Real Madrid’s season hangs in the balance as the Spanish giants travel to Germany on Wednesday for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. local time (19:00 GMT) at the Allianz Arena.
Los Blancos trail 2-1 on aggregate following a difficult first leg in Madrid. Luis Diaz and Harry Kane secured the advantage for the German side, while Kylian Mbappé provided a vital away goal in the 74th minute to keep the tie within reach.
Interim head coach Alvaro Arbeloa faces a daunting challenge to keep the club's European dreams afloat. Real Madrid’s domestic campaign has effectively ended after a 1-1 draw against Girona left them well behind leaders Barcelona in the La Liga title race.
Injury doubts and team news
Mbappé, the leading scorer in this year’s Champions League with 14 goals, remains a slight doubt for the match after sustaining a facial injury in training. However, team sources indicate the French star is expected to be patched up for the high-stakes encounter.
On the opposing side, Bayern Munich arrives in peak form. The Bundesliga leaders dominated St Pauli in a 5-0 victory on Saturday, extending their lead at the top of the German table to 12 points. Managerial staff expect Harry Kane to return to the starting lineup after he was rested during the weekend league fixture.
Bayern’s injury list includes winger Lennart Karl and goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, while Serge Gnabry is managing a minor knee issue. Despite these absences, the German side remains a formidable opponent at home.
History favors the hosts. In 14 previous visits to Munich, Real Madrid has recorded only three victories. The two clubs share a storied history as the most-frequent opponents in the competition’s history, having met 28 times to date.
Real Madrid enters the match as 14-time champions, a record for the tournament. Bayern Munich, a six-time winner, last lifted the trophy in 2020. With the aggregate score currently favoring the Germans, Real Madrid must secure an outright win to force a result or advance, depending on the final scoreline. The match will be broadcast via live text commentary on Al Jazeera Sport starting at 16:00 GMT.
