Champions League 2025-2026: Real Madrid-Bayern Munich, the likely lineups

At 9 p.m., Real Madrid, after eliminating Manchester City in the round of 16, faces a major new Champions League challenge. Bayern Munich arrives at the Santiago Bernabéu for the first leg of the quarterfinals of Europe’s top competition, a match that pits two of the leading candidates to lift the trophy against each other.

Both teams arrive at the appointment with opposing moods. Arbeloa’s Real, fresh from the knockout loss against Mallorca that extinguished their hopes of a comeback in La Liga, is throwing itself into its favorite competition to try to save the season, banking on the talents of Mbappé and Vinicius Jr. On the other side, Kompany’s Bayern is traveling on the wings of enthusiasm. First in the Bundesliga and capable of a crazy comeback in the last round against Freiburg thanks to its young talents, it is attempting to continue its path in the competition after last year’s disappointing journey. The match may say a lot in key semifinals ahead of the return in Munich next week.

Arbeloa confirms Lunin between the posts with Courtois not at his best, protected by the central pair Rüdiger-Huijsen. On the flanks act Alexander-Arnold and young Carreras. Tchouameni and emerging talent Thiago Pitarch are in charge, with Valverde and Arda Güler on the outsides. Up front, the pair of Mbappé and Vinicius Jr as offensive terminals.

Kompany arrives in Madrid with some doubts related to Kane’s condition. Neuer between the posts, with the defense led by Tah and Upamecano, with Stanisic and Laimer at full-back. In the middle of the field the maneuvering will be entrusted to Kimmich and Pavlovic, while in the three-quarter space will be given to the imagination of the trio formed by Olise, Gnabry and former Liverpool Luis Diaz, who will act as support for the forward Kane, if he is on the field from the first minute.

The likely lineups

REAL MADRID (4-4-2): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Pitarch, Tchouameni, Arda Guler; Mbappé, Vinicius. All. Arbeloa.

BAYERN MUNICH (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Stanisic, Upamecano, Tah, Laimer; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Olise, Gnabry, Luis Diaz; Kane. All. Kompany.