Bayern Munich take on Real Madrid at home in frankly what is the flagship fixture of the Champions League quarterfinals. The leaders of the La Liga take on the undisputed leaders of the Bundesliga with the winners the favourites to lift the tournament going into the next round.
Bayern Munich have been in excellent form domestically and in Europe, warming up to the task of facing Real Madrid with a 4-1 win against their closest rivals in Germany, Borussia Dortmund. At their best, they are scary and can thump any team (ask Arsenal fans), and Zinedine Zidane’s men despite their form need to be wary of their opponents.
Also, Read : Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid Live
So here are five things they need to do during the first leg to take back a favourable result to the Bernabeu.
#1 Score an away goal at the Allianz Arena
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are probably more similar, more than fans of both clubs would like to admit. The most successful domestically check, most European titles in their country check, irresistible going forward check, suspect at the back, umm check.
With the away goal rule and the form Bavarians are in, it is not difficult to see them score against Real Madrid, even at the Santiago Bernabeu. Hence, the away goal rule will be a factor, and Real Madrid need to get at the least one to take back home.
#2 Keep the back door shut
Admittedly, Real Madrid have missed important players at the back this season. With Pepe and Raphael Varane’s injury return over the horizon, the defensive woes, at least on paper look destined to continue.
Keylor Navas has been poor and is not the most confident with David de Gea breathing down his neck from Manchester. Sergio Ramos, although has scored a lot of important hasn’t been at his best defensively (which is obviously his day job). Nacho has probably been their best central defender this season, and that tells its own story.
Bayern Munich have a lot of firepower up front, with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben, Thiago and Franck Ribery all in top form it will be very important for the whole team to defend as a unit and keep the Germans out.
#3 Provide Toni Kroos with the space to dictate the tempo of the game
“I really like Toni Kroos. When I neared the end of my career, I followed him closely and tried to play like Kroos," Paul Scholes told kicker. "I was a midfielder with an eye for the goal, but Kroos is one of the best midfield masterminds in the world.
When someone like a Paul Scholes, after achieving the things he did in his career says that about you, you seriously must be good. The German is perfect for big games, never flustered and brilliant on the ball.
But with the three in midfield, and Casimiro in midfield, the German tends to move towards the left back, which leaves only one side for him to pass the ball. Zinedine Zidane needs to make sure that his number 8 gets on the ball as centrally as possible, so as to dictate the tempo of the game.
Plus, he will have a point to prove on his return to the Allianz.
#4 Stop Arjen Robben from cutting inside
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times”, said Bruce Lee, and probably he was referring to Arjen Robben.
It is amazing how Arjen Robben, despite showing all his cards, has been successful for so long. At every opportunity, he cuts back, goes past a defender and shoots in the corner, and still, defenders have somehow not figured out how to stop him.
On Wednesday he will try the same thing, and it is up to Marcelo to show the winger down the line and not onto his stronger left foot. Do that, and almost one-fourth of the job against Bayern Munich is done (over two legs, get it?).
#5 Start Gareth Bale from the bench
Okay, okay, just hear me out. Gareth Bale has been far from his best since his return from injury, he has 9 goals and 3 assists from 24 appearances this season. In the UEFA Champions League, he has just 2 goals and one assist from 437 minutes of football, and that sums up the kind of season the Welshman has been having.
With Cristiano Ronaldo on the other side unlikely to defend and cover, Real would be well advised to play with a four-man midfield to counter the threat posed by Philip Lahm and David Alaba as attacking fullbacks. A job, perfect for someone like a Lucas Vasquez.
What that will do is, give Zidane a great option off the bench, and with tiring legs, the Welshman can be lethal. Also, it sends a message to the rest of the squad.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid
