How did the Champions League semi-finalists fare over the weekend? Real and Bayern rested their mainstays, Dortmund suffered a debacle and PSG celebrated the title

The Champions League semi-finals are just around the corner. How are the teams tuning up for the important first game? The coaches of both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich spared some of their key players, yet celebrated the victory. Dortmund lost an important game to RB Leipzig, while PSG celebrated the title.

Real Madrid spared their mainstays

Real Madrid’s schedule is packed like every year. A relegation match at the Etihad Stadium was followed by a tense El Clásico and a duel with the erratic Real Sociedad at the weekend. Carlo Ancelotti, however, fielded a line-up that was victorious in the final, and he spared Vinícius, Valverde and Bellingham and Rudiger.

Real Sociedad were clearly the better side from the start of the game, in some passages the match resembled the aforementioned duel with Manchester City. The home side even scored a goal, but it was not correctly conceded due to a previous foul. The Madrid team took the lead right from the first shot. Arda Guler ran onto Dani Carvajal’s centre in the whitewash and scored the winning goal on his debut in the starting line-up.

Kane secured the win for Bayern

Bayern were at home against a strong Frankfurt side on Saturday afternoon. Thomas Tuchel completely left out Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala from the nomination as they prepare for the duel with Real Madrid.

In the 9th minute, Harry Kane scored after a Konrad Laimer pass. However, the home side made it difficult for the 3 points in the 23rd minute with a goal from Hugo Ekitiké. But Bayern were more active up front throughout the game, kept the ball more and were rewarded with a penalty in the 60th minute. The penalty kick was converted by Kane and he scored his second goal of the game to secure the 3 points.

PSG struggled against the underdog

Paris went into Saturday’s match with 16th-placed Le Havre as clear favourites and could have celebrated another championship title with a win. However, the match did not start well at all, with the visiting Christopher Operi opening the scoring in the 19th minute. Bradley Barcola, in fine form, equalised 10 minutes later. However, the tie didn’t last until half time, Andre Ayew again tipped the score in the visitors’ favour.

When Abdoulaye Toure converted a penalty in the 61st minute to make it 1:3, it looked like one of the biggest surprises of Ligue 1. However, the home side woke up in the last few minutes. First Achraf Hakimi reduced the deficit in the 78th minute and Goncalo Ramos equalised in the 4th minute of stoppage time to make it 3-3. Kylian Mbappé only played the 2nd half. However, thanks to Monaco’s loss to Lyon, a point was enough to win the title.

Dortmund fell to Leipzig

Dortmund enter the Champions League semi-finals in the worst frame of mind of all the teams. In a tense weekend match, they suffered a shameful debacle at Leipzig. Jadon Sancho opened the scoring in the 20th minute, but Luis Openda equalised just 3 minutes later. In the 2nd minute of the 1st half, Benjamin Šeško put Leipzig ahead.

Dortmund entered the 2nd half like a horror movie. French stopper Mohamed Simakan scored in the 46th minute. A few minutes later, even Borussia’s one of their key players – Mats Hummels – was injured. No more reductions came until the end of the match, with Christoph Baumgartner closing the scoring in the 80th minute. Dortmund lost 4-1 to Leipzig.

Source: Ligue 1, BBC