While it is certainly true that Manchester City vs Real Madrid has become the biggest rivalry in terms of the UEFA Champions League over the last number of seasons, Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid is a historic rivalry in European football that goes back decades.
As these two giants of the continental game are set to meet again in the quarter-finals of this season’s premier club competition, we take a look at what this matchup means for the Bavarians and what we can expect this time around.
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid: The History of the Matchup in Champions League/European Cup
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid is a match that has taken place 28 times in the history of Europe’s top club competition.
The first time it happened was in the semi-finals of the old European Cup in the 1975/76 season, while their most recent tie was in the same round of the 2023/24 edition of the Champions League.
Overall, Los Blancos were victorious on 13 occasions, there were four draws, and Die Roten triumphed 11 times. In terms of knocking out the Madrid giants, though, the Bavarians haven’t been able to do that since 2012.
That success occurred in a dramatic penalty kick-shootout in what was once again a semifinal tie between these teams.
Since then, there have been four occasions on which Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid took place in a Champions League knockout series.
Despite the fact that Real advanced all four times, the matchups themselves were usually quite close, except for the 2013/14 semi-final second leg, which Madrid won 4-0 away.
This was a result that the then Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola had long considered the worst defeat of his career.
Apart from that, the Spanish side advanced narrowly in the three other ties since 2012 as well, usually benefiting from some dubious refereeing decisions along the way.
Before that, particularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Los Blancos had a negative record in Germany, which is no longer the case.
A Season-Defining Clash
The Bavarians have played a fantastic season in all competitions so far this term. But if they get knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the fifth time in the last six seasons, it will greatly diminish how its success is viewed.
That is still the case even when we take into consideration what illustrious opposition they face in Real.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: A Thumping Barcelona Win Underlines Their Ability To Entertain
What They Said
The press asked players, coaches, and club officials of the Bavarians what they made of the Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid clash after their impressive 10-2 on aggregate demolition of Atalanta in the Round of 16 of the UCL.
Harry Kane: “We know it’s going to be tough, but with the confidence we’ve gained from this match and from the season so far, we simply have to carry on in exactly the same way.”
Vincent Kompany: “Which team is the better side at the moment isn’t really the most important factor. These clubs have such a rich history, and the quality on the pitch will be something truly special. With Real, it’s often the case that the higher the standard, the better they get. That’s why I’m expecting an absolutely top-class match.”
Club CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen: “Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid is an epic clash. Let’s see what happens. We’ve been knocked out in our last knockout ties against them, often in unfortunate circumstances. It’s about time things changed, and we made it to the semi-finals.”
Those statements truly express what the Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid clashes in April will mean; they make us look forward to the tie. Hopefully, until then, the Bayern injury list will shrink.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Sven Simon
Recording Date: 19.03.2026
