Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid: Champions League semi-final probable teams, match stats & LIVE blog!

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Bayern’s final shot at salvation in 2023/24 comes in Europe with their campaign reignited by a quarter-final victory over English Premier League leaders Arsenal. Already out of the DFB Cup and now at best Bundesliga runners-up for the first time in 12 years, full focus in Bavaria is on the sporting behemoths from Madrid. In preparation for the match, the record champions’ star man, Harry Kane, warmed up his shooting boots with two goals in a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. The England captain is Europe’s deadliest striker with 42 goals in 42 games this season and he will be giving everything to finally capture the first trophy of his professional career. Kane has met Real twice before at Tottenham and is unbeaten, but the history between the clubs is far more extensive. This will be the 27th meeting between the European giants and it currently stands at 11 wins for Bayern and 12 for Madrid, with FCB’s last victory coming in the 2012 edition when a penalty shoot-out victory earned a spot in the final in Munich. Since then Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has managed both sides and been victorious in the fixture while in Spain, but not during his time in Germany between 2016 and 2017. Current Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel will be leaving at the end of the season, but has a wealth of experience in the Champions League and was a winner with Chelsea in 2021. Just a year prior Bayern collected their sixth title in Lisbon at the expense of Tuchel’s Paris Saint-Germain, and only two sides have lifted the European Cup on more occasions – AC Milan and their final four opponents in white. In preparation for the match star youngster Jamal Musiala was not risked due to tendon pain, but is expected to return in Europe. Center-back duo Dayot Upamecano and Matthijs de Ligt have doubts, so Kim Min-jae may partner Eric Dier. Konrad Laimer was also made an early exit against Eintracht with a suspected ankle injury, a potentially big blow given his form in recent weeks. Commenting on the status of a number of stars, Tuchel told the media post-match: “We need some miracle cures.” However, Serge Gnabry should be fit to start after recovering from a hamstring strain sustained in the Arsenal second leg.

Real Madrid were potentially still reeling from their 4-0 demolition job from Manchester City in last season’s Champions League semi-finals, but exorcised those demons by taking down the holders on penalties to set up an iconic reunion with Bayern. Following that victory they then beat rivals Barcelona in La Liga to put one hand on the title, and they’ve since moved even closer, with a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad putting them one win from glory. Making a surprise appearance on the bench in that game, but not featuring, was a familiar face for Bayern fans, that of Jude Bellingham. The former Borussia Dortmund man was struggling with gastroenteritis, but even making the dugout suggests all should be well for a return to the Allianz Arena. The England superstar faced Bayern eight times for BVB and never experienced victory, losing seven and drawing one. Now, though, the 20-year-old is a completely different animal, taking on a new attacking role that has seen him rack up 21 goals and 10 assists – his best career total, and the best of any Madrid player this season. An even more recognizable name joined him in having a rest of the bench, former Bayern star Toni Kroos, who is having an epic season that’s even coincided with a return to the Germany national team. Star forward Rodrygo and defender Ferland Mendy did not make it, but both have trained fully before traveling to Germany. There will be no return for Bayern icon David Alaba, who is still recovering from an earlier cruciate ligament injury suffered in December. Meanwhile, former VfB Stuttgart man and one of Tuchel’s trusted steeds from his Chelsea era, Antonio Rüdiger, has the unavoidable task of trying to shackle Kane.

Watch: Harry Kane hit a brace against Frankfurt

Match stats

• Only Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé (8 goals) has found the net more times in this season’s Champions League than Kane (7).
• Bellingham has four assists in the competition this season, only current BVB man Marcel Sabitzer has more (5). Kane is also Bayern’s leading goal-maker in the competition with three assists.
• Kroos won three Bundesliga winner’s medals during eight years at Bayern (2006-2014). He made over 200 competitive appearances, and would have played more but for an 18-month loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen (January 2009-summer 2010).
• Like Kroos, Alaba made his name at Bayern. He collected 10 Bundesliga titles, six DFB Cups, two Champions Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups over 12 years at the club, which also included a half-season loan at Hoffenheim in the 2010/11 campaign.
• Bayern’s record against Spanish clubs reads: W33, D16, L20. At home, it’s an impressive 21 wins and four losses from 32 matches.
• No teams have featured more in the Champions League semi-finals than Bayern and Madrid. Meanwhile, this is the eighth time the pair have met in the last four. Bayern have won four of those ties to Madrid’s three.

Probable teams

Bayern: Neuer (c) – Kimmich, Dier, Kim, Mazraoui – Pavlović, Goretzka – Müller, Musiala, Gnabry – Kane
Out: Boey (thigh), Buchmann (thigh), Coman (groin), Sarr (knee)
Doubtful: Sané (pelvis), De Ligt (knee), Laimer (ankle) Upamecano (ankle)
coach: Thomas Tuchel

Real: Lunin – Vázquez, Rüdiger, Nacho (c), Mendy – Valverde, Kroos, Modrić – Bellingham – Rodrygo, Vinícius
Out: Alaba (knee), Carvajal (suspended), Courtois (knee)
Doubtful: –
coach: Carlo Ancelotti

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