Champions League: Can Real Madrid Turn It Around Against Bayern Munich?
Like Barcelona, Real Madrid enter the second leg a goal behind. Unlike Barcelona, Real scored an away goal in Munich. One goal does not force them to score three, though Real Madrid should try to do that anyway.
How Was Your Weekend: Real Madrid dumped Barcelona 2-1 at home and sealed their Primera Liga title. Bayern, locked into second-place in the Bundesliga, fielded a gutted starting XI away against Werder Bremen and pulled out a late 2-1 win.
Home/Away: Real Madrid can ship goals at home, but only because they open up play and score far more. Los Blancos are 5-0 in Europe at the Bernabeu and have outscored opponents 22-5 in those matches. Bayern have been okay on the road. They have a 2-2-1 record with a 5-4 margin in their favor. The Germans, it should be noted, played a tougher group.
Tactics: The first leg flipped what was expected. Bayern sat Thomas Muller and built play through a solid, deeper-lying three-man central midfield. Real Madrid kept Ozil in an advanced role instead of playing a third central midfielder. This backfired. Madrid got overrun in the middle. A better game from Mario Gomez and the disparity could have been greater. Both teams field the same formations today, except for Real Madrid left back Fabio Coentrao. The Portuguese got torched by Robben in the first leg. He’ll be replaced by Marcelo.
He’s Staying: Jose Mourinho has stated his intention to stay at Real Madrid through next season. Whether that’s an improvement in his relationship with the club or displeasure with his present options in England is uncertain.
Prediction: We had 3-2 Real Madrid on agg before the first leg. We suspect there might be more goals here. Same result. More excitement. 4-3 Real Madrid on aggregate.
[Photo via Getty]
Previously:Â Real Madrid Must Win the Champions League to Dislodge Barcelona

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41 Responses to “Champions League: Can Real Madrid Turn It Around Against Bayern Munich?”
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April 25th, 2012 at 2:35 PM
Feel like this is going to be a wide open attacking game.
/Won’t post stream cus someone was snitching last time
//Subsequently they now have stiches.
April 25th, 2012 at 2:36 PM
/Team CR7
April 25th, 2012 at 2:36 PM
What??
April 25th, 2012 at 2:48 PM
This place is full of vultures, vultures everywhere!
/Drunk all over again or still?
//Feel Free to speculate
///CLICK HERE FOR AN ILLEGAL STREAM OF UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GAME
////fuck the internet police
/////I give less fucks in real life inspector fat guy with annoying girlfriend whose into weird shit like dick clamps
April 25th, 2012 at 2:52 PM
That’s how the best player in the world strikes a penalty kick
April 25th, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Arjen Robben is not Cristiano Ronaldo. Not that anyone thought otherwise.
April 25th, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Shitty miss by a shitty guy.
April 25th, 2012 at 2:55 PM
I always play with Bayern on FIFA but video game Robben and Ribery are more effective than the real life versions. At least this season.
April 25th, 2012 at 2:59 PM
Damn, Madrid is killing it. CR7 marca otra vez.
April 25th, 2012 at 3:12 PM
SWEET CHRIST
April 25th, 2012 at 3:14 PM
3-3. Game On!
April 25th, 2012 at 3:17 PM
Pepe is a bumbling idiot.
April 25th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Teams are coming out at half with 10 Strikers.
April 25th, 2012 at 3:23 PM
My least favorite player in the sport. Pure asshole.
April 25th, 2012 at 3:24 PM
Ramos needs to get suspended if Real make it through to the final, will be one of the better things to happen to them.
April 25th, 2012 at 3:42 PM
Both these teams suck defensively. Even Chelsea having to play Luiz and Cahill with Mikel and Meireles holding will lock these teams down. Matteo provides excellent defensive tactics for CFC. /I hate Chelsea btw
April 25th, 2012 at 3:47 PM
Meireles is suspended for the final.
April 25th, 2012 at 3:52 PM
And Mikel sucks.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:03 PM
Why do you think Mikel sucks? I didn’t realize Meireles was suspended. Good gawd. Ivanovic, Meireles, Terry…Cahill and Luiz coming off injuries. I still think DiMatteo will have them prepared.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:07 PM
Ramires too. Their spine is going to be Mikel and Lampard in midfield. That’s not stopping anyone.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:10 PM
Solid work from the linesman there.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:12 PM
Might they dust off Essien? Mikel and Essien in front of the back four. Lamps right in front of them, Mata on the left, Kalou on the right. (Problem with Kalou is he doesn’t track back.) Drogba up top.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:16 PM
Madrid legs are getting heavy. Probably from El Clasico?
April 25th, 2012 at 4:18 PM
Ronaldo’s free kicks are either complete shit or absolute magic.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:24 PM
Essien is a shadow of himself, sadly. I think these two teams combine the dangerous passing that Barca has with actual strikers.
I don’t see them being able to shut down Alonso from opening the defense if Madrid gets through. Nor Bosingwa and Kalou stopping Ribery.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:27 PM
How the hell did Bayern not score there?
April 25th, 2012 at 4:35 PM
Looks like I’m staying late at work.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:49 PM
Me too.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:49 PM
Away goals counting in extra times is one of my least favorite things about the competition.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:51 PM
Agree 100%
April 25th, 2012 at 4:55 PM
Fuck me, this sucks bad. Please score in this 2nd half of ET Real, pleeeeeease. No penalty kicks.
April 25th, 2012 at 4:59 PM
I also hate the accumulation of yellow cards. You should be able to get cautioned every game and not have it affect whether or not you can play in the final.
April 25th, 2012 at 5:05 PM
never good to go to PKs vs a german team.
April 25th, 2012 at 5:13 PM
UGH, motherfucking double UGH!! God damn penalties…
April 25th, 2012 at 5:14 PM
Ronaldo to miss, Madrid to win anyway.
/2008′d
April 25th, 2012 at 5:17 PM
WOW Ronaldo is denied!
April 25th, 2012 at 5:18 PM
Neuer is the hero. Wow.
April 25th, 2012 at 5:19 PM
Of course, I may have spoken too soon, something I’m rather good at. Iker denies Kroos.
April 25th, 2012 at 5:20 PM
WTF was that, Lahm?
April 25th, 2012 at 5:23 PM
You just cannot miss the frame from 12 yards at this level.
April 25th, 2012 at 5:35 PM
There’s a study calculated that as shots are taken, probability of them going in go way down. And if you miss the first? You are taken out of the scenario psychologically. Tough break, Real.