The penultimate match of the 2023-24 Champions League stands on a knife edge after events in Germany last week, Real Madrid welcoming Bayern Munich to the Santiago Bernabeu following a 2-2 draw in the first leg. A high-octane match leaves the Spanish giants as favorites in Madrid, where they have won six and drawn one of their last seven meetings with Bayern. The winners will face Dortmund in the final on June 1.
While Carlo Ancelotti’s side warmed up for this second leg by celebrating Spanish title number 35, secured for them when Barcelona lost at Girona, preparations have been more difficult for Bayern Munich, beaten 3-1 by Stuttgart at the weekend. If they follow their seventh loss of 2024 with an eighth then it will be the first trophyless season since 2012 for the Bavarians. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
Viewing information
- Date: Wednesday, May 8 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Santiago Bernabeu — Madrid
- TV: CBS | Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Real Madrid -110; Draw +275; Bayern Munich +275
What happened in the first leg
Bayern Munich started much brighter at the Allianz Arena but, in a fashion that would be drearily familiar to their supporters this season, a clumsy error at the back allowed Vinicius Junior to net with Madrid’s first touch in the opposition penalty area. Thomas Tuchel’s side built pressure as the contest wore on and looked the dominant side early in the second half. Leroy Sane’s rocket brought them level before Jamal Musiala drew a foul from Lucas Vazquez, Harry Kane putting the hosts ahead from the penalty spot.
Madrid would not be beaten, however, and Min-jae Kim capped off a disastrous night by hauling down Rodrygo. Vinicius drew the visitors level from the spot in the 83rd minute and neither side looked like changing the equation on the night from there on out.
How they got here
Real Madrid: Bar a brief late flurry of pressure from RB Leipzig in the first leg, Madrid were not particularly put off their stride early in the competition as they convincingly topped their group with six wins from six. Having negotiated German opposition in the round of 16 last year’s conquerors Manchester City lay in wait in the quarters. Their 3-3 draw in the Bernabeu may have been the tie of the round, Federico Valverde’s 79th-minute strike giving Madrid a crucial foothold in the Etihad Stadium. Rodrygo netted early for the visitors but wave after wave of City pressure resulted only in an equalizer from Kevin De Bruyne. Luka Modric might have missed his penalty but Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic missed theirs too, Madrid into the final four once more.
Bayern Munich: Tuchel’s men rarely looked like not getting top spot in Group A even if a fairly ordinary field of Galatasaray, Copenhagen and Manchester United gave them plenty of difficulties. That sort of heavy weather was carried through to a round of 16 tie where Lazio won the first leg — prompting Bayern to announce that Tuchel would be leaving at the end of the season — before Thomas Muller and Kane led an impressive fightback at the Allianz Arena. Perhaps Bayern’s best performances of the campaign so far came against Arsenal. Fighting back from an early deficit, the visitors drew 2-2 in London before Joshua Kimmich’s only goal capped off an impressive home win for the six-time champions.
Team news
Real Madrid: Thibaut Courtois’ return to the side that beat Cadiz 3-0 on Saturday was a welcome one although the Belgian might still have work to do to earn the starting spot off Andriy Lunin, who has deputized so ably this season. The return of their No.1 means David Alaba, out for the season and Euro 2024 with a knee injury, is the only senior absentee for Ancelotti, who may opt to drop Aurelien Tchouameni into defense after Nacho was withdrawn following only 65 minutes of the first leg. Dani Carvajal is also available after being suspended for the trip to Munich.
Possible Madrid XI: Lunin; Carvajal, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius
Bayern Munich: Does Tuchel trust Kim, who he criticized for his “greedy” defending in the first leg? Might he have to anyway? With Matthijs De Ligt having only returned to training two days ago the South Korean international may be thrust back into the side along with Eric Dier, the Tottenham loanee who has stunned so many by establishing himself as a key player. Further forward Raphael Guerreiro’s impressive display off the bench opens up the prospect of him potentially featuring in a capacity that might allow Jamal Musiala to feature more centrally. Equally, it could be that Serge Gnabry gets the start instead.
Possible Bayern XI: Neuer; Kimmich, Dier, De Ligt, Davies; Laimer, Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Gnabry; Kane
Prediction
There is something about these teams that makes you think they might just deliver an even bigger barn burner than leg one. Strap yourselves in for something very fun indeed. PICK: Real Madrid 3, Bayern Munich 3 (Bayern win on penalties)
Semifinals TV schedule
All times U.S./Eastern
