Champions League: Madrid vs Bayern - Preview, team news, key stats, line-ups & prediction

Real Madrid host Bayern Munich at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. This marks the 29th meeting between the two clubs, making it the most-played fixture in competition history.

Real Madrid remain Europe’s most successful club with a record 15 Champions League titles. Despite a mixed season, highlighted by the managerial change from Xabi Alonso to Álvaro Arbeloa, they are still in contention in both La Liga and the Champions League.

Their title hopes in La Liga suffered a setback following a 2-1 defeat to Mallorca, leaving Barcelona seven points clear at the top. This may shift Madrid’s focus to European glory, where they have been in fine form, beating Benfica 3-1 and thrashing Manchester City 5-1 in the round of 16.

Historically, Madrid have had a slight edge over Bayern, winning 13 of 28 encounters, losing 11, and drawing 4. They are unbeaten in the last nine meetings, and notably, they have won the Champions League each of the last four times they eliminated Bayern.

Bayern Munich arrive in outstanding form under Vincent Kompany, losing just two of 43 matches across all competitions this season. The Bavarians topped their group behind Arsenal and advanced past Atalanta with a 10-2 aggregate in the last 16.

In the Bundesliga, Bayern enjoy a nine-point lead, allowing squad rotation. Despite falling 2-0 against Freiburg last weekend, they staged a remarkable 3-2 comeback, extending their unbeaten run to 13 games. This resilience boosts their confidence heading into the first leg.

Real Madrid are dealing with injuries to Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo, while Ferland Mendy and Dani Ceballos remain doubts. Kylian Mbappé, the Champions League’s top scorer with 13 goals, is expected to lead the attack alongside Vinicius Junior.

Bayern Munich will miss Sven Ulreich, Cassiano Kiala, David Santos, and Wisdom Mike. Harry Kane is doubtful, with Nicolas Jackson likely to start. Luis Díaz, Serge Gnabry, and Michael Olise should support from behind.

• Total clashes: 28

• Real Madrid wins: 13

• Bayern Munich wins: 11

• Draws: 4

Real Madrid (4-4-2): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Pitarch, Guler; Mbappé, Vinicius Jr.

Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Stanisic, Upamecano, Tah, Laimer; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Gnabry, Diaz; Jackson

Both sides are strong, but Madrid’s historical dominance and recent form against Bayern give them a slight edge at home. Expect a tight, tactical encounter with Madrid aiming to secure a lead ahead of the second leg in Germany.

Prediction: Real Madrid 3 - 2 Bayern Munich