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Madrid, April 17: Bayern Munich face a familiar problem as they travel to old European foes Real Madrid on Tuesday needing to make history to keep faint hopes of Champions League glory alive.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s second-half double in Munich last week made him the first man to reach a century of European goals, but more importantly handed Madrid a vital 2-1 first leg lead. The 11-time European champions have never failed to progress after winning the first leg away from home in the Champions League.

“It won’t be easy, we’re the underdogs, but we’ll have a chance to win in Madrid,” insisted Bayern captain Philipp Lahm after Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen.

Recent history, though, would say otherwise.

Should Bayern fail to pull off a fightback, it will be the fourth successive season they have been eliminated by Spanish opposition.

When Pep Guardiola was hired as Bayern boss in 2013, he was expected by the Bavarians’ demanding hierarchy to build on Jupp Heynckes’ treble and create a Bayern dynasty of the like that saw them win three consecutive European Cups between 1974-76.

Heynckes’ Bayern thrashed a Barcelona left behind by Guardiola a year earlier 7-0 on aggregate on their way to winning the Champions League. However, the Germans have only known defeat in four visits to Spain since, without even scoring a goal. Guardiola was humiliated on his three returns to Spain as Bayern boss in three semi-final, first legs on the way to elimination against Real, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti was named as Guardiola’s replacement specifically for his European nous having won the Champions League a record three times as a coach.

Yet, the Italian hasn’t been able to find a solution for Bayern’s Spanish travel sickness as they also lost 10 to Atletico on their most recent visit back in September. — AFP