9 Players Could Miss Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich Champions League Clash
- Up to nine players could be unavailable for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich
- The Spanish giants, record winners of the competition, have not been beaten in their last nine meetings with the Bavarians
- The last time both sides crossed paths, Vinicius Junior stole the spotlight across two legs, inspiring Los Blancos to the 2024 final
Real Madrid hosts Bayern Munich at the Bernabéu as one of European football’s fiercest rivalries takes centre stage once again on April 7.
This will be the 29th meeting between Madrid and Bayern, the most-played fixture in Champions League history, and it arrives with both sides carrying serious momentum.
Source: Getty Images
Real Madrid vs Bayern: Match preview
Los Blancos come into the clash with the psychological edge. According to UEFA, they have progressed from each of the last four two-legged ties against Bayern and are unbeaten in their last nine meetings in Europe, winning seven of those games.
Their dismantling of Manchester City in the round of 16 has only strengthened belief inside the Bernabéu.
History leans heavily in Madrid’s favour, especially at this stage. They have won all three previous quarter-final ties between the clubs in the Champions League. For a side built on big nights, that record matters.
But Bayern arrive with numbers that demand respect. PSG are the only team to have scored more goals in this season’s competition, and they have played two extra matches.
The Bundesliga leaders have racked up 32 goals and nine wins from 10 games, underlining their attacking threat.
Vincent Kompany’s men have also been remarkably consistent across all competitions, losing just twice in 43 matches.
Their last defeat came back in January against Augsburg. When they hit their stride, they are relentless, as shown by their 10 goals across two legs against Atalanta in the round of 16.
Recap of last meeting
The last meeting between these sides still lingers. In the 2024 semi-final, Madrid once again found a way.
After a 2-2 draw in Germany, Bayern stunned the Bernabéu when Alphonso Davies struck just after the hour mark in the return leg.
Below is a video of the epic game, as shared on YouTube:
But as so often happens on this stage, Madrid responded late. Joselu came off the bench to equalise, then struck again moments later to complete a dramatic turnaround.
That win carried Madrid into the final, where they defeated Borussia Dortmund to secure their 15th Champions League title.
Source: Getty Images
9 players could miss Madrid vs Bayern
Both teams, however, head into the game with selection headaches.
Madrid will be without Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo de Goes due to long-term injuries. There are also concerns over Ferland Mendy and Dani Ceballos, who remain doubtful.
Bayern have confirmed the absence of Sven Ulreich, Cassiano Kiala, David Santos and Wisdom Mike. The major concern surrounds Harry Kane.
Kompany offered a cautious update, saying:
"He is here with us and very important to Bayern. We will train again, and then we will see what happens on the matchday."
Possible line-ups
Real Madrid: Lunin; Éder Militão, Huijsen, Rüdiger, Fran García; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Pitarch; Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior
Bayern Munich: Manuel Neuer; Stanišić, Upamecano, Tah, Laimer; Kimmich, Pavlović; Luis Díaz, Gnabry, Olise; Kane
Madrid vs Bayern: Mysterious cat predicts winner
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a mysterious cat, Nimbus Pronos, added intrigue to the clash between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The internet-famous feline made its prediction just hours before kickoff.
Source: YEN.com.gh
