Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid: Preview, prediction and lineups
Bayern Munich welcome Real Madrid to the Allianz Arena for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday night.
Success over English opposition saw the two European behemoths advance into the last four, with Bayern edging past Arsenal and Madrid overcoming holders Manchester City on penalties.
The two grand clubs are certainly known to one another, with the pair often facing off at this stage of the competition in the 21st century. However, these will be their first tussles since they met in the 2017/18 semi-finals, where Madrid advanced as 4-3 aggregate winners.
There are just a few survivors in each squad from those duels, with the current crop of players aiming to write their own narratives in Europe’s grandest club competition. This is a fixture drenched in heritage, with the two clubs combining for 20 European Cup/Champions League successes.
Bayern’s 2023/24 campaign hinges on their continental campaign after finally relinquishing their domestic crown, while Madrid are waltzing to yet another La Liga title and are the favourites to win their 15th European title.
Here’s 90min’s preview of Tuesday’s first leg in Munich.
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid H2H Record (Last Five Games)
Current form (all competitions)
|
Bayern Munich |
Real Madrid |
|---|---|
|
Bayern Munich 2-1 Eintracht Frankfurt – 27/04/24 |
Real Sociedad 0-1 Real Madrid – 26/04/24 |
|
Union Berlin 1-5 Bayern Munich – 20/04/24 |
Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona – 21/04/24 |
|
Bayern Munich 1-0 Arsenal – 17/04/24 |
Man City 1-1 (3-4p) Real Madrid – 17/04/24 |
|
Bayern Munich 2-0 FC Koln – 13/04/24 |
Mallorca 0-1 Real Madrid – 13/04/24 |
|
Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich – 09/04/24 |
Real Madrid 3-3 Man City – 09/04/24 |
|
Country |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
discovery+, TNT Sports 1, discovery+ App |
|
United States |
TUDN USA, Paramount+, TUDN App, CBS, TUDN.com, Univision, Univision NOW |
|
Canada |
DAZN |
Bayern are likely to be without wingers Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman on Tuesday, but Leroy Sane, who’s been battling a niggle for weeks, should make the matchday squad.
Raphael Guerreiro should continue down the left with Alphonso Davies available again having served a suspension in the second leg of their quarter-final tie against Arsenal.
Matthijs de Ligt and Konrad Laimer both picked up injuries at the weekend and are facing a race against time to be fit for the first leg. Dayot Upamecano is unlikely to feature.
Bayern predicted lineup vs Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, Kim, Dier, Davies; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Muller, Musiala, Guerreiro; Kane.
In total contrast to Bayern, Real Madrid have few injury concerns.
Carlo Ancelotti’s squad is healthy, but they’ll be without stalwart right-back Dani Carvajal through suspension. He’ll be replaced by Lucas Vazquez on Tuesday night.
Jude Bellingham and Toni Kroos were both rested against Real Sociedad on Friday night, while Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, and Antonio Rudiger all earned minutes off the bench.
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Bayern (4-3-1-2): Lunin; Vazquez, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Camavinga, Kroos, Valverde; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr.
Discontent continues to simmer in Munich, although Thomas Tuchel should use Uli Hoeness‘ recent slander to his advantage.
Bayern were impressive in the quarters against a superb Arsenal side, and they’ve got a coach who knows what it takes to tame the very best. Tuchel has often worked his magic in this competition, and there’s no doubt he’ll have a plan for stifling Madrid’s supreme individualism.
However, Ancelotti, too, knows a little bit about winning at this stage of the competition. His Madrid side are doubtlessly reliant on individual magic as opposed to collective brilliance, but Ancelotti is the master of maximising the profiles he has at his disposal.
Madrid have had success in Munich in the past, although winning away on Tuesday night will be tough. A cagey first leg with more fireworks arriving in the return leg is easy to envisage.