Although Real Madrid defeated defending champions Man City on their way to the Champions League semi-finals, it was Bayern Munich who took control in the first leg.
With the score still at 2-2, Bayern players still have a chance to reach the final despite having to be away in Spain, but there are some clear reasons to believe why they can complete their mission service.
History is supporting Bayern
Bayern might not have their best season domestically, but they showed in the first leg why Los Blancos always fear them. Thomas Tuchel’s side dominated possession and shot count, and after Vinicius opened the scoring, it seemed everything would belong to Bayern.
Including this season, Madrid (17) and Bayern (13) are the two teams that have appeared most frequently in the Champions League semi-finals compared to any other team in the tournament’s history. No team outside of Spain has beaten Madrid more times than Bayern (12). In fact, Bayern has been a constant threat to clubs from Spain, with 35 wins, 16 draws, and 19 losses in 70 encounters.
The last time two Bundesliga teams reached the Champions League semi-finals was in 2013 with Bayern and Dortmund, and they both advanced to the final. Bayern then clinched victory at Wembley with a 2-1 win over Dortmund. Interestingly, Wembley is also the venue for this season’s final. History could repeat itself this year, as Dortmund currently leads PSG after a 1-0 victory in the first leg of the remaining semi-final.
Harry Kane and his teammates are confident in a good result at the Bernabeu
Desire of Kane and Tuchel
Harry Kane now has 44 goals in 44 matches for Bayern since joining the team last summer, including the equalizer in the 1-1 draw in the first leg against Real Madrid. More than ever, the England captain is determined to secure his first major title in his career after Bayern’s disappointments in domestic competitions.
Kane currently leads the Champions League Golden Boot race with 8 goals (tied with PSG’s Kylian Mbappe). Meanwhile, Real Madrid has lacked a reliable striker since Karim Benzema departed at the end of the previous season.
However, Kane isn’t the only one with a significant drive in this season’s Champions League. Thomas Tuchel will depart Bayern at the end of the season, and he will do everything in his power to claim the Champions League title before his departure.
Bayern players will be buoyed by Tuchel’s impeccable record of reaching the Champions League semi-finals. The German tactician guided his teams to the semi-finals in the 2019-20 season (PSG) and the 2020-21 season (Chelsea), both times advancing to the final. Notably, Tuchel led Chelsea to win the Champions League title in the 2020-21 season.
De Ligt’s return
Tuchel has been delighted to have up to 4 top-class options for the two central defensive positions, including Matthijs de Ligt, Eric Dier, Kim Min-jae, and Dayot Upamecano. However, in crucial European cup matches, he prefers the pairing of De Ligt and Dier above all.
This duo has helped Bayern secure two wins and a draw in 3 matches without conceding a single goal. However, De Ligt was absent in the first leg against Real Madrid due to injury, and his replacement, Kim Min-jae, struggled against Vinicius.
Recently, the Dutch center-back has been spotted training alongside Dayot Upamecano, Leon Goretzka, and Jamal Musiala. Absent from the match against Stuttgart last weekend, if De Ligt returns, it would be a significant boost for Bayern.