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Guardiola to make Barca return with Bayern

SoccerNews in General Soccer News 24 Apr 2015

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Bayern Munich head coach Pep Guardiola will face his former club Barcelona for the first time in the last four of the UEFA Champions League.

Guardiola spent 11 years at Camp Nou as a player, which included winning the European Cup in 1992.

He then returned to manage the club in 2008 and, in his first season, guided Barca to the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League, courtesy of a 2-0 win over Manchester United in Rome.

Two years later Guardiola lifted the iconic trophy once more, and again it was United who were vanquished, 3-1 at Wembley in a stunning display.

Now at Bayern, Guardiola looks well set to retain the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal crowns he won in 2013-14, whilst also seeking vengeance after a 5-0 aggregate drubbing by Real Madrid at this same stage last season.

Bayern booked their place in the last four after Tuesday’s 6-1 demolition of Porto helped overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit, while Barca swept aside Paris Saint-Germain 5-1 on aggregate.

The other semi-final sees holders Real take on Juventus, in a repeat of the 1998 final which the Spanish giants won 1-0.

Real edged past city rivals Atletico Madrid 1-0 on aggregate, and Juve prevailed by the same scoreline against Monaco.

Carlo Ancelotti led Real to La Decima last season, but must overcome one of his former employers if his side are to become the first club in the Champions League era to defend their title.

As coach of Milan in 2003, Ancelotti defeated Juve on penalties in the final at Old Trafford, and the Turin giants have failed to reach the last four of the competition since that year.

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