UEFA Champions League 2013, semifinal draw: Best and worst possible draws

Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich

As worst options go, it’s not a bad one. The problem here is that these two ties don’t give much of a contrast of styles, so all else being equal, the best team is likely to prevail. For Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich, that’s quite hard to judge, and could make for a real clash of the titans, but for Barcelona vs. Dortmund, it’s not looking good for the Germans.

Of course, that’s only one angle - Dortmund have gotten far more canny in Europe this season and could certainly take advantage of what is, by elite standards, a pretty ropey Barcelona defence. But as far as matchups between four great teams go, this is probably the one we want to avoid.

Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich

Dortmund vs. Real Madrid

Again, it’s only a relative ‘meh’ option, because this is still pretty mouthwatering. What this does have is a contrast in styles in both games. Possession vs. power is a very crude description of how these two games will play out, and Dortmund’s occasional fragility could see Real Madrid’s frontline have a field day in the same way Bayern probably won’t against Barcelona, but it’s still a very tight contest.

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid

Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich

This is the big one, both countries being kept apart. Why Because Barcelona and Bayern Munich both ran away with the title race this year, denying us a real contest. In Spain, that was largely due to Real Madrid’s shocking start, and in Germany it’s been down to Bayern’s unseemly consistency. This represents the chance for Real and Dortmund to hit back and make up for the wasted season on the domestic front. Also, we haven’t had enough El Clasicos in the past few years for our liking.