Real Madrid have one foot in the Champions League final after their 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid last night.
It’s not a foregone conclusion, of course. Stranger things have happened than a team overturning a 3-0 first leg deficit (see: Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain).
But only a complete collapse would prevent Los Blancos from reaching their third European final in four years.
The question is who could potentially join them.
Monaco host Juventus this evening as the other semi-final gets underway.
Potential cracker
It has the potential to be a cracker. Juventus, who knocked out Barcelona in the previous round, have conceded just twice in the entire tournament.
But Max Allegri’s side will face a Monaco team that has been electrifying in front of goal this season.
Leonardo Jardim’s team have scored 95 goals in the league at a rate of 2.79 goals per game.
And they’ve been even more ferocious in the knockout stage of the Champions League. Monaco have scored 12 goals in their four knockout matches, overcoming Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund in the process.
It remains to be seen who comes out on top in the battle of unstoppable force versus immoveable object.
Monaco's furthest run since 2003-04
This is the furthest Monaco have got in the Champions League since 2003-04, when the lost to Jose Mourinho’s Porto in the final.
Monaco, managed by current France manager Didier Deschamps, defeated Lokomotiv Moscow, Real Madrid and Chelsea en route to the final in Germany.
In the quarter-final tie against Los Blancos, Monaco came back from a 4-2 defeat in the first leg to shock Madrid 3-1 at the Stade Louis II stadium.
It was a truly remarkable comeback. Raul’s goal in the 35th minute gave Madrid a 5-2 lead on aggregate but Monaco hit back with goals from Ludovic Giuly (2) and Fernando Morientes, who was on loan from Madrid, to secure victory on away goals after the contest finished 5-5 on aggregate.
This was a Madrid side that featured Iker Casillas, Roberto Carlos, Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Luis Figo and Ronaldo, too.
GiveMeSport has a look at the Monaco side that stunned Madrid’s Galacticos.
GK | Flavio Roma
RB | Hugo Ibarra
CB | Gael Givet
CB | Julien Rodriguez
LB | Patrice Evra
RM | Ludovic Giuly
CM | Edouard Cisse
CM | Jaroslav Plasil
LM | Jerome Rothen
ST | Dado Prso
ST | Fernando Morientes
Subs:
Tony Sylva
Jimmy Juan
Hassan El Fakiri (came on in 82nd minute)
Emmanuel Adebayor (came on in 84th minute)
Shabani Nonda (came on in 61st minute)