As giants of European football, both clubs will feel they have a great chance of lifting the trophy this season and either Liverpool or Roma await in the final in Ukraine. However, this is a massive tie and Bayern Munich know they need to take a lead with them to Spain for the second leg.
The second semi-final first leg of the 2017/18 UEFA Champions league takes place in Germany on Wednesday night as Bayern Munich host Real Madrid.
As giants of European football, both clubs will feel they have a great chance of lifting the trophy this season and either Liverpool or Roma await in the final in Ukraine. However, Real Madrid’s season rests on this competition and Zinedine Zidane’s team will understand the importance of scoring any away goal to give them a platform for the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bayern Munich come into this match having already secured the Bundesliga title this season. What was a slow start to the campaign under Carlo Ancelotti has developed into a great one under Jupp Heynckes and the treble is on the cards.
The German champions defeated Hannover 96 3-0 away from home on the weekend with many first team players rested. Bayern Munich are undefeated in their last seven matches in all competitions and have won six of those games, including a 2-1 win at Sevilla in the Champions League.
Trends show Bayern Munich have won eight, drawn one and lost one of their ten Champions league games this season, with the defeat coming at Paris Saint-Germain. Their last match ended in a 0-0 draw at home against Sevilla but that was all they needed to progress. Bayern Munich have lost just one of their last twenty-two home Champions League games and the defeat came against Real Madrid.
The current Champions League holders, Real Madrid, have been poor domestically this season but have turned it on in Europe. They were held to a 1-1 draw at Athletic Club in La Liga last week and trends show they have won only one of their last four games in all competitions.
Their last match in the Champions league ended in a controversial 3-1 defeat at home against Juventus and Real Madrid needed a last-minute penalty to secure their place in the semi-final. Real Madrid have won seven, drawn one and lost two Champions League games this season, with the other defeat coming at Tottenham Hotspur.
Away from home, Real Madrid have scored 11 goals in their last three Champions league games, with two coming at Paris Saint-Germain and three coming at Juventus. Zidane will be hoping for more away goals in this game.
Looking ahead to the team news and Bayern Munich can welcome back Robert Lewandowski, Franck Ribery, Thomas Müller, Javi Martinez, Joshua Kimmich, Mats Hummels and David Alaba, who were all rested on the weekend. Kingsley Coman, Arturo Vidal and Manuel Neuer are injured and will miss out.
Real Madrid did not have a game on the weekend, which has given their players plenty of time to recover. The only man set to miss out is defender Nacho, who is injured but otherwise, Real Madrid should be at full strength.
Real Madrid have the upper hand over Bayern Munich in recent meetings between the two clubs but Bayern Munich are the team in form. If Real Madrid are below their best, as they were in the second leg against Juventus, expect draw in this game but also for Real Madrid to get a goal.