Real Madrid - Bayern Munich predictions and free betting tips [08/05/2024]

On Wednesday, 8th May, as part of the semi-final second leg of the Champion's League, Madrid's "Real" will host "Bayern" on their home soil. On the preceding week, the teams had an intense standoff in Germany, resulting in a tie (2:2), and now both sides are on equal footing.

Anticipated Line-Ups

Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Nacho, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrigo, Vinicius.
Bayern: Neuer; Kimmich, Dier, De Ligt, Mazraoui; Goretzka, Laimer; Sané, Musiala, Gnabry; Kane.  

Real Madrid

Even with far-from-stellar gameplay, "Real Madrid" managed to avoid defeat in Munich last week - all thanks to Vinicius, who clinched a brace, facilitating a 2:2 draw. This season, only one team managed to overpower them - "Atletico", twice nonetheless. However, the Madrid side remains undefeated within the confines of Bernabeu in all the competitions. Last Saturday, they secured another victory in La Liga, prevailing 3:0 against bottom-ranked "Cadiz". As a result of this win and subsequent slip-ups by "Barca" in Girona, they claimed their 36th title. Only "Juventus" shares the same number of predominant national cups in the history of Europe's five strongest leagues. Now, the players under Carlo Ancelotti will shift their focus to raising the most prestigious continental trophy for the 15th time. 

It's worthy to note that the home team scored in 28 consecutive Champions League matches on their ground. In the absence of Courtois, Andriy Lunin showcased his prowess last time on the pitch, and Ancelotti would likely prefer to play him as a starter despite the Belgian's potential return following a severe injury. The only absentee within Madrid ranks is the Austrian David Alaba. Vinicius, who scored twice at the Allianz Arena, has amassed 5 goals in the Champions League this season and will once again terrorize Munich's defence. Add to the mix Brazil's Rodrigo (also with 5 Champions League goals), who earned a penalty in Germany, and Jude Bellingham (17 goals in La Liga). The supporting area will be filled with the return of Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde following the weekend rest, with Mendy and Carvajal taking up the flanks on defence.

Bayern

Should there exist a team who might interrupt "Real Madrid's" undefeated run at Bernabeu, it would be "Bayern". Bearing in mind the second most successful team in Europe in the last decade. Thomas Tuchel's proteges lost the Bundesliga crown to "Bayer Leverkusen" in the spring, putting an end to their 11 years reign in Germany. Over the last weekend, the White-Reds, sitting comfortably in second place on the tournament table, visited "Stuttgart", where they suffered a 3:1 defeat. This allowed their closest competitors to close the gap to two points. So far in 2024, "Bayern" hasn't recorded a 'clean sheet' victory away from home and has only managed to secure three wins in the entire duration. 

This season saw the Munich side being plagued by injuries, with Coman, Boey (acquired this winter), Buchmann, Marusic, and Bouna Sarr currently side-lined. Rafael Guerreiro also suffered an injury over the weekend, leaving his participation in question. On the brighter side, Gnabry (only 3 goals in 9 matches), Leroy Sané (8 goals, 11 assists) and Musiala are set to feature in Madrid. Harry Kane (43 goals, 11 assists), clearly eyeing the Golden Boot this season, seems doubly motivated; clinching the title of the Champion's League or even Euro could boost his bid for the 2024 Best Footballer title. Recovered from an injury, De Ligt will partner with Dier as centre-backs, with Manuel Neuer guarding the visitor's goal.

Head-to-Head

There have been no goalless draws (0:0) yet in the official competitions between these clubs. In 2012, despite losing the second leg of the Champions League semi-final (2:1) after clinching a 2:1 win on home soil, "Bayern" advanced to the semi-finals through a penalty shootout. In the three subsequent confrontations, it was the Madrid side who emerged victorious.

Match prediction: Real Madrid - Bayern

"Bayern" Munich experienced too many defeats at the hands of the Madrid side over the last decade, and thus, will be yearning for a comeback. However, the predicted outcome is a tall order. The home team hasn't lost a single match on their turf this season and have been formidable in the Champions League. Moreover, the German side's injury list is extensive, whereas Ancelotti is likely to deploy his optimal line-up. My forecast - a victory for the favourites.