Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 UEFA Champions League | Semi-Final
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THE FACTS
When is Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich on and what time does it start? Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich will take place on Wednesday 8th May, 2024 – 20:00 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What channel is Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich on in the UK? Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich will be televised live on TNT Sports in the UK
Where can I stream Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich in the UK? Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich can be streamed live on the discovery+
THE LOWDOWN
REAL MADRID
It has been an absolutely ridiculous campaign for Real Madrid this season. The 14-time European champions were crowned Spanish champions at the end of the 34th match day this weekend as Barcelona’s 4-2 loss to Girona after Madrid hammered Cadiz by three goals to nil mathematically completed their La Liga triumph.
Los Blancos have played 49 matches across all competitions so far this season and they have suffered just two defeats with both of those losses coming against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. They have enjoyed seven successive victories in La Liga but have managed just one win inside 90 minutes in five knockout games in the UEFA Champions League this season.
BAYERN MUNICH
In stark contrast to Real Madrid’s magnificent campaign across all competitions, it has been a miserable season for Bayern Munich and Thomas Tuchel. The Bavarians suffered a seventh defeat of the Bundesliga season at the weekend as they were comfortably defeated by three goals to one away to Stuttgart.
Tuchel, who is departing the Allianz Arena at the end of the season, have been a lot better in the UEFA Champions League but even their good results have had some really underwhelming spells within. With the amount of managers, such as Ralf Rangnick, Xabi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann, turning the club down, there does appear to be a deeper malaise with the German giants.
THE TEAM NEWS
REAL MADRID
Thibaut Courtois has returned to Real Madrid’s first-team but is being eased back by Carlo Ancelotti as he started against Cadiz at the weekend. Ancelotti is also likely simply rewarding the excellent performances of Ukrainian international Andriy Lunin so he is expected to start in goal once again.
PREDICTED XI (4-1-2-1-2): Lunin; Dani Carvajal, Rudiger, Tchouameni, Mendy; Kroos; Fede Valverde, Camavinga; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior
UNAVAILABLE: Alaba (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
BAYERN MUNICH
Thomas Tuchel is dealing with both Matthijs de Ligt and Dayot Upamecano as doubts for this one after he criticised the performance of Kim Min-jae last week. Kingsley Coman remains sidelined through injury alongside the likes of Sacha Boey and Raphael Guerreiro.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, De Ligt, Dier, Mazraoui; Goretzka, Laimer; Sane, Muller, Musiala; Kane
UNAVAILABLE: Boey (Injured), Sarr (Injured), Guerreiro (Injured), Coman (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: De Ligt (Injured), Upamecano (Injured)
THE KEY STATS
- This is the eighth time that Bayern and Real Madrid have faced each other in a European Cup/UEFA Champions League semi-final tie – the most played tie at this stage of the competition. Bayern have been successful in four of the previous seven semi-final ties with Real Madrid winning on three occasions – including each of the last two.
- Overall, this is the 28th UEFA competition match between Bayern and Real Madrid – no two teams have met on more occasions. The head-to-head record is very close with Real Madrid winning 12 matches to Bayern’s 11 and the pair have also drawn four times.
- Real Madrid have won five of the last seven UEFA competition two-legged ties between the two teams. The most recent was a 4-3 aggregate victory in the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League semi-finals (W 2-1 a, D 2-2 h).
- Real Madrid are competing in a record 33rd European Cup/UEFA Champions League semi-final. This is their 17th semi-final in the Champions League era, which is also a record.
- Real Madrid are aiming to reach their 18th European Cup/Champions League final. The only other teams to reach at least 10 finals are Bayern, Milan (both 11) and Liverpool (10).
- Real Madrid have lost only one of their last 19 UEFA competition matches against German teams (W12 D6).
- Real Madrid have lost only one of their last 22 UEFA competition matches at home against German teams (W16 D5).
- Real Madrid have won six and drawn one of their last seven UEFA Champions League matches at home against Bayern.
- Real Madrid have won nine and drawn three of their last 12 UEFA Champions League matches at home.
- The last time Real Madrid failed to score in a UEFA Champions League knockout phase match at home was in April 2011 vs Barcelona (L 2-0 SF).
- Real Madrid have only failed to score in one of their last 73 UEFA Champions League matches at home.
- Real Madrid have drawn four successive matches in the European/Cup/UEFA Champions League for the first time.
- Real Madrid have only ever lost one UEFA competition tie after a draw away from home in the first leg. That was against Spartak Moskva in the 1990/91 European Cup quarter-finals when they lost 3-1 at home in the second leg after a 0-0 draw in Moscow in the first leg.
- Carlo Ancelotti is aiming to reach his sixth UEFA Champions League final as a coach (previous appearances are AC Milan 2003, 2005, 2007; Real Madrid 2014, 2022). He already holds the record for more finals as a coach in the European Cup/Champions League.
- Toni Kroos (149 apps, GS to F) can become the 7th player to reach 150 UEFA Champions League matches, group stage to final. His former team mate at Bayern, Thomas Müller reached the landmark in the first leg.
- Bayern are competing in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the 21st time overall and the 13th time in the UEFA Champions League era. Only Real Madrid have more appearances.
- Bayern are aiming to reach their 12th European Cup/Champions League final. This would move them one clear of Milan (11) into second place on their own. Only Real Madrid (17) have reached more.
- Bayern have lost only one of their last 12 UEFA competition matches against Spanish teams (W7 D4).
- Bayern have lost only two of their last 22 UEFA Champions League matches (W15 D5).
- Bayern have won only two of their last 13 away matches against Spanish teams in the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds (D1 L10).
- Bayern have not lost the second leg of a UEFA Champions League tie since the 2018/19 round of 16 against Liverpool (0-0 a, 1-3 h). Their record in second legs since then is W7 D2.
- Thomas Tuchel could become the first coach to lead three different clubs into a European Cup/Champions League final and he will have done so within the last five seasons (Paris 2020, Chelsea 2021 and Bayern 2024).
- Harry Kane has scored eight goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, this is the highest total in single season by an English player (GS to F).
- Harry Kane has scored a total of 29 goals in the UEFA Champions League (GS to F). He is only one behind Wayne Rooney who hold the record for most goals by an English player. Rooney reached the total in his 84th appearance, this will be Kane’s 44th appearance. The only players who have scored 30 Champions League goals in fewer games are Haaland (25) and Van Nistelrooy (34).
- Bayern have won four and lost eight of the previous 12 UEFA two-legged ties when they have drawn the first leg at home.
THE PREDICTION
The tedious phrase of the ‘narrative’ is potentially pointing towards Thomas Tuchel bowing out at Bayern by winning his second career UEFA Champions League and Harry Kane breaking the so-called ‘trophy curse’ he has endured. However, in reality, this is one of the, if not the, best team in Europe taking on a giant that has not just stumbled but pretty much fallen this season. Bayern have an abundance of attacking talent but lack cohesion. That said, as mentioned, Madrid have only managed one 90-minute win in the knockout stages and that was fairly unconvincing in the first-leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against RB Leipzig. Madrid will likely progress as they pretty much always find a way but backing them inside the regular minutes would be a bit risky.
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