Real with comfortable 3-0 lead in Dortmund

DORTMUND — Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund met four times last season in the Champions League and Dortmund won both home games, including a 4-1 win that led to Real’s elimination in the semi-finals.

This time, Madrid holds a 3-0 lead from the first leg of the quarter-finals and the nine-time champion has never lost a Champions League tie after winning the opening leg 3-0.

Here are five things to know before Tuesday’s match: 

Ronaldo targets Messi  

Cristiano Ronaldo needs just one goal to set the record for the most goals in a single Champions League season and pass Lionel Messi’s milestone.

The Ballon d’Or winner exited last week’s 3-0 win over Dortmund with a hurting left knee after he found the net for a 14th time this campaign in Europe’s top club competition.

Ronaldo sat out his team’s Spanish league match on Saturday to recover, but he is back in the squad after training with his teammates on Sunday.

Plan B: Bale 

If Ronaldo doesn’t make it back in time, Madrid can still field an imposing starting 11 featuring Gareth Bale as it searches for its fourth straight semifinal appearance.

Ronaldo has missed eight games this season, and Real Madrid have yet to lose once without him.

Bale scored another long-range goal for Madrid in its commanding 4-0 win at Real Sociedad this weekend while Ronaldo rested his leg.

The Wales winger has scored four goals in his last three games and has netted 18 times in all competitions, since his 100-million-euro move from Tottenham.

“Last Wednesday’s match at home was great, we played well and deserved to win, but it will be a different game in Dortmund,” said Bale. “They’ll come out fighting and we have to approach it like any other game, looking to win it and seal our place in the semifinals.”

Scoring run 

Madrid have scored in 22 consecutive away matches in the Champions League. But they have also lost four of them — and three in Germany.

Even if they again loses 4-1 as they did last season in Dortmund, Real will advance on away goals. 

Lewandowski back

Borussia Dortmund’s striker Robert Lewandowski is back after sitting out the 3-0 defeat in Madrid through suspension. Lewandowski scored all four goals in last season’s 4-1 home win over the Spanish side. The Poland striker tops the Bundesliga with 17 goals and has scored six in the Champions League.

His value to Dortmund is also evident from another statistic — he has set up 11 goals in the Bundesliga and three in the Champions League.

Dortmund has won its last two Bundesliga matches by coming from behind in the second half. Coach Juergen Klopp believes there is still some hope against Real.

“We won’t give anything away,” Klopp said. “On Tuesday we want to play two second halves, and then we’ll see.”

Injury list 

Dortmund have been hit by a series of serious injuries that have ended the season of several key players, including defender Neven Subotic and midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski, among others. At least six players from the lineup that beat Real 4-1 last season will be missing from Tuesday’s match.

In addition, captain Sebastian Kehl is suspended.

Dortmund’s midfielder Nuri Sahin is technically still a Madrid player, playing on loan against his former club.

Madrid will be without defenders Marcelo and Alvaro Arbeloa, forward Jese Rodriguez, and midfielder Sami Khedira, all because of injury.