Dortmund, Scale Bernabeu Cliff on the Road to Wembley.

Facts:
• Real Madrid have overturned a first- leg away deficit 22 times, however failed on a further 14 occasions including the last three of the Jose Mourinho’s era.
• Dortmund have surrendered a three- goal first leg lead before and it is the only time they lost a tie after winning the first- leg at home in 14 European Cup ties. Club Brugge KV had lost 3-0 in Germany but won the reverse fixture by a 5-0 margin at home in the 1987/88 Cup third round.
Real hosts Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabeu hoping to overturn a 1-4 first- leg away deficit to get a chance of qualifying for their 13th European Cup final while Dortmund eye a second European Cup final after last week’s drubbing of their Spanish opponents.
Madrid ended Dortmund’s reign as European champions in 1997/98 semi- finals, thanks to a Fernando Morientes and Christian Karembeu’s first- leg goals at the Bernabeu to emerge a 2-0 aggregates winner. For a repeat of that fit, Madrid will have to equal RC Deportivo La Coruna’s record for the biggest first- leg victory overturn in the competition’s UEFA Champions League era, when AC Milan lost 4-0 at Deportivo in 2003/04 quarter- final after winning 4-1 at home.
Real Madrid boasts an impressive record against German oppositions at home (W18 D4 L2), the two losses being the loss to Bayern Munich in 2000 and 2001. Last season Madrid defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 at the Bernabeu after losing by the same margin at the Allianz Arena to force the game into penalties.
Angel Di Maria believes Real will have to start with the same tenacity that saw them lead Bayern by two goals last season if they should have a chance against Dortmund.

“Last year, against Bayern, we started well and were 2-0 up. We hope that this year we can turn it around, but we need to give averything. In football anything can happen,” De Maria who came on as a substitute in the first leg (due to the birth of his new- born daughter) told reporters after the Madrid derby.
In all fairness, Dortmund will go into the Madrid game as a clear favourite. The Germans are unbeaten on their travels in this season’s competition, with one victory and four draw. They came close to defeating Jose Mourinho’s men in Madrid but for Mesut Ozils 89th minute free- kick to deny them the opportunity after Marco Reus and an Alvaro Arbeloa’s own goal had put the visitors ahead, with Madrid’s first response through Pepe.
The Tuesday game will climax Dortmund’s third UEFA Champions League semi- final appearance after losing to Jupp Heynckes’ Madrid in 1997/98, and reaching the final in 1996/97 season after ousting Manchester United- the season they lifted the trophy. It will have been Jurgen Klopp’s first Champions League semi- final with the possibility of booking the flight to Wembley on May 25.
For Real, this is a record- extending 24th European Cup semi- final appearance (W12 L11), Mourinho’s 7th appearance at this stage of the competition, with a record of W2 L4. On two occasions Mourinho side did make the final, they claimed the trophy.

Cristiano Ronaldo will be looking forward to scoring his 51st European Champions League goal if he eventually overcomes the thigh strain he suffered in the first- leg, which kept him on the sideline at the Estadio Vicente Calderon.
Robert Lewandowski will be hoping to score his 6th goal against the Los Merengues in the Champions League this season.
Michael Essien’s return to match fitness also gives Mourinho the option of playing the Ghanaian at right- back with Sergio Ramos returning to central defence.
Poland international full- back Lukasz Piszczek is doubtful for Tuesday clash after picking up a groin injury in the first- leg. Klopp made ten changes for Saturday’s 2-1 win at Fortuna Dusselsorf. Midfielders Iikay Gundogan (neck) and Mario Goetze (hip) are carrying a knock and may face a late fitness test ahead of the second- leg tie.
Defender Mats Hummels was the only survivor from Wednesday’s thrashing of Madrid at the weekend and he feels Dortmund are just nearing Wembley’s horizon with the second leg game standing like a cliff in between.
“We don’t even have one foot in the final yet, at most all we have is a small toe,” he told reporters.
“If anyone goes to Madrid and thinks you can’t lose 3-0, then they’re being presumptuous.”