Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's huge Champions League quarter-final second leg between Bayern Munich and Manchester United. The hosts are big favourites going into this match but United have already pulled one surprising result out of the bag in this tie, so we are all set for an intriguing encounter. Let's start with a look at the hosts...

The air of invincibility around Bayern is just beginning to fade at the perfect time for United. The German giants looked likely to cruise to another record-breaking season, with Pep Guardiola doing what many thought was impossible and taking the team to even greater heights than Jupp Heynckes managed in his treble-winning swansong. However, a recent blip in form has spoiled their previously unblemished record in the league and made them look mortal in Europe as well.

Some slack must be given to Bayern considering that they have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title in record quick time, but Saturday's shock defeat to Augsburg will have infuriated Guardiola, who would have been eyeing an unbeaten season to begin his reign. Their domestic record this season is still incredible, and the recently ended 53-match unbeaten streak is the best in the history of German football, but suddenly they don't seem unbeatable for United.

One thing is for sure - if United somehow pull off an incredible upset tonight, then Bayern's season would be very quickly transformed from a procession of greatness to a major disappointment. So high are the club's standards at the moment that anything other than a repeat of last season's treble would be viewed as not good enough, particularly if they were to go out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.

The hangover of having won the league is evident for all to see in the Bayern team. They are yet to win a game in their three outings since, which is the first time that they have gone that long without winning since February/Match 2011. They haven't gone four matches without a win since 2009. However, despite their blip, United would be foolhardy to think that this is a Bayern team whose powers are waning. They still have players of immense quality and are more than capable of becoming the first team to retain the Champions League.

The three-match winless streak will cause the slightest of doubts to creep into the heads of Bayern players, however. They are already facing a tough test tonight as they look to end a pretty miserable run of form against English teams. Their only two home defeats since October 2012 have come against Premier League teams in the form of Arsenal and Manchester City, while they have not won any of their last four home matches against English opposition.

That run of four home games without a home win against English opposition began in the 2012 final against Chelsea, and that is a match they will look to learn from going into tonight's game. On that occasion, Chelsea upset the odds to win the trophy at the Allianz Arena having only finished sixth in the Premier League. United are currently sitting seventh and looking to overcome similar odds if they are to progress this evening. Bayern cannot afford to take the visitors too lightly, and it is unlikely that they will do so having only drawn in the first leg.

The Bavarian side do have a knack for winning these matches, however. They have not lost a Champions League knockout tie over two legs since March 2011 and are bidding for a third consecutive appearance in the final. They have also drawn the first leg of a European knockout tie 1-1 away from home on 11 occasions and have progressed every single time.

The first leg means that United fans come into this match with a greater level of belief, however. It is fair to say that very few people, myself included, expected them to fare so well against Bayern at Old Trafford, yet they did enough to keep themselves in the tie. It will take an even greater effort to make it into the last four tonight, but there is a growing sense of optimism around United that they have turned a corner due to some good recent form.

Of course, they have had many false dawns in that respect already this season, but nine goals scored and just two conceded in their last three matches in all competitions is undoubtedly an improvement for David Moyes's side. One big question around the club this season is whether they are capable of competing with the big boys. The vast majority of the evidence has suggested that they can't, but their performance in the first leg leaves that lingering piece of doubt.

At Old Trafford, United soaked up the pressure and looked to hit Bayern on the counter. The pace of Danny Welbeck was a valuable asset against a side that presses so high up the field, and they will undoubtedly be the tactic for tonight as well - at least until they need to start pushing for a goal. It is not out of the realms of possibility for United to score the goal(s) they need to give them a chance of going through, but the big question may be whether they can kept Bayern ay bay at the other end.

One thing is for sure - this is the best time United could have played Bayern in their respective seasons. Just as the Germans are losing form, United are gaining it having lost just one of their last six matches. They are unbeaten in their last three games and haven't gone four matches without defeat since the turn of the year. Their chances are slim tonight, but there are a number of little lifelines that they can cling to.

Another of those lifelines is their recent away record. They have only been beaten once in their last six matches on the road, keeping an impressive five clean sheets in that time. They have won their last three in a row, although it should be noted that the defeat came in a rather abject display against Olympiacos in their last 16 tie. A repeat of that display tonight could see them on the end of a convincing scoreline.

Staying on the theme of Champions League away days, their record on the road in this competition provides less cause for optimism. They have only won one of their last six away matches in Europe, a run that stretches back to November 2012. However, that one defeat did come this season in Germany as they thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 with a performance that is arguably the best they have provided under Moyes so far.

There is little doubt that United will spend most of their time defending tonight, so they will be pleased that no side has kept more clean sheets in the Champions League this season. Five in their nine outings is not a bad record by any stretch of the imagination. However, they also need to score, and none of the Champions League quarter-finalists have scored fewer goals than United's 16 in this year's tournament.

TEAM NEWS: Right, the teams are in for both sides and the big news for United is that Wayne Rooney returns having missed the win over Newcastle with a toe injury. Danny Welbeck is also back as expected to lead the line, while United goalscorer in the first leg Nemanja Vidic comes into defence. Bayern, meanwhile, make eight changes to the side that lost to Augsburg at the weekend, with Mandzukic starting up front. Full team news for either side coming right up...

BAYERN STARTING XI: Neuer; Dante, Boateng, Alaba, Lahm; Gotze, Kroos; Ribery, Mandzukic, Robben, Muller

BAYERN SUBS: Raeder, van Buyten, Rafinha, Pizarro, Weiser, Hojbjerg, Weihrauch

MANCHESTER UNITED STARTING XI: De Gea; Jones, Smalling, Vidic, Evra; Fletcher, Carrick; Valencia, Rooney, Kagawa; Welbeck

MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Lindegaard, Büttner, Ferdinand, Giggs, Januzaj, Young, Hernandez

So, what can we make of those two teams? Well, Guardiola has sprung a slight surprise in naming Lahm at right-back rather than defensive midfield. With Schweinsteiger and Martinez both suspended, it had been assumed that the skipper would once again be deployed in a midfield role, but instead he replaces Rafinha at the back. The return of Dante from suspension is a major boost as he looks to strengthen a backline that look a little shaky at times last week.

The absence of players such as Schweinsteiger and Martinez would be crippling to most teams in the world, but the Bayern midfield barely looks to have been troubled, such is their strength in depth. Gotze, Kroos and Muller provide a more attacking midfield than Bayern had at Old Trafford last week, which will increase their threat but could also open up more possibilities for United on the break.

As expected, Mandzukic returns into the side, and he could be the key man tonight. Muller starting up front last week and Bayern lacked the cutting edge that a natural centre-forward provides. Mandzukic made an immediate impact when he came on, giving Bayern more of a presence inside the box. Needless to say, Ribery and Robben will look to terrorise the defence and it would be very impressive if United can keep them at bay again tonight. Robben showed flashes of brilliance last week and will be looking to build on that this evening.

As for United, the biggest factor for them is having Rooney back available. He is the club's talisman with Van Persie on the sidelines, and it was vital that he would play today. His toe injury was never likely to be serious enough to rule him out of tonight's match, but Moyes will be hoping that he isn't too far below 100% as they need him firing on all cylinders tonight.

Having said that, perhaps United's most important player tonight will be Welbeck. With Bayern committing so many players forward in attack, it was Welbeck's pace that caused the Germans so many problems in the first leg last week. He spurned a glorious opportunity just before half time and cannot afford to be so wasteful tonight. Chances will be like gold dust for United this evening, and they can't afford to waste anything.

There are no real surprises in midfield as Moyes opts for a group of players who will work hard defensively more than pose a constant threat to the Bayern backline - with the exception of Kagawa. Fletcher and Carrick won't venture too far from the back four tonight, while Valencia and Kagawa will need to help their full-backs against the likes of Ribery, Robben and the overlapping full-backs.

In defence, Smalling is preferred to Ferdinand in centre-back, which is a small surprise. I thought Ferdinand's experience may have given him the edge tonight, but perhaps Moyes feels that Smalling is more suited to facing the combination of pace from the wings and height from Mandzukic. Vidic was, of course, always going to start, and if he can come up with another goal tonight as he did in the first leg then his stock will rise ever further amongst the United fans who will be sad to see him leave at the end of the season. Rafael is out with a thigh injury, so Jones continues his journey around the team with another stop at right-back.

PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes from kickoff at the Allianz Arena, which means that it is time for my match prediction! United have already surprised me once with their performance in the first leg. They have gone from no-hopers to outsiders, but I still believe that Bayern's superior quality will shine through. Their recent form belies how good they actually are, and they will want to respond to that defeat at the weekend. I'll go for a 2-0 home victory and Bayern to progress through to the semis.

Bayern do have the edge on United in past meetings between the two sides. They have met each other 10 times, with United winning twice, Bayern triumphing three times and the spoils being shared in the remaining five games. Of course, the most famous meeting between these two came in Barcelona in the 1999 final, when United's two late goals gave them the most dramatic of victories to complete a historic treble.

Rooney is likely to be at the heart of any United attacks this evening, but he has scored just twice in the Champions League this season. He has been something of a creative force, however, picking up eight assists, which means that he has set up half of this side's goals.

An interesting stat regarding Bayern is that no side has been awarded more penalties in the competition this season. However, they have only scored two of their four spot kicks, and Arjen Robben has won every single one of those. They may also not want reminding that their last three Champions League defeats have come without Bastian Schweinsteiger starting.

The other Champions League quarter-final we have for you tonight is perfectly poised in Spain as Atletico Madrid host Barcelona. It was 1-1 in the first leg, and you can follow live updates of the second leg with us here. I will also be keeping you up to date with the major events from Madrid.

A reminder that United have to score tonight to stand any chance of progressing. A 1-1 draw would send us to extra-time, while a 2-2 draw or above would send United through on away goals. They are expected to be defensive for the most part, but they will need to look for a goal sooner or later.

KICKOFF: Bayern get us underway at the Allianz Arena in what could be a season-defining match for both sides. Can United pull off an incredible upset?

As expected, Bayern take control of the match early and are seeing plenty of possession in good areas. One of United's big problems last week was that they couldn't keep hold of the ball for long enough, and they have struggled to do so again in the opening exchanges here.

An early ball is floated into the area for Mandzukic to attack, but the striker can't only help the header well wide. He gets a knock for his troubles from Smalling, who had also risen to challenge for the ball.

Half a chance for the hosts as they work a good corner routine. The ball is played in low and Muller runs around the back to get a free shot in. His effort is blocked and falls back to Ribery, who snatches at a shot from the box to send the ball wide.

UPDATE: Atletico have made a dream start to their match against Barcelona, taking the lead already through Koke.

CHANCE! Big chance for Rooney to give United an early lead! He finds himself in a great position on the edge of the box with space to shoot, but he seems caught in two minds whether to go for goal or slide Kagawa in. In the end, he hesitates for too long and his effort is blocked by Dante. That was an opening.

I mentioned earlier that United need to take any chances that come their way tonight, and they certainly need to be more decisive than Rooney was there. Had he made a choice to shoot earlier, he was in a great position to score.

Moyes will be fairly pleased with United's start to this match. Bayern have seen more of the ball, as expected, but there have no signs of them breaking through the visitors' defence. In fact, United have had the best opening so far.

SHOT! Robben was a threat in the first leg and he proves to be so again here as he is slipped in on the right side of the area. His initial cross is blocked, but he gathers the ball back and cuts back before unleashing a snap shot that goes wide.

Bayern have another chance to test the keeper but once again fail to hit the target. They are starting to get into shooting positions here, and United will want to limit them before the hosts gain any momentum.

United have the ball in the back of the net...but the linesman's flag is raised! Rooney floated a cross into the box and both Kagawa and Valencia were completely unmarked in the middle. The latter puts it in from close range, but the Bayern defence had played their offside line perfectly and both United men were off.

There are certainly holes for United to exploit on the counter-attack. Bayern only ever leave two defenders back when they attack and, with the pace of Welbeck and Rooney always a willing runner in support, that often leaves United in a good position.

Lovely football from Bayern as they cut through United with a string of passes in and around the box, but they want to walk it in and eventually get caught offside. It was Ribery who strayed into an offside position before chipping it to Muller.

Lahm is indeed playing in his defensive midfield role as Bayern adopt a strange formation. They have three at the back, but with Alaba bombing forward on the left it seems a little unbalanced with no-one doing the same on the right.

Speaking of Alaba getting forward, he does so again here as Ribery cuts inside from the left before playing the ball back to his full-back on the edge of the box. However, his effort is poor as he lashes it well over the bar.

Rooney is certainly not the most popular player in this stadium. Every time he gets the ball, the crowd respond with a cascade of boos and whistles. No doubt that is to do with Bayern's allegations that he dived to get Schweinsteiger sent off in the closing stages of the first leg.

CLOSE! Valencia dwells on the ball in a dangerous area and Ribery nips in to win it back for Bayern. The French winger then goes for goal from range, sending an effort just past the near post and rippling past the side-netting. De Gea seemed to have it covered, though.

YELLOW CARD! Vidic is the first man in the book tonight and it is a very harsh one. The United man got up really well to beat Mandzukic in the air, but the ref deemed it a foul worthy of a caution. Very strange decision.

United have looked a threat when going forward in this match and it certainly is not beyond the realms of possibility that they might score tonight. It has been a good opening 30 minutes for the visitors so far, but there is still a long way to go tonight.

There weren't many people who expected United to still be in this tie after 120 minutes, so they deserve credit for matching Bayern so far. However, as things stand, the Germans will still be going through on away goals, so the longer it stays 0-0, the more adventurous United will need to be.

Dante lumbers forward from the back to join in another Bayern attack, but he wastes it with an over-hit cross towards the back post. He looked like he was considering a long-range shot, so could have been caught in two minds there.

A number of Bayern's passes have gone astray this evening, which very out of character for them. They have been nowhere near their best so far tonight and things are quite comfortable for the United defence at the moment. The onus is not on Bayern to score, of course, but they are not the type of team to settle for a 0-0 draw on the night to progress.

SHOT! United are almost caught out by a quickly-taken set piece, but they manage to recover just in time. Bayern recycle the ball and Robben eventually plays it back to Kroos, who curls an effort a couple of yards over the bar from the edge of the area.

Poor from the referee as Lahm goes sliding in to a challenge on Evra and chops down the full-back in what would have given United a free kick in a promising position. However, the referee fails to award anything and the Bayern skipper escapes punishment.

Lahm's position in this match is fascinating. He seems to be playing in both defensive midfield and right-back. When United have the ball, he slots in at full-back, but when Bayern have it he drifts into the central midfield role. Very interesting tactics from Pep Guardiola.

CHANCE! Robben has been Bayern's most dangerous player tonight, and he threatens again here. Welbeck loses the ball in a dangerous area and the winger is immediately looking to run at the United defence. He gets into the area but takes too many touches before hitting his shot off the back of Smalling and behind for a corner.

There will be one minute of added time at the end of this first half.

Well, that has to go down as a very good half of football for Manchester United. They are still very much in the tie and are not being dominated by this Bayern team - at least in terms of chances. With 45 minutes of the tie remaining, they are still very much in with a chance of making the semi-finals. Be honest, who saw that coming when the draw was originally made? I certainly didn't.

While the visitors will be happy with how things have gone so far, they are in the strange scenario of having to improve in the second half to stand any chance of making it through to the last four. As things stand, it is Bayern who will be progressing on away goals, and United need to score at least once if they are to prevent that from being the case. They also need to prevent Bayern from scoring, which is no easy task either.

In terms of scoring, United have shown enough glimpses to suggest that they will be able to do it. While Manuel Neuer is yet to be tested, the visitors have threatened with their pace on the counter-attack. Bayern are leaving just two men at the back and, with their high line, that is giving United a chance to get behind them. Wayne Rooney has had United's clearest opening when he was caught in two minds, but they would hope that one more opportunity will come there way tonight, and that could be enough.

At the other end, Bayern have really not threatened De Gea. Robben once again has looked like their most dangerous player, but even he has failed to get a shot on target so far. United's defence has held firm despite Bayern's constant possession but, in truth, they have been tested less in that first half than they were at Old Trafford. The hosts are far below their best tonight and it could come back to hurt them.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the match is Guardiola's tactics. Lahm and Alaba are playing as full-backs when United have the ball but defensive midfielders when Bayern have it. It is a formation that I have never seen before, but Guardiola always likes to come up with something new. I'm not sure whether this one is working, however, as Ribery and Lahm don't have their overlapping full-backs to take the marker away and give them a yard of space to cut inside.

We are yet to have a shot on target or a really good chance in this match, which is surprising given the two teams involved. I would expect that to change as things begin to get more open, and a goal for either side should really cause the other team to start pushing for an equaliser. United need a goal as things stand, remember.

KICKOFF: United get us back underway for the second half as they look to get the goal they need to go through. It has been a decent performance so far from the visitors, but Bayern are still in control of the tie. We are perfectly poised for a very interesting second half.

Smalling takes a painful tumble in the box, landing awkwardly when competing for a corner. He looks winded and Bayern eventually kick the ball out so that he can recover.

A lovely ball from Robben releases Lahm down the right and suddenly Bayern have a bit of space to work with. However, Lahm, who is usually so reliable, produces a poor cross that is comfortably cleared.

A hint of an opening for United as Kagawa flicks the ball on for Rooney inside the box. He has a sight of goal if he was to hit it on the volley first time with his left foot, but instead he tries to hook to back towards Kagawa and Bayern clear. It may have been worth having a go there.

SHOT! Ribery jinks his way into a crossing position on the left flank before picking out Mandzukic towards the back post. The striker sees his shot well blocked by Vidic, while Boateng fires the rebound well wide from the edge of the area.

SAVE! We finally have a shot on target! Kagawa picks the ball up in midfield and immediately looks to go for goal from range, hitting a well-struck effort towards the corner. However, it would have to be a truly special strike to beat Neuer from there, and the keeper makes a comfortable save.

Oh my word! United take a shock lead, and it is one of the best Champions League goals you will see this season or any other season. The ball is crossed from the right flank and falls to Evra on the edge of the box, and he absolutely hammers his strike in off the crossbar. Unbelieveable strike.

Wow, what a response from Bayern. They level things up just 22 seconds after the restart as Mandzukic steals in front of Evra, of all people, to nod the ball past De Gea and into the bottom corner. Good movement and a smart finish from the striker. What a sequence of events to turn this match on its head!

CLOSE! Bayern come forward again and almost grab a second straight away as Ribery finds space to shoot from inside the box. His low effort is directed towards the bottom corner at the near post, but it goes into the side-netting with De Gea in close attendance.

CHANCE! My word, what a chance that is for Rooney! Welbeck squeezes the ball back to his strike partner inside the box and he is in plenty of space to go for goal. However, the ball back to him arrives quicker than he expected and he can only help it on its way out the path of danger.

SAVE! Bayern come forward this time as Mandzukic gets up well to direct a header back across goal that De Gea holds on to well. This match has really opened up now.

BAYERN SUB: Bayern make the first change of the day as Rafinha comes on in place of Gotze. Presumably, Lahm will now remain in a defensive midfield role and we will have a more orthodox formation from the hosts.

Bayern have turned it around! Just over 10 minutes after going behind, they are now in the lead and on course for the semi-finals. Ribery's initial ball from the left went all the way to Robben at the back post, and he played it back into a dangerous area. Muller does really to get a toe to the ball before Vidic, poking it beyond De Gea from close range.

YELLOW CARD! Evra slides in to bring down Robben as the Dutch winger looked to race through on goal, and he picks up a caution for the offence. The Bayern players think it should be a red as Robben may well have been in on goal, but a yellow is probably the right call.

That second Bayern goal means that we will not have extra time this evening. Another goal for United - providing they don't concede again - would see them go through on away goals. Bayern aren't likely to let up in their pursuit of more goals, so there could be holes for the visitors to exploit at the back.

YELLOW CARD! Rafinha picks up a silly yellow card for what the referee deemed to be time wasting.

MANCHESTER UNITED SUB: David Moyes makes an attacking move as he goes for that vital second away goal. Javier Hernandez, who is always good for a goal, comes on for Darren Fletcher. They will need to throw caution to the wind soon.

That could well be game over for United as Robben gets a third for his side. Moments after Boateng sends a nervy back-pass almost looping over Neuer, the hosts pour forward again. Robben picks the ball up on the right but cuts infield and eventually finds a bit of room to shoot from the edge of the area. His effort takes a slight deflection off the boot of Vidic, sending it beyond the reach of De Gea and into the bottom corner. Surely there is no way back for United now?

United would now need to score twice if they are to go through to the semi-finals, and you just can't see that happening. Bayern have dominated since they went behind, and I would not be at all surprised to see them add to their lead before the end of this match.

Indeed, they threaten to get a fourth here as Alaba reaches the byline and flashes a delivery across goal that Mandzukic is inches from getting a touch to. It comes to Robben, who tries to steer an effort into the bottom corner that De Gea stops.

MANCHESTER UNITED SUB: Moyes makes another change as Danny Welbeck goes off to be replaced by Adnan Januzaj. Can the youngster come up with something special in the closing stages?

Guardiola acts as cheerleader on the sideline as he drums up the noise levels inside the Allianz Arena. Bayern are just seven minutes away from yet another Champions League semi-final.

BAYERN SUB: The hosts make another change and it is the scorer of their second goal Thomas Muller who departs to be replaced by Claudio Pizarro. That isn't exactly a defensive sub at this stage of the game!

Rooney has been a bit out of sorts this evening. He has had a couple of good sights of goal but not made the most of any of them. Rooney on top form would have arguably had two goals tonight, but he hasn't been himself in the final third.

SAVE! Ribery slips the ball through to Pizarro, who shows good strength in the box to shrug off one tackle before sorted his feet out in time to poke an effort towards the near post, but it is straight at De Gea.

UPDATE: It is still 1-0 to Atletico in the closing stages of the other quarter-final, which means that Barcelona are crashing out as things stand. What a result that would be for Atletico, who are having a remarkable season.

The fourth official indicates a minimum of three minutes stoppage time at the end of this match. United have three minutes more Champions League football to enjoy before they exit the competition - and who knows how long their absence will be for?

Bayern have done it! The reigning champions will defend their crown in the semi-finals having seen off United 4-2 on aggregate, although it was not as straightforward as many expected when the tie was drawn. United deserve credit for the part they played, but in the end Bayern's superior quality shone through and they deservedly progress. Their bid to become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League rolls on as they enter the semi-final draw alongside Chelsea, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

It was actually United to took the lead on the night, with Evra making the away fans dream with a thunderous effort off the underside of the crossbar. However, the visitors were almost still celebrating when Bayern levelled things up just 22 seconds after the restart through Mario Mandzukic, and 10 minutes later Thomas Muller gave them the lead. Arjen Robben capped off the scoring for the hosts, who were able to move up a gear to get themselves back into the tie. They were certainly a lot better after they conceded.

David Moyes hasn't had much to be proud of this season, but his side's performance over the two legs in this tie is something he can look at with pride. For large periods, they matched a team widely regarded as the best in Europe and look capable of even beating them. It would have been one of the biggest shocks in Champions League history had they managed it, but they certainly did a lot better than many thought they would. Ultimately, though, it just wasn't enough.

Right, that is all we have time for tonight I'm afraid! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole on another memorable night of European football. Manchester United gave Bayern Munich a scare, but in the end it is the defending champions who go through to the semi-finals thanks to a 3-1 win on the night and a 4-2 success on aggregate. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to check back in for our coverage of the Europa League tomorrow night as the semi-finalists will be determined in that competition too. Stick around for reaction and analysis from this match, which should be on site shortly. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!