Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich: Stars Who Will Lead Los Blancos to Semifinal Win

Real Madrid suffered a tough loss in the first leg of its Champions League semifinal matchup with Bayern Munich last week. Mario Gomez scored in the 90th minute to give Die Roten a 2-1 victory. As a result, Los Blancos are now in a must-win situation on home soil in the second leg.

Madrid is coming off an emotional win over rival Barcelona, which all but clinched the La Liga title, so the Spanish outfit enters this match with a ton of momentum on its side. If Los Blancos can find a way to defeat Munich and keep them out of goal, then Real Madrid will earn a date with Chelsea in the Champions League final.

Here are three Madrid stars who will perform at an elite level and give Los Blancos their second massive win in less than a week's time.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo leads La Liga in scoring this season with 42 tallies. He also scored perhaps the biggest goal of his impressive career in his last game against Barcelona, answering a late Barca equalizer to give his team the victory.

Ronaldo has been incredible all season long. When you add that clutch play into the equation, his confidence has to be higher now than it has ever been.

If Los Blancos are able to get on the scoreboard in this game, they can afford to go into a defensive shell. The key is to put one in the back of the net first. Real Madrid has several excellent offensive players, but the scoring burden ultimately falls on the shoulders of Ronaldo. He is one of the highest-paid players in the world for good reason, and he'll prove his worth again against Bayern Munich. 

Iker Casillas

Considered by many to be the best goalkeeper in the world, Iker Casillas will have to live up to that billing against Munich.

San Iker has accomplished pretty much everything a goalie possibly can, including winning a World Cup with Spain. He has also won Champions League titles in the past, but he hasn't done so in about a decade. Now at the age of 30, there is no telling how many prime years he might have left.

With that said, Casillas will need to come up large against FCB. He has posted 12 clean sheets this season and could very well need another one against Bayern Munich.

Madrid may be at a disadvantage because they lost the first leg, but they also have an advantage because they were able to net an away goal. If Casillas can play perfectly and keep Munich off the scoreboard, then all Los Blancos will need is a single goal of their own. 

Xabi Alonso

Statistically, veteran midfielder Xabi Alonso certainly hasn't had his best season. However, he is one of the few players who can completely dictate the way a game is played without contributing on the score sheet.

Alonso is a savvy player who is truly the lifeblood of the Madrid offense. He is responsible for controlling the pace and ensuring that all of Los Blancos' many great offensive talents touch the ball.

His play will be paramount early in the game as Real Madrid figures to sell out in order to strike first. If and when Madrid does score, Alonso's defensive acumen will then come into play. There are few better all-around midfielders in the world than Alonso, and that will be on display against Munich.

Alonso tends to show up when the game truly counts and he will do precisely that and will be a big reason for Madrid advancing to the Champions League final.