Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid: Lineups, team news, fitness updates on De Ligt, Musiala, Sané, and more!

In the history of the UEFA Champions League (and the old European Cup), no single matchup has taken place more often than Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid. Unlike the semi-final in the other bracket, both these teams have won the UCL numerous times and have a long history of duking it out at this level.

In terms of pedigree, it doesn’t get better than this.

Still, the size of the occasion doesn’t matter if you’re not in it to win it. Thomas Tuchel has no choice but to focus on this game since every other potential trophy is now out of reach. Can he outfox Carlo Ancelotti like he did Mikel Arteta and Maurizio Sarri, or will the road to Wembley be cut short? It all starts with the lineup.

Team news

According to media reports, Matthijs de Ligt missed team training while Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, and Konrad Laimer all took part. The loss of the Dutchman is a huge blow to Bayern, given that he had formed an incredible partnership with Eric Dier in the middle of the pitch. Somehow, Tuchel will have to adjust.

The starting XI will surely have Harry Kane at the top, with a potential trio of Raphaël Guerreiro, Jamal Musiala, and Leroy Sané behind them. Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry will probably be reduced to bench roles for this one. Then again, Tuchel predicted that Gnabry will score on Tuesday, so maybe he’s planning to have Serge in the XI. It’s all up in the air at the moment — don’t rule out a surprise inclusion.

The midfield will probably consist of Konrad Laimer and Leon Goretzka, just like it was in the Arsenal game. Bayern Munich are clearly outmatched in the middle of the park, where Madrid boast the likes of Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni, our good friend Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and so many others. Goretzka and Laimer, therefore, will have to work hard to minimize the gap — in the UCL, the midfield battle decides the outcome of the game.

In defense, Madrid prospect Alphonso Davies is almost certainly going to be benched in favor of Noussair Mazraoui, with the Moroccan showing exemplary performances at left-back recently. Kim Min-jae likely slots in for the injured De Ligt, while Eric Dier continues his streak at the center of Bayern’s backline. With Joshua Kimmich at right-back tasked with marking Vinicius Jr, the whole defense will have its work cut out on Tuesday.

If all else fails, there’s Manuel Neuer in goal. Here’s what the starting XI could look like:

Looking for a more in-depth preview of the game? Check out our preview podcast! Listen to it below or on Spotify!

As always, we appreciate all the support!