Real Madrid would prefer to face Barcelona than the usual German group in the semi-finals - Goal.com India

Jose Mourinho's men dropped to Bayern Munich last year and transpired to Borussia Dortmund in Group D but recent Clasico activities show they no longer fear the Catalans Barcelona bravado was intact before kick-off on Wednesday. Comfortable of sweeping aside Paris Saint-Germain and cruising to the semi-finals of the Champions League, fans dared to appear forward to the past four and a possible Clasico conflict. The concept was clear: They needed Real Madrid. In the light of these stuttering show against PSG, however, whenever a limping Lionel Messi was needed in the part of saviour despite being nowhere near full exercise and Barca advanced nervously on absent goals, many Blaugrana lovers appeared less sure. Today, it seems, most need Dortmund in the last four. Not so Madrid. Jose Mourinho's men fought against BVB in Group D because they dropped 2-1 in Germany and only restored a draw at home to Jurgen Klopp's side because of Mesut Ozil's 89th-minute equaliser at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real's 'German curse' continues after last season's semi-final leave at the hands of Bayern Munich - plus a string of poor results against Bundesliga garments in the past - and the Spanish capital membership won't fancy a with Jupp Heynckes' skilled team, both. No, Madrid want Barca. 2010-11 Real Madrid 0-2 BarcelonaBarcelona 1-1 Real Madrid But, if it is Barcelona, he now knows exactly how to overcome them. Having sustained humiliation with a defeat in his first Clasico conflict back in November 2010, Mourinho's Madrid have now won their last two suits from the Catalunya club and knocked their eternal enemies out from the Copa del Rey over two legs in February. Asked after the hard-fought and much-suffered 3-2 beat at Galatasaray, Mourinho said that he thought to play against PSG: "I have friends in Paris, although not in Barcelona," he said. He also mentioned, but, that the Catalans may possibly progress alongside Bayern and Dortmund. And he was right. Of the three, he'll prefer Barca. There is a feeling at the Bernabeu that Tito Vilanova's squad can be crushed easier over two feet than in a winner-takes-all fit. Mourinho is a master as it pertains to planning 180-minute knock-out ties and knows his group could cause harm at Camp Nou after February's 3-1 gain in the Catalan capital. That match has made the seeds of doubt at Camp Nou and Madrid's win in the league Clasico at the Bernabeu in the following installation now allows the cash club the upper hand mentally in this brutal struggle for the first time since pre-Pep Guardiola in 2008. Dortmund's 4-2-3-1 development makes life very difficult for Madrid (who make use of the same system), while Bayern have the edge mentally over Real after last season's semi-final success on charges. However, the Blaugrana's approaching design matches Mourinho's men and, with the mental shift of the last month or two, the Blancos will be dreaming about a Clasico tie ahead from the sketch on Friday in Nyon. Barcelona, after developing in less-than-convincing fashion on Wednesday, won't. Follow Mary Hayward on