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Early final Real Madrid, Bayern meet in standout semifinal
LONDON (AP) -- No disrespect to Leeds and Valencia, but Tuesday's Champions League semifinal between eight-time titlist Real Madrid and three-time winner Bayern Munich looks like the final a round early. While Leeds and Valencia, who meet at Elland Road on Wednesday, have been to the final of European soccer's most prestigious competition once each, the two powerhouse clubs are regular participants. On top of being repeat winners, both Real and Bayern are three-time runners-up. The Spanish soccer giant has extended its record of semifinal appearances to 19 and Bundesliga titlist Bayern is second best at 12. Running away with the Spanish title yet again, Real won the Champions League last season by beating Valencia 3-0 in the first final between teams from the same country. The defending champion may be without two of its goalscorers from that night when it faces the Germans. Fernando Morientes is definitely out because of a recurrence of a groin injury, while English international Steve McManaman suffered an ankle strain during Saturday's home 1-1 draw with Osasuna. He remains optimistic that he will be fit. With stars such as Luis Figo, Raul Gonzalez and Roberto Carlos on the lineup, Real has the firepower to maintain its grip on the title despite a formidable challenge from another of European soccer's biggest names. "Fear? No, we're not afraid of Bayern," said Real coach Vicente del Bosque. "It's a club which is at our level and has the same ability. It's going to be very competitive match between two of Europe's great clubs. "Elber and Paulo Sergio are both very fast. We will also have to watch Effenberg's long balls and Scholl's trickery. The whole Bayern team is dangerous," Del Bosque said. "We need to play as well as we did in our two matches against Lazio and in the first half of the second leg against Galatasaray. That will do for me." The only domestic champion left in the Champions League, Bayern is delighted that Brazilian striker Giovane Elber and midfielder Jens Jeremies are ready to play, only 12 days after both underwent emergency arthroscopic knee surgery. But coach Ottmar Hitzfeld isn't so sure they are ready to play such an important game and may hold them back until the return leg in Munich next week. Runner-up to Manchester United two seasons ago, Bayern hasn't won the title since the last of its three in a row in 1976. "This is our chance, especially because no one really believes in us," Hitzfeld said. "Just like Manchester United in the previous round. We are not without chances in Madrid, although the experts think differently. It's just one more motivation factor for us." Bayern was considered an underdog in the quarterfinal against Manchester United, which had beaten the Germans in the 1999 final and also had clinched its seventh domestic league title in nine seasons. "First United was described as a super team, now Real," Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn said. "That's the best thing that can happen to us. That's when we usually produce the best performance. We showed already last season that we have nothing to fear from Real. "We can't allow Real to get carried away by their rhythm. We have to defend well and seek our chances in the front. We want an away goal." The other semifinal is between teams that finished third in their domestic leagues last season. The prospect of a repeat of last year's final is a strong possibility. But David O'Leary's Leeds, whose only final was when it lost 2-0 to Bayern in 1975, will be out to prevent Valencia getting there again. Plagued by injuries for the first half of the season, Leeds has hit a long run of form in the second half, going 12 games unbeaten in a climb towards what O'Leary hopes will be another third place finish and a place in next season's Champions League. Irish striker Robbie Keane is ineligible after his transfer from Inter Milan. But O'Leary can call upon Australian forwards Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka, who has scored 21 goals this season, and young English striker Alan Smith. South African international defender Lucas Radebe has been ruled out of action for the rest of the season. But the Leeds lineup is expected to include in-form attacking midfielder Lee Bowyer, who is due to face a retrial in October for his alleged involvement in the severe beating of a student in Leeds in January last year. Leeds ousted Spanish titlist Deportivo de La Coruna to reach the semifinal. Valencia, which is without suspended forward Miguel Angel Angulo, is used to facing English opponents this season, tying twice in group games with Manchester United and knocking out Arsenal in the quarterfinal. "It's going to be a war," said Valencia's Yugoslav defender Miroslav Djukic. "It will be a matter of life and death because Leeds will try to set it all up for themselves at Elland Road. "We know they will be tough. They are the sort of side that if they have a good day, they can score a hatful against you," Djukic said. "They did a great job against Deportivo but we will not make the same mistakes."
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