions Barcelona, ​​considered the number one candidate, has added morale to coach Diego Simeone's team. Atletico's recent form has also been very good, winning consecutively to rise to the same point as Barca in La Liga.

More than 40 years after losing to Bayern, Atletico are still searching for their first European title. Bayern have been a powerhouse ever since, winning the competition five times. It seems that glory is on the way for Pep Guardiola's men this season, as they are considered the favourites after Barca's elimination.

Guardiola really wants to say goodbye to Bayern with a Champions League title. Photo: Reuters.

One of Bayern's advantages is that they are no longer concerned with the domestic arena. The Bundesliga title is in their pocket and they can now only focus on the confrontation with Atletico.

History, however, is on Atletico's side in this one. Since taking charge of Bayern, Guardiola has had a tough time facing his home teams. In the last two seasons, Bayern lost in the semi-finals to Spanish sides Real and Barca, who went on to win the title. For Atletico fans, this is certainly a good sign.

According to VNE