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The Royal Never Dies... 5 secrets behind Madrid’s belief they can knock Bayern Munich out

Another European night at the Bernabéu

Real Madrid are gearing up for a heavyweight clash against Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Santiago Bernabéu, in one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures on the Old Continent.

Although the Bavarian side go into the match in high spirits following their strong results at home and in Europe, history and reality confirm that Real Madrid defy logic when it comes to the Champions League.

It is a club that always rises to the occasion when everyone thinks it is finished, turning the impossible into reality.

The history of encounters between the two sides reinforces this feeling; they have met 27 times in the European competition, with Real Madrid winning 12 matches compared to 11 victories for Bayern, and four draws, making this clash one of the most evenly matched and exciting in the tournament’s history.

Here are five reasons, according to the Spanish website Defensa Central, why Real Madrid fans believe their team is capable of reaching the European final once again:

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Al-Riyad's DNA in the Champions League
No team in the world has such a special bond with the Champions League as Real Madrid.
The competitive DNA of the Royal Club in this competition is unique, as the team is accustomed to performing at its best in Europe even in seasons when it struggles domestically.
From the 1950s to the present day, Real Madrid has proven that it does not need to be the best technically to be the winner; it is enough for them to stay in the game until they can deliver the knockout blow at the right moment.
In this competition, the very crest fights, and the players become warriors who know how to handle the pressure and how to rise from the rubble.

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The riyal is at its most dangerous when people think it is dead
Just when everyone thinks Real Madrid are finished, they actually begin to write new chapters in their history. Los Blancos are like a sleeping lion who, if provoked, strikes back with double the force.
Bayern Munich themselves tasted the bitterness of this two seasons ago, when they were minutes away from reaching the final, before Joselu turned the tables with two killer goals in the dying minutes.
The same thing happened against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City, where Real Madrid looked set to be knocked out, only to come back from nowhere to pull off a miracle. This ability to rise from the footballing dead is what sets Real Madrid apart from any other club in the world.
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Real Madrid possess an attacking arsenal capable of dismantling any defence in Europe. The duo of Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior embody speed, skill and unrivalled clinical finishing, and with players such as Fede Valverde and Bellingham behind them, the team is capable of turning any result on its head in an instant.
In the Champions League, logic does not always prevail, and Real Madrid have repeatedly shown that a single moment can make all the difference.
Valverde himself, who had never scored a hat-trick in his career, did just that against Manchester City in the previous round, proving that anything is possible when the players don the white shirt on European nights.

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He knows how to suffer to win
Adversity is part of Real Madrid’s European identity. The team does not shy away from pressure; rather, it thrives on it.
In their last two European titles (2022 and 2024), Los Blancos overcame situations that seemed impossible, but they held on until the end and emerged victorious.
The players know how to endure and how to wait for the right moment to strike. In the Champions League, the ability to endure is worth its weight in gold, and Real Madrid has been the master of this art for decades.
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Bayern Munich gives players opportunities
Despite Bayern Munich’s attacking prowess, the German side leaves large spaces behind their high defensive line, something Real Madrid could exploit cleverly. Bayern’s high-pressing style gives players like Vinícius and Mbappé the chance to break into open spaces, an ideal scenario for a team that relies on pace and quick transitions.
Manager Álvaro Arbeloa is well aware of this and may devise a plan to absorb the pressure before hitting the Germans on the counter, as he did against Manchester City in the previous round.
Ultimately, Real Madrid don’t need miracles; they just need to be themselves.
They are the kings of Europe, the team that never dies, and who always rise when everyone thinks they are finished.
And if Bayern Munich believe the job is done, history tells us that the most dangerous version of Real Madrid is the one everyone thinks is finished.