WITH Chelsea now seemingly focussed on Champions League glory, Bayern Munich's Guardiola and Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti face-off in a semi-final on Wednesday night for the chance to get one over on old foe Jose Mourinho in the final.
Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti face off in the Champions League semi-finals[GETTY]Real head into the clash boosted by the news that star winger Cristiano Ronaldo starts while Gareth Bale is on the bench.
Ronaldo returns from knee and hamstring injuries, while Bale has overcome a flu-like virus sufficiently to be considered as a substitute.
Real will look to Ronaldo to inspire them against a Bayern side featuring Mario Mandzukic up front and Philip Lahm in midfield.
The semi-final promises to be a more attacking affair than Chelsea's 0-0 over Atletico Madrid in the other semi-final on Tuesday night.
That result means Chelsea remain in with a strong chance to advance to the final with Atletico now needing to win at Stamford Bridge next week in order to advance.
While the possibility of an all-Madrid final is sure to appeal to those in Spain, the final is sure to be a more entertaining affair if it involves Mourinho taking on an old adversary in the form of Ancelotti - now in charge of his former club no less - or Guardiola.
Mourinho left Madrid in slightly acrimonious circumstances at the start of the season, after reportedly alienating a number of key players at the club.
Jose Mourinho remains a Real Madrid fan [GETTY]In Spain, my club is Real Madrid and when they win competitions when I'm not involved I'm happy
But the Portuguese manager insists he remains a fan of Los Meringues, saying: "In Spain, my club is Real Madrid and when they win competitions when I'm not involved I'm happy."
Meanwhile, Ancelotti lead Chelsea to the League and Cup double in his first season in charge only to be sacked in May the following year.
And let's not forget that Mourinho and Guardiola are hardly exempt from the tension given the animosity that was often exhibited between the two during numerous El Classico clashes from Pep's time in charge of Barcelona.
Mourinho, one suspects, would possibly slightly prefer to face his former side in the final, if for no other reason than to have the opportunity to show them what they are now missing.
However, Real must first overcome a fearsome Bayern Munich side.
Their task, it seems, just got a little bit easier given Ronaldo's availability.
Real Madrid side to play Bayern Munich: Casillas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Coentrao; Modric, Alonso, Di Maria; Isco, Benzema, Ronaldo. Subs: Diego López, Varane, Bale, Marcelo, Casemiro, Morata, Illarra.
Bayern Munich side to face Real Madrid: Neuer, Dante, Ribéry, Mandzuki?, Robben, Rafinha, Boateng, Lahm, Alaba, Schweinsteiger, Kroos. Subs: Raeder, Zingerle, Martínez, Pizarro, Götze, Weiser, Müller.
Cristiano Ronaldo returns for Real Madrid [GETTY]
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