MUNICH: Bayern Munich are looking to their strength at home to overturn a 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday and avoid losing a third consecutive Champions League semi-final to Spanish opponents.

Bayern have endured successive semi-final failures in the last two years running with defeats to Real Madrid in 2014, then to Barcelona last year.

But since losing in 2014 to Real, Bayern have won all 11 Champions League games in Munich. Another victory on Tuesday would match Manchester United’s record from 2006-09.

“We’re very very strong at home. That’s what we’re counting on,” said Germany defender Jerome Boateng, who made his return Saturday after more than three months out with a groin injury.

Against Juventus at home in March, Bayern were 2-0 down and heading for a round of 16 exit before the side came back to win 4-2 in extra time.

Another comeback in front of home fans is expected Tuesday with Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge telling Atletico: “We’ll throw everything into it with 70,000 supporters and deliver a huge fight, that I can promise you. I hope that this fight will lead us to [the final in] Milan.”

Having lost the first-leg last Wednesday at Atletico after Saul Niguez’s early solo strike, Bayern coach Pep Guardiola has his work cut out to end his time in Germany on a high.

Guardiola inherited the reigning European champions when he joined Bayern in 2013 and despite winning six titles so far, he needs to prove his critics wrong by lifting the Champions League trophy at the final on May 28 in Milan.

With Guardiola leaving for Manchester City at the season’s end, this is his last chance to conquer Europe with Bayern, who won the first of their five European Cups by defeating Atletico in the 1974 final.

“We need to be on fire on Tuesday,” said Thomas Mueller, who shone as Bayern were held 1-1 by Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday and were consequently made to wait for their fourth consecutive Bundesliga title.

While Bayern were unconvincing on Saturday, Diego Simeone’s Atletico are finishing strongly in Spain, having won their last six league games and keeping four consecutive clean sheets.

They are level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona after defeating Rayo Vallecano 1-0 on Saturday.

Atletico were boosted by influential central defender Diego Godin returning from a hamstring injury while winger Yannick Ferreira Carrasco is also available.

“It is the best thing to have great games and the tiredness matters little,” said Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann, the goal-scorer in their win over Rayo, when Simeone made seven changes.

“We are very enthusiastic. Every player dreams of playing in a Champions League semi-final and we will give everything.”

Published in Dawn, May 3rd , 2016