Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are set to lock horns in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) semi-finals on Tuesday night at the Allianz Arena. Both teams fought hard in their respective quarter-finals to book a place in the last-four of the tournament. Los Blancos defeated Manchester City on penalties, while Bayern got the better of a resurgent Arsenal at home.
With these two heavyweights facing each other in the most prestigious club football tournament, it’s almost impossible to predict who will come out victorious after the conclusion of the second leg of the tie. However, Madrid, the ultimate champions of the UCL, are in the better position to edge past Bayern. In this article, we’ll discuss the five reasons why Real Madrid will beat Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.
Five reasons why Real Madrid will win in UCL semi-finals
1. Real Madrid’s Unpredictable Tactical Approach
Both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are two of the most elite teams in Europe. They also possess a fair share in the glorified history of the Champions League, given their proven success in the competition. They also have plenty of individual talents in their squad who have the ability to change the fate of a game in the blink of an eye. These two European heavyweights are also evenly balanced in terms of defensive and attacking style of play. However, amid all of these similarities, one thing that makes Real Madrid stand out, is Carlo Ancelotti’s unpredictable tactics!
One of such instances happened in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at the Etihad against Manchester City a few days ago. With City eyeing for a spectacular win, akin to their 4-0 victory against Los Blancos last season in this very stadium, Madrid could not find any rhythm in the game despite taking a 1-0 lead in the early minutes of the game. It was City who dominated the game throughout the entire game. Surprisingly, Ancelotti went for a defensive strategy which he is not known for usually. Attacking superstars like Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham were handed defensive duties along with the freedom of counterattacks. This bold move eventually turned into a gift for Real Madrid as they went on winning the game on penalties after holding off a goal-hungry City for 120 minutes.
There is no doubt Thomas Tuchel is a great coach, but any football fan can predict the probable starting line-up of the German manager’s team. This probability can not be applied when it comes to Ancelotti’s starting XI as it is comparatively difficult to predict his first choices. Due to this reason, the Spanish outfit makes it hard for their rivals to come up with a clear strategy before the matches begin.
2. Real Madrid’s Recent Impressive Record against Bayern
As both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are the two most successful teams in the Champions League in the last two decades, they often cross paths for the ultimate glory. In recent times, both these sides locked horns four times in the knockout stages of the European tournament. The last four contests saw Real Madrid claiming victories on three occasions, while the last encounter ended in a 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena.
After suffering from a painful loss on penalties in the 2011-12 semi-finals against Bayern Munich, the Spanish side went on to thrash the Bundesliga outfit thrice (2013-14, 2016-17 & 2018-19) to knock them out of the tournament. For Real Madrid, these records will definitely boost their morale ahead of their trip to Munich for the first leg of the Champions League Semi-finals.
3. Champions League is Real Madrid’s Stronghold
It won’t be too much if we say that UEFA Champions League is a tournament which is ruled by Real Madrid. Given their stature and success in this European competition, any team would want to avoid the Spanish side’s path in the proceedings. There is a popular saying in Europe: “When it’s a Champions League night, they (Real Madrid) come to hunt in a white bus.” This is the terror Los Blancos have inflicted on every team in Europe. Time and again, they rise from the ashes and bury their opponents in quick succession like a nightmare.
Real Madrid have won the tournament 14 times since its inception and are on course to add another to their ever-shining tally. They might play terribly in their domestic league or any other tournaments, but their performances on a Champions League night, will always be stupendous. This consistency awarded them with three consecutive UCL trophies, a feat that can not be achieved by a normal football team.
Whenever Champions League starts, Real Madrid are always tipped to be among the favorites to clinch the silverware. They bagged the first trophy in the history of the Champions League and continued their winning streak for the five seasons on the trot. Los Blancos are also the only team with most UCL titles, most semi-final and final appearances. If they maintain this tradition, then it’ll be almost impossible for Bayern to edge past a formidable Real Madrid, even at home.
4. Real Madrid’s Current Form
Carlo Ancelotti’s men are currently in the form of their life. They are the clear favorites to win the La Liga 2023-24 season, if anything out of the order doesn’t occur in the remaining matches. Real Madrid are in the pole position to reclaim the silverware of the Spanish top flight from Barcelona as they are 14 points ahead of their arch-rivals in the league table.
Earlier this season, Los Blancos already secured the Spanish Super Cup trophy by thrashing Barcelona 4-1 in the final showdown. As they don’t face much competition in the domestic league at the moment, they now can keep their entire focus on winning the Champions League trophy. The Spanish side are unbeaten in the 18 games across all competitions, and now look to extend their winning streak.
A staggering performance against Manchester City, who were deemed favorites by most of the football pundits to win the European tournament this term, might have sent a sense of relief to the Spanish side as their most fierce opponents won’t be in their way to the final. Additionally, Bayern Munich’s disappointing domestic season would also make things better for Real Madrid.
5. Home Advantage in Second Leg for Real Madrid
The Blancos won all six of their group-stage games in the Champions League this season. Three other teams in the Group C failed to pose a challenge to Real Madrid’s way as the latter scored 16 goals in 6 matches. In the knockout stages, they fought their way to edge past teams like RB Leipzig and Manchester City with tremendous determination. And now, they face Bayern Munich in the semi-finals. The first leg of the tie is scheduled to take place at Allianz Arena on 1st May (Wednesday, while the second leg will be held at Real Madrid on 9th May, Thursday. This is the reason why it’s already advantageous for Real Madrid. It’s very difficult to beat Real Madrid in their own backyard in a Champions League game. Ajax is the only team to have left Santiago Bernabeu with a win on a UCL night in recent times.
The spectacular stadium of Real becomes a fortress when fans start singing their club’s anthem in a Champions League game. Many teams fear playing a UCL game on a Thursday night at Real Madrid as “90 minutes in Bernabeu is a long long time.” As said by the legendary commentator Peter Drury, “Real Madrid is a miracle club, strange things happen here.” With the second leg at home, Real Madrid will have the necessary home advantage to put the tie to bed and book a spot in the final.
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