If you backed 4-0 and 4-1 wins for the Germans over the past two nights then drop me a line with your lottery predictions for Saturday!
Although many fancied Bayern to get a result at home to Barca, I think everyone was taken aback by just how easy they got it. Likewise, an even tighter affair was expected in Dortmund so for Lewandowski to run riot the way he did and put his team within touching distance of a Wembley final place was a shock for most.
Of course, with these results comes the usual bandwagon where everyone and their dog tells you that they've fancied the Germans for years and how German football is superior to anywhere else just now and so on.
There's a couple of ways to look at it though.
Firstly, we've only witnessed the first legs in Germany so far. The Nou Camp and Bernabeu will be a tough, tough trip for the Germans and having already seen Barca come from a first leg deficit to stick 4 past Milan at home, I wouldn't completely rule out either of the two Spanish giants. Albeit 4-1 is a thumping, that Ronaldo goal gives Madrid more than a glimmer of hope and if they manage an early goal on Tuesday night, that tie could be completely turned on its head.
Of course, with these big advantages, neither Bayern or Dortmund need to go chasing the game next week and given how organised they both looked, they'll be huge favourites to just sit in tight and run down the clock.
Again though, if these two German sides reach the final, all the calls of how German football is taking over are still premature for me. For the past six years or so, Spanish football has ruled all. Everywhere you turn, you've got teams trying to do things 'like Barca' - pass it 'like Barca', keep possession 'like Barca'. That hasn't just changed overnight. Only a couple of weeks ago I watched Barca destroy Mallorca and take a 4-0 lead into the break. They were absolutely frightening that night and that was without their star man.
Ok - Mallorca aren't the toughest of opponents and Bayern too have had plenty convincing wins this season but the point is, just this month, I read tweet after tweet about just how good Barca were and a few weeks later after one poor showing, I'm being told that the Germans have taken over?
Let's see the Germans win something on the International stage before we all jump on this particular bandwagon. German football, like the rest, have been in Spain's shadow for years now. Just last Summer at the Euros, we watched as the Germans fell to an average Italy side in the semi-finals before that same Italy team were thrashed 4-0 in the finally by Spain.
There's no doubt that German football has improved and looks to continue to do so but by having their two top teams, likely, meet in the Champions League final doesn't quite mean World domination just yet. It was only 2008 where Man Utd met Chelsea in Russia in the final of the same competition and that certainly didn't mean that English football was streets ahead of the rest.
For me, Spain and Spanish football is still at the top of the game we all love. The big test will be seeing how Bayern and Dortmund get on next season - that'll be when they can prove if the Germans are back in power or if this season has just been a bad day at the office for the Spaniards.
Dave Black
@LiviLion21
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