Real Madrid vs Bayern Champions League semi-final second leg preview: Where to watch, kick-off time, expected line-ups | UEFA Champions League

Real Madrid and Bayern meet in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg on Wednesday 8 May.

Where to watch Real Madrid vs Bayern on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.

What do you need to know?

Vinícius Júnior delivered a fierce reminder of Real Madrid’s potency in the Champions League in the first leg, his two finishes in a 2-2 draw leaving home coach Thomas Tuchel frustrated. “It feels strange,” he said in his post-match press conference. “They turned two chances into two goals.” He and his players were well aware that the first leg was a game Bayern could easily have won, but having proven that they can cause Madrid problems, they will be determined to do so again.

Confirmed as Spanish Liga winners for a 36th time on Saturday, Madrid have not lost a Champions League home game since going down 3-2 to Chelsea in the 2021/22 quarter-finals, but the 14-time European Champions have yet to win in in front of their own fans in this season’s knockout stage: they drew 1-1 with Leipzig in the round of 16 then 3-3 with Manchester City in the quarter-finals. Winning at the Bernabéu always looks like a tall order for any visitors, but a draw and then a shoot-out? Rule nothing out.

Predicted line-ups

Real Madrid: Lunine; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Tchouaméni, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga, Bellingham; Vinicius, Rodrygo
Suspended: None

Bayern: Neuer; Kimmich, De Ligt, Dier, Mazraoui; Goretzka, Laimer; Sané, Müller, Musiala; Buzzard
Suspended: None

Form guide

Real Madrid
Form (all competitions, most recent first): WDWWDW
Most recent result: Real Madrid 2-0 Cádiz, 04/05, Spanish La Liga

Bayern
Form (all competitions, most recent first): LDWWWW
Most recent result: Stuttgart 3-1 Bayern, 04/05, German Bundesliga

Expert predictions

Graham Hunter, Real Madrid reporter
Spain’s newly-crowned champions now have a huge Champions League test in which they can make this a truly extraordinary week. Dani Carvajal returns from suspension in what could be a key position given Bayern’s impressive wing-play last week. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois returned at the weekend having been out since August – is it too soon for him? Possibly, but the rest of Ancelotti’s XI will feel the time is just right. There’ll be a phenomenal atmosphere and unmissable elite football. Don’t miss this under any circumstances

James Thorogood, Bayern reporter
After shaping up for a first trophyless season since 2012, it would be “Typisch Bayern” (typical Bayern) to fashion a chance at Europe’s biggest prize. 90 minutes – or maybe more – away from that opportunity, all the talk in Munich is about a “classic 50-50”. It’s the first-leg performance, though, and not Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, that provides the source of confidence as the German record title holders travel to the Spanish capital.

What the coaches say

Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach: “I always have a lot of confidence because we are Real Madrid. I have the best squad; the team has done very well this season. Real Madrid and Bayern are very similar. We respect Bayern a lot. They were better than us in the first leg. We have to do our best. We have the chance to play another final. We know semi-finals are difficult but we are up for it.”

Thomas Tuchel, Bayern coach: “I think it could be a game that comes in waves, with different phases. Both teams will have to suffer at times. Both teams are extremely strong at keeping the ball and very strong in quick transition play. I think it will be a very complex game. In the phases where you have the momentum, you need luck and to be clinical.”