Real Madrid to assume Bayern Munchen in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final tonight, after the first leg ended in a 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena.
Last week, Vinicius Jr scored twice for Real Madrid to cancel out goals from Leroy Sane and Harry Kane for Bayern, leaving Thomas Tuchel’s side needing a win at the Santiago Bernabeu to reach the final. “It’s one of the most difficult stadiums to win, but not impossible,” Tuchel said yesterday. “Given that they are at home, perhaps it is at 51% for Real.”
Madrid claimed its 36th La Liga title at the weekend having lost just one league match all season. Before this second leg, the coach, Carlo Ancelotti, said that “anything can happen”, as Real Madrid try to add to their 14 European Cups. “We respect [Bayern] because they were very good and better than us in the first game”, he admitted.
Follow all the action live on the blog below and stay up to date with the latest news Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich predictions and tips.
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich LIVE
How Borussia Dortmund took on football’s superpowers and won
15:45 , Sonia Twigg
Enough of the supposed predictability of the Champions League. Kylian Mbappe will have to go to Real Madrid to try and win. There will be no fairytale farewell in the colors of his hometown club. Mbappe and co were denied a goal by Dortmund, although they may have long wondered how.
Luck hardly favored them. They hit the woodwork six times in the tie, four of them in Paris. They took 45 shots over two legs, 30 of them in France. After a series of errors in Germany last week, there were more cases of poor finishing. However, there were even more cases of wonderful defense. PSG met a yellow wall: not the huge bench of supporters at Signal Iduna Park, but a defense in which Hummels and Nico Schlotterbeck excelled.
Terzic also got his tactics right. When PSG attacked midway through the second half, they brought on Niklas Sule as a third defender. Part of the initial plan involved doubling up on the flanks: Sancho was tasked with helping Julian Ryerson against Mbappe, for example.
How Borussia Dortmund took on football’s superpowers and won
How Borussia Dortmund took on football’s superpowers and won
15:30 , Sonia Twigg
Check out the other semi-final:
This should not happen. Not in one Champions League dominated by the same familiar faces, the superpowers and the moneyed elite of the Premier League. Not for the club that sold Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland or for the team that many expected to die in the group of death or for the team that blew up the Bundesliga on the final day of last season. Not for Edin Terzic, the likeable coach who spent part of his reign seemingly at risk of being replaced.
But Borussia Dortmund are in the Champions League final. Considered the weakest team in the quarter-finals, seen as outsiders in the semi-finals, they will now be underdogs at Wembley on June 1st. They got there against all odds – financial and footballing – but with a spirit that makes them look like an exception in the 21st century. This was a triumph for the people’s club against the Qatari project and also another lost opportunity for Paris Saint-Germain, which finds new ways not to win the Champions League.
The moving stories, instead, belonged to the visitors. To childhood fan Terzic, who joins Ottmar Hitzfeld and Jurgen Klopp in taking Dortmund to the Champions League final. For the winner of the match Mats Hummels, a survivor of the 2013 final, a player who admitted he thought his last chance of reaching another was over. For the match Marco Reus, whose last game for Dortmund will be the biggest of his life. Also to Jadon Sancho, whose season involved four months of training with Manchester United’s Under-18s and could end with the most prestigious medal of all.
Manuel Neuer spoke before the game
15:15 , Sonia Twigg
Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said it is always special to play a decisive match at the Bernabéu. “This stadium has something special, something historic,” he said. “There is hardly any other stadium in Europe where it would be better to play. We are all excited. You have to keep a cool head when the emotion is in a stadium like this and against a team like this. You need to trust yourself. You need to turn external factors into something positive. We will try to do that.”
Through AP
Tuchel: Bayern have an obligation to do their best
15:00 , Sonia Twigg
Bayern were defeated by Real Real in the first leg, with the German team dominating for long periods without putting their opponents to the sword.
Two goals from Real’s Vinicius Jr., either side of efforts from Leroy Sane and Harry Kane, left the tie in a tight spot, but with Real favorites to progress from the second leg in Spain.
Real, 14-time winners, have a Champions League aura but Tuchel said the Spaniards’ record does not scare his team.
“Bayern are also one of the most successful and dominant clubs in the world and we have an obligation to do our best when we take to the field tomorrow,” he said.
“We don’t talk about myths, that would make everything more difficult for us. It’s already one of the most difficult stadiums to win, but not impossible. We’re not here to enjoy the moment.”
Bayern reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since winning the competition in 2020, while Real Madrid last lifted the trophy in 2022 with an incredible run of home wins to reach the final.
Real are looking to win their sixth Champions League title in 10 years after winning a record-extending 36th LaLiga title on Saturday.
The Bavarians, however, put in a disappointing domestic performance and Tuchel will be out at the end of the season.
“Real Madrid are an incredible team, but we need to have confidence in ourselves and help each other, we can’t get stuck or scared. We need to get something positive out of the pressure,” said Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
“Against a team like Real Madrid, it’s the little things that matter. Nobody wants to make mistakes because both teams have very good offensive power.”
Bayern coach Tuchel tells players to find their inner child at Bernabeu
14:45 , Sonia Twigg
Playing against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals is the dream of many Bayern Munich players, and coach Thomas Tuchel wants his team to rediscover their inner child at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday.
After last week’s 2-2 draw in Germany, Bayern will have to beat Real in their own backyard if they want to reach the final at Wembley.
With Bayer Leverkusen ending Bayern’s 11-year reign in the Bundesliga by securing the league title last month, the six-time European Cup winner has just one trophy left to win this season.
Tuchel spent several minutes talking to his players in an empty Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Tuesday and told them they needed to find extra motivation within themselves.
“It’s important to connect with your inner child. When we were little, we played these games in the garden. So now we’re here and this is our chance to make that a reality,” he said at a press conference in Madrid.
“I think both teams have to endure defense and suffering when the opponent has the ball. It is extremely difficult to steal the ball from Real Madrid. Both teams are very, very strong in the transition game. and precision. So anything is possible at this stage.”
Reuters
Real Madrid x Bayern Munich: Lunin will start in goal
2:30 p.m. , Lawrence Ostlere
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has no chance of scoring in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich tonight, keeping Andriy Lunin as goalkeeper despite Thibaut Courtois’ return from injury at the weekend past.
Ancelotti said on Tuesday he would stick to his plan to start Lunin at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, despite Courtois putting in an assured performance in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Cadiz that allowed Real Madrid to clinch the Spanish League title.
Courtois did well in his first match since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in August, two days before the start of the season. He also tore the meniscus in his right knee in March, when he was close to recovery.
“Lunin will play tomorrow,” Ancelotti said on Tuesday. “Courtois needs time to get back to his best. He played against Cádiz after training very well and had an excellent game, showing confidence and confidence, but he has to get back to his best.”
Lunin has impressed since replacing Courtois. The 25-year-old Ukrainian won the starting position over Kepa Arrizabalaga, the former Chelsea player and another Real Madrid backup goalkeeper.
But Lunin made some mistakes in the recent “clásico” against Barcelona, generating criticism and reigniting the discussion about who should start.
Predicted lineups
14:10 , Lawrence Ostlere
Here’s how the two teams could line up tonight at the Santiago Bernabéu:
Real Madrid XI: Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Tchouameni; Bellingham; Vinícius, Rodrygo.
Bayern Munich XI: Neuer; Kimmich, De Ligt, Dier, Mazraoui; Laimer, Goretzka; Sané, Müller, Musiala; Kane.
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich: team news
13:58 , Lawrence Ostlere
Carlo Ancelotti will be left with Andriy Lunin in goal after performing well this season, despite the return to form of Real Madrid’s first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. David Alaba remains absent.
For Bayern, Raphael Guerreiro will miss the second leg with an ankle injury, although Matthis de Ligt has returned to full training. Eric Dier suffered a forehead injury against Stuttgart but was able to train on Monday.
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich: how to watch tonight’s game
13:44 , Lawrence Ostlere
Viewers in the UK can watch the game live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the channel from 7pm BST before the game kicks off at 8pm. Subscribers can stream the action via Discovery+.
You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery + herefor just £30.99 per month.
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich
13:36 , Lawrence Ostlere
Real Madrid It is Bayern Munchen compete for a place in the Champions League final with the tie clearly defined after the first leg.
A Vinicius Jr double secured a 2-2 draw in Germany for Carlo Ancelotti’s side to take the semi-final back to Bernabeu level.
But, despite a below-average season in the Bundesliga, Bayern managed to raise its level in this competition and once again showed the necessary qualities to reach the Wembley decision.
It could well be an exciting night in the Spanish capital, with two of Europe’s biggest clubs chasing continental titles.
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich
Tuesday, May 7, 2024 5:26 pm , Sonia Twigg
Good afternoon and welcome The Independent live coverage of Real Madrid x Bayern Munich, second leg of the Champions League final.
We’ll bring you all the build-up, team news and live coverage of the match at the Bernabéu.
