The Santiago Bernabéu decides tonight the last episode of the old Real Madrid-Bayern rivalry, the great Champions League classic, which today will experience its 28th match. After the 2-2 in the first leg in Munich, whoever wins today will go to the grand final on June 1 at Wembley. There have been twelve crosses between these two colossi so far. Real Madrid passed in seven of them and the Bavarian team in five. The last time Bayern achieved it was precisely at the Bernabéu in 2012 in a penalty shootout remembered because Sergio Ramos sent his shot well over the crossbar.
Despite this favorable balance, Madrid fans define Bayern Munich as “the German ogre”, in memory of the continuous and painful defeats of the 70s and 80s.
Not even with the draw in the first leg does Madrid have it all, as Carlo Ancelotti recalled yesterday. “Bayern were much better than us in Munich. We need more intensity,” stated the Italian coach. However, the whites arrive at the game in an optimal emotional state. On Saturday they won the League, they have recovered their entire squad except for David Alaba, they do not have any suspensions (Dani Carvajal could not play in the first leg) and when they play at home in the Champions League the Bernabéu has revealed itself as a decisive factor in the last time.
Also weighing in Madrid’s favor is the team’s mental toughness, its ability to resist defeat. It wasn’t just in Munich that he played worse than Bayern. In the two direct knockouts this season (Leizig in the round of 16 and Manchester City in the quarterfinals) Ancelotti’s team was subjected in the game (especially at the Bernabéu against the Germans and in England against City) but in both cases Madrid knew how to suffer and managed to win the tie. Madrid has been in twelve of the last fourteen Champions League semi-finals and since 2014 has won five Orejonas.
Given the strength of Madrid, this year’s Bayern has not measured up. They have not won any competition in Germany and their coach, Thomas Tuchel, is no longer there, but they are a team that grows in the Champions League. In its favor it has the desire to save the season with this last bullet and above all with a psychological factor. They are one of the few teams that see Madrid as equals. The worst Bayern always has ten or fifteen minutes in which they can score three goals. In the first leg they scored two against Madrid in five minutes. And they have Harry Kane, the most proven scorer in Europe. A footballer who has never won anything and already has 44 goals, future Golden Boot.
In his press conference Tuchel said that Madrid had a 51% chance. And he was not pessimistic: “It takes conviction and precision but we can pass.”
