Champions League: Los Blancos Aim to Conquer Munich

Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid

Bayern Munich host Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday in a classic European night of huge proportions.

These are two of the biggest clubs on the planet and, according to the latest Champions League 2024 betting odds, the tournament winner is favoured to come from this tie, with Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain set to battle it out in the other semi-final.

Bayern and Real Madrid saw off the powerful English challenges of Arsenal and Manchester City to reach the last four, and they each came into this game on the back of a win. The Bavarians beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1, while Los Blancos picked up a vital 1-0 victory away to Real Sociedad to keep their La Liga title push on track, which they very nearly successfully completed.

The Allianz Arena will be bouncing on Tuesday night as Bayern and Los Blancos come to blows…it’s not a tie to miss! 

 

Talking Points

Kane’s last chance for a winning start in Munich

Bayern have handed over the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen, and they went out of the DFB Pokal early in the competition, so the Champions League presents the Bavarians only hope of silverware this season; and that is particularly poignant for star striker Harry Kane.

The England man has had an incredible personal season with the Bavarians, scoring 35 league goals and making eight assists in 31 games.

He’ll win the Bundesliga Golden Boot but his team has missed out in the league and DFB Pokal. And while most of his teammates are well decorated, Kane has yet to win a tournament, having spent his entire career at Tottenham Hotspur.

He scored both goals in Bayern’s win over Frankfurt on Sunday, and that made it an incredible 400 goals in a glittering career.

All Kane needs now is to win something.

Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel is under serious pressure to deliver a trophy, and he needs his star striker to bring it home. But he has a long list of injuries to contend with and is sweating on the fitness of some key men.

Jamal Musiala missed the Frankfurt game with a tendon strain, while Serge Gnabry, Dayot Upamecano, and Leroy Sane will all face last fitness tests. 

 

Real Madrid are now the favourites

Of all the Champions League 2024 results so far, the one that sent the biggest shockwaves through the competition has to be Real Madrid’s defeat of the 2023 champions, Manchester City.

 After Los Blancos’ battled to a 3-3 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu, they were serious underdogs when they headed to Manchester. But Carlo Ancelotti’s team showed they can play more than one way, and against the most dangerous attacking side in football, they defended superbly, and Rodrygo’s goal was enough to take them to a penalty shootout. 

Keeper Andriy Lunin did the business and the Sky Blues were sent packing.

Since then, Los Blancos have picked up six points in La Liga, as Jude Bellingham scored another late winner in El Clasico as Ancelotti’s men came through by the odd goal in three against Barcelona.

Then they reverted to the new look defensive unit as they absorbed a lot of pressure in the Basque before teenager Arda Guler gave Real Madrid a priceless 1-0 win.

Ancelotti doesn’t have the injury problems of his opposite number, and he expects to have both Bellingham and Rodrygo available after they both suffered bouts of illness. 

 

History

Real Madrid are the undisputed Kings of Europe with 14 Champions League titles, last winning in 2022 while Bayern are the joint third most decorated club with six European crowns, the last in 2020. 

Bayern have had a difficult campaign, but they have hit a decent run of form, as their quarterfinal win over Arsenal was the second in a four-match run of victories, also beating Cologne, Union Berlin, and Eintracht Frankfurt in the league.

And Bayern are unbeaten at home in 15 matches.

But Los Blancos’ form is arguably better.

Ancelotti’s men are on an 18-match unbeaten run, winning seven of the last eight in all competitions, and they are unbeaten in ten Champions League matches. 

 

Betting Tip

With Bayern Munich at SBOTOP odds of 2.25 and Real Madrid at 2.62 this promises to be a classic European clash and a really tough leg to call.

Ancelotti will task his team to defend, as well as they did against Manchester City, under the threat of Kane, while Los Blancos are sure to be more ambitious than they were in Manchester; and I’m backing them to take a first leg advantage back to Madrid.

   

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