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Two European juggernauts, with 20 Champions League titles between them, go head-to-head in a heavyweight semi-final that simply cannot be missed.
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid match preview
One of these two sides has featured in eight of the last 12 UEFA Champions League Finals, a ratio that’ll further improve come 1 June at Wembley, although the pair have never actually met in a final, despite the fact 28 of the 68 European Cup Finals (41%) have contained one or the other.
In the first leg of this semi-final, who will move one step closer to adding yet another European Cup to their respective collections?
Real Madrid are now favourites to win this competition for the 15th time, having dumped out holders Manchester City in the quarter-finals, doing so in dramatic fashion.
Both legs ended all square, 3-3 at the Bernabéu and then 1-1 at the Etihad, following a backs against the wall performance from los Blancos in Manchester, meaning the tie was to be settled by a penalty shootout.
Luka Modrić actually missed their first spot-kick, but was bailed out by Andriy Lunin, who made successive saves, while Jude Bellingham, Lucas Vázquez, Nacho and then Antonio Rüdiger all held their nerve from 12 yards, the latter securing progression.
So, this is the 12th time in 14 seasons los Merengues have got through to, at least, the semi-finals of this tournament, seeking a sixth title in only 11 seasons.
On Friday night, Carlo Ancelotti’s team beat Real Sociedad 1-0, Arda Güler the only scorer in San Sebastián, meaning they require only four points from their remaining five matches to be crowned La Liga winners.
Thus, emphasised by the fact Ancelotti deployed a heavily-rotated XI at Anoeta, making nine changes, their full focus is on the Champions League, so will Real Madrid leave Bavaria with a positive result?
Similarly, Bayern Munich also are all about the Champions League but for contrasting reasons, seeing their 11-year stranglehold over the Bundesliga title come to an end, unable to keep pace with Bayer Leverkusen.
Thomas Tuchel’s team did beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 on Saturday, Harry Kane the scorer of both, but that is inconsequential, needing to go all the way in this tournament to salvage an otherwise catastrophic campaign.
So far in the knockout phase, die Roten have fought back to beat Lazio in the round of 16, following defeat in the first leg in Rome, before ousting Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
The pair played out a 2-2 draw in North London, before Joshua Kimmich’s bullet header was the difference in Germany, connecting perfectly with Raphaël Guerreiro’s cross.
So, this is Bayern’s first appearance in the semi-finals since most-recently winning this competition in 2020, dumped out in each of their last four semis played over two legs, all of which have come against Spanish opposition, including at the hands of Real Madrid in 2014 and 2018.
With the second leg at the Bernabéu to come, most will feel Bayern Munich need to establish a first leg advantage at Allianz Arena to have any realistic chance of getting through.
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid Tips
Put succinctly, we’re expecting a goal-fest from this first leg in Bavaria.
These two clubs have met ten times since 2007, all in the Champions League, with these fixtures witnessing 35 goals, with both teams scoring in eight of them, trends we’re forecasting will continue.
Bayern Munich have been involved in 17 matches this season that would meet the criteria of both teams to score and 4+ goals, including Champions League fixtures against Manchester United, Galatasaray and Arsenal.
Real Madrid’s chaotic side meantime has been very much on show lately, drawing 3-3 with Manchester City at home, before beating Barcelona 3-2 in el Clásico nine nights ago.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team have also beaten Napoli 3-2 and 4-2, as well as Union Berlin 3-2, with 16 of their fixtures across all competitions producing 4+ goals with both teams scoring.
Both teams to score and over 3.5 goals
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid
Both sides are led by superstar attackers, both of whom will be hoping to shine at Allianz Arena.
Firstly, Harry Kane’s brace at the weekend means he has now scored 42 goals in 41 starts for Bayern Munich, with 27 of these goals coming in home matches.
Kane has seven Champions League goals to his name this season, making him the second-top scorer in the competition, so we’re backing him to net against Real Madrid for the very first time.
On the other side, Vinícius Júnior’s penalty in el Clásico was his 19th goal of the season, scoring six in his last four La Liga starts.
The Brazilian has three Champions League goals to his name during this campaign, taking his tally to 18 in the competition, and we’re predicting that Vini Jr. will add to this in Bavaria.
Vinícius Júnior and Harry Kane to both score anytime
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid
