Real Madrid v Bayern Munich Betting Odds & Preview – 25.04.12

Champions League semi final second leg nicely poised

Kaka - Benzema - Özil (Real)
Kaka - Benzema - Özil (Real) © GEPA pictures

Real Madrid v Bayern Munich betting is so nicely poised ahead of the second leg, with the Germans holding on to a 2-1 advantage. Of course, they did concede an away, which may come back to haunt them, but they are in a position where they can attack Madrid with the reward of away goals on Wednesday night. A draw would be enough to see Bayern through and they are more than capable of catching Real Madrid out on the break. However, if the game ends up in a 0-0 stalemate, then there will be some betting insurance paid out by highly popular online bookmaker Bet365. The bookie offers its 0-0 Bore Draw Money Back special for all football matches which are listed on their site, and it is coverage which is well worth taking advantage of.

If Real Madrid v Bayern Munich Champions League semi final betting ends in a 0-0 draw on Wednesday night, then bet365 will pay out lost stake refunds on any Correct Score, Scorecast or Half Time/Full Time bets placed pre-match. This provides a nice bit of coverage for your betting, and in the Correct Score Market, a Real Madrid 2-1 win (which would send the game to extra time) is trading at 7/1 as the favourite option. A 1-1 draw, which would see the Germans through, is trading at a8/1 with the bookmaker. Over in the popular Half Time/Full Time market for Real Madrid v Bayern Munich betting odds, a Draw/Real Madrid option is trading at 10/3. So plenty of value around, all covered by the Bet365 Money Back Special.

Real Madrid v Bayern Munich Betting Odds
Real Madrid to win: 4/7 at Bet365
Draw: 16/5 at SkyBet
Bayern Munich to win: 5/1 at BetFred

Online bookmaker Bet365 offer a free £200 bet for new customers registering an account with them. The bookie will match the value of your first deposit on a new account with a 100% matched bonus. This means that if you open your newBet365 account with a £200 deposit, then Bet365 will match that maximum value with a £200 free bet. A tremendous way to get started with the highly rated bookie.

The set-up is simple here, either Bayern Munich hold out for a draw or a win in order to progress through to the Champions League final comfortably. There is the possibility of Bayern losing and still progressing, but they can’t lose by more than a one goal margin, and they can’t lose to nil. A 1-0 win for Real Madrid would take the Spaniards through on the away goal rule, and so Bayern need a draw at minimum. However, the Germans are good enough and how important will that 90th winner in Munich from Mario Gomez prove to be? Bayern won’t have happy memories of the Bernabeu, as this is the venue at which they lost the 2010 Champions League final against Inter Milan. The Inter Milan boss then? Jose Mourinho of course. So Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who has a very powerful side at his disposal have a very tough trip on their hands because of Real Madrid’s home form. But these are two European giants with 13 European Cups between them, but Madrid are going for a record 10th title this season. Out of 46 times that Bayern Munich have held a lead after the first leg of a knock-out tie in UEFA competition, they have moved through on all but 8 occasions.

Bayern Munich actually hold the lead in the head to head record against Real Madrid, with eleven wins against Madrid’s six out of 19 previous meetings, and Bayern Munich have prevailed on three of the four previous occasions when they have met in the European Cup semi final. So there is history here to suggest that Bayern can pull this off, and with the Champions League final being held on their home turf, there is great incentive. The last time in fact that they came up against other in a two-legged knock-out (back in the 2006/07 Champions League) Bayern Munich prevailed then after losing 3-2 at the Bernabeu before claiming a 2-1 win at home. Will history repeat itself again in the scoreline? A 3-2 win for Real Madrid again is out at 20/1 with Bet365 in the Correct Score market, which is covered by the Bet365 promotion. Bayern haven’t been producing in Spain lately though, with their win at Villareal in this year’s group stage, their first victory in the country since 2001. Bayern Munich hold a W5 D4 L9 in Spain. They won’t have been buoyed by seeing Jose Mourinho’s Madrid beat Barcelona in La Liga on the weekend though.

Real Madrid secured a crucial 2-1 win away at Barcelona on Saturday, which should see them take the title. Cristiano Ronaldo netted the winner, which should put Jose Mourinho’s men on cloud nine and fully confident of taking their place in the Champions League final. Madrid have been flying this season and they have won ten of their last eleven matches in the Champions League now, and in their five home fixtures this season alone they have netted 22 goals. Pretty impressive stuff, and the case for Real Madrid grows because they have a tremendous record at home against German side. Madrid went to Munich last week with a terrible away history against Bundesliga clubs, and while that continued with the 2-1 defeat, they can look at their W17 D3 L2 home record against German sides and be eyeing up a spot back in Munich where the Champions League final is being held.

This the record 23rd European Cup semi final appearance for Real Madrid, and they have a W12 L10 record at this stage. Incidentally, they have lost their last two semi final appearances in the Champions League, and have lost three of their last four (including one semi final defeat against Bayern Munich back in the 2000/01 season). Real Madrid though have been in this position before and 35 times in UEFA competitions they have lost the first leg, and they have still progressed on 22 of those occasions. In the seven times they have lost 2-1 away in the first leg, Madrid have progressed through on five of those occasions. Real Madrid have the unquestionable forward power with Cristiano Ronaldo, but not only that, he has great support from Higuain and Benzema who are weighing in heavily with tallies for the season. Starting a goal down probably won’t be phasing Jose Mourinho all that much, his side have the power to turn on the goals and Cristiano Ronaldo is 11/4 favourite at Bet365 to open the scoring, while Bayern’s lethal marksman Mario Gomez is at 6/1.