Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid Betting Pick | Champions League

Champions League

2012-04-17 - Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
Football: European Champions League Semi Final First Leg
Tuesday 17 April 2012 - Kick Off 7:45pm
This game is live on TV

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich all but conceded that they will not be winning the Bundesliga this season as they rested a number of players last weekend with this Champions League Semi Final in mind and subsequently fell 8 points behind Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table. With the Final of this competition taking place at this Stadium, there is added motivation for Bayern ahead of a classic Semi Final.

While they have struggled to find the consistency to wrestle the title away from Borussia Dortmund back home, Bayern Munich have been very good in Europe this season. The Bavarian giants have only been beaten twice in the competition all season, and came through the last Round with a comfortable 4-0 aggregate win over Marseille. Bayern have a 6-0-0 record at home in the Champions League, scoring 19 goals and only conceding 3.

The team had been unbeaten in 9 games in all competitions, winning 8 of those games, before losing 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund in a League game. They have failed to win, or score in, either of their last 2 games. Bayern failed to win here last weekend with a much changed side, but they had won 11 in a row at home in all competitions before that and they had scored at least 2 goals in each of those wins.

Franck Ribery and Mario Gomez will be restored to the starting line up after being left on the bench on Saturday.

Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho has already indicated that he has his team in mind for this game as he looks to help Real Madrid overturn a history against Bayern Munich that sees the Bavarians referred to as 'la bestia negra' in the Spanish capital. Mourinho is well aware that his side need to win at least one of La Liga or the Champions League if they are to reach the expectations of them this season.

Real Madrid do have control of the title back home, but this is a big 8 days coming up for them as they complete this Semi Final against Bayern Munich and also meet Barcelona at the Nou Camp between the two legs. The team have won all but one of their Champions League games so far this season as they look to reach the Final for the first time since 2002. Real are 4-1-0 away from home in the competition, scoring 10 goals and conceding 1.

They had to come from behind to beat Sporting Gijon at the weekend to maintain their lead over Barcelona at home and they have now won 6 of their last 7 games in all competitions. Real have also won 5 of their last 6 away games, including the last 3 in row while scoring 12 goals and conceding 2.

Ricardo Carvalho and Lassana Diarra are both absent, while Xabi Alonso returns having been suspended at the weekend.

Head to Head

This will be the first meeting between these two giants of European football since Bayern Munich knocked out Real Madrid in the last 16 of the 2007 Champions League.

Bayern Munich won here 2-1 during that tie and have now won 8 of their 9 home games against Real Madrid in European history.

Prediction

This is a great Semi Final to look forward to as two of the biggest names in the whole of Europe meet.

I have been looking forward to this match since the Quarter Final draw was made as I fully expected them meet at this stage and I had the thought that this match looks one that could be full of goals. I haven't changed my opinion at all since then.

There is a ton of attacking talent on display here, and neither defence is a strong point, so the game does scream goals. Bayern Munich will be fully aware that they want to go back to Madrid with a win in the bag and something to defend over there, while Real Madrid will be desperate for at least one away goal.

With those kind of things in mind, I would be surprised if both teams are not on the scoreboard and I can see at least one team winning, so the Overs at odds against is certainly the way I will be backing this game.

Historically, the fixture in Munich has produced goals, with 7 of the last 8 featuring at least 3 goals.

Who do I think will win? I am not sure with any conviction, but Bayern's home record against Real Madrid is impressive so I can understand why the prices are so close. However, I am sticking with the Overs.

The Statistics :

BAYERN_MUNCHEN LAST SIX HOME FORM
	DATE	RESULT		OPPOSITION
	2012-04-03	W	2-0	H v Marseille
	2012-03-13	W	7-0	H v Basel
	2011-11-22	W	3-1	H v Villarreal
	2011-11-02	W	3-2	H v Napoli
	2011-09-27	W	2-0	H v Man_City
	2011-08-17	W	2-0	H v Zurich

REAL_MADRID LAST SIX AWAY FORM
	DATE	RESULT		OPPOSITION
	2012-03-27	W	0-3	A v APOEL_Nicosia
	2012-01-21	D	1-1	A v CSKA_Moscow
	2011-12-07	W	0-3	A v Ajax
	2011-11-02	W	0-2	A v Lyon
	2011-09-14	W	0-1	A v Dinamo_Zagreb
	2011-05-04	D	1-1	A v Barcelona

HEAD TO HEAD BAYERN_MUNCHEN v REAL_MADRID
DATE	HOME	SCORE	AWAY
2007-03-07	Bayern_Munchen	2-1	Real_Madrid
2004-02-24	Bayern_Munchen	1-1	Real_Madrid
2002-04-02	Bayern_Munchen	2-1	Real_Madrid
2001-05-09	Bayern_Munchen	2-1	Real_Madrid
2000-05-09	Bayern_Munchen	2-1	Real_Madrid
2000-03-08	Bayern_Munchen	4-1	Real_Madrid