Real Madrid are bidding to book their place in their fifth Champions League final in the last nine years when they take on Bayern Munich in the semi-final of this season’s competition.
After success against Manchester City in the last eight, the Spanish giants are potentially 180 minutes away from the final in London. Here is a look at the keys to success against the Bundesliga club.
Absorb the Pressure at Times in Munich
Real did an excellent job of absorbing pressure against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the second leg of that fixture, and they will need to do the same in Germany. They are 7/4 in the Champions League odds to come away from the opening fixture with a victory. If they can frustrate the hosts in the early exchanges, they will have a great chance of prevailing.
In the Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid betting, the La Liga club are the 8/15 favourites to qualify for the final. Real have been in excellent form this season domestically and in Europe. They also have a head coach who is very experienced at this stage of the competition, so he will know how to set his team up for the challenge ahead.
Federico Valverde and Toni Kroos both had excellent games in the victory over Manchester City. Their role will be vital in midfield for Ancelotti, as they will need to be disciplined and patient in the heart of Real Madrid’s midfield.
Keep Harry Kane Quiet
The biggest threat in Bayern Munich’s attack is clearly Harry Kane. The England captain has scored over 40 goals already this season in what has been a sensational debut Bundesliga campaign.
Kane is one of the most clinical strikers in European football at the moment. He only needs half a chance to put the ball away. Carlo Ancelotti will be looking to keep him quiet across the two matches, and that may involve tight man-marking from Antonio Rudiger. The German knows the former Tottenham striker well, as they had many battles together in the Premier League when the defender was with Chelsea.
If Kane does not score in this semi-final fixture, there is a good chance Real will book their spot in the final to face PSG or Dortmund.
Bench Will Be Important
With such an intense fixture expected, Ancelotti is likely to call upon his bench to impact the game with 20 minutes to go in each fixture. Real Madrid are fortunate to have strength in depth, arguably more so than Bayern Munich.
Joselu Mato and Dani Ceballos are two players who may have an important role in the dying stages of the two games. They will have fresh legs and it will be their job to make an impact on the tie.
Ancelotti also has defensive options should he choose to try and hold on to a lead or draw in Germany.
The opening leg takes place at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, 30th April, while the return fixture is scheduled for Wednesday, 8th May at the Bernabeu.