Grab your jerseys. Grab your mufflers. Book your flight tickets and save your seats for the biggest month of football in the 2023/24 European football season because the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League is rounding up.
The nation of England will make history by hosting the last-ever final of the current format of the Champions League on the first day of June 2024. The iconic Wembley Stadium will come alive with sights, sounds and music as football fans prepare for a festival to crown the cyclical champions of European club football.
First, the semi-finals. Who is going to Wembley?
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid
Match Preview
After coming back to earn a 3 -3 aggregate draw over Bayern Munich, Real Madrid failed to make the final of the 2012 Champions League thanks to a penalty shootout
They then went on to win three titles in seven years after that unfortunate loss.
That’s right: Bayern Munich paid dearly for that semi-final victory in 2012. They suffered one quarter-final defeat and two semi-final defeats at Madrid’s hands, which made their 2012 final loss to Chelsea even more painful.
The moral of this story? Real Madrid has the upper hand, based on recent history.
Bayern’s current form leaves a lot to be desired in fact, but the clash remains a tricky one to predict.
Team news
Bayern Munich have six players out injured including key players Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman. Gnabry is expected to return in time for the Real Madrid clash, but he cannot get a full run in the game.
Madrid, meanwhile, only has the long-term injuries of David Alaba and Thibaut Courtois to deal with and will be boosted greatly by the return of Éder Miltão to on-field action. Dani Carvajal will be absent for the first leg due to suspension.
Predicted Lineups
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Kimmich, Dier, De Ligt, Mazraoui; Laimer, Goretzka; Sané, Musiala, Guerreiro; Kane
Real Madrid: Lunin; Carvajal, Nacho, Rüdiger, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior
Match ticket information
The first leg of the tie will kick off at 2100 CET on Tuesday, April 30 2024 at the Fußball Arena München, Munich (known as Allianz Arena for sponsorship purposes). Bayern Munich tickets for this game are sold out but they can be found on seatsnet.com under “Bayern vs Real Madrid tickets”.
The second leg of this clash kicks off at the same time on Wednesday, May 8 2024 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, in Madrid. Like the first leg, the tickets for this game are sold out on both clubs’ websites but can be found on seatsnet.com under “Real Madrid vs Bayern tickets”.
Seatsnet is one of many trusted ticket-selling platforms for fans.
Prediction
As both teams prepare for their eighth Champions League semi-final clash – five more than any pairing in the competition – fans will be wondering which teams have the upper hand.
Real Madrid have the upper hand against Bayern Munich in this tie with 12 wins to the Bavarians’ 11. However, the goal difference isn’t much, as Madrid scored 41 goals to Bayern’s 39.
Madrid are currently the better team of the two and have a lot more riding on this win. This means they have the upper hand in the tie and are better positioned to win the tie.
We predict that Bayern’s road ends here after a UCL run in which they were truly lucky.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund
Match Preview
Borussia Dortmund defied all odds to top a group that had Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan. Newcastle United, who completed that group, also presented themselves as a tough nut to crack.
Die Schwarzgelben could not beat PSG, however. In fact, out of their four meetings in the competition’s history, the French champions have two wins while they both shared the spoils in one game.
This shows fans what to expect from the upcoming semi-final clash between Luis Enrique and Edin Terzić come May 1 and 7 2024.
Dortmund have won the title once in their career, however, so that experience will count for something. In PSG’s case, they will have Enrique’s experience to count on.
Team news
Except for long-term absentees Presnel Kimpembe and Sergio Rico, PSG have no injuries or suspensions to worry about. They will have the full force of their squad for the first leg of their semi-final, at least.
Meanwhile, Dortmund have four injuries, two of which came after the first leg of their quarter-final tie against Atlético de Madrid. Having the option of Sebastian Haller off the bench or starting against PSG could have done the BVB a world of good.
Neither team has any suspensions ahead of the tie.
Predicted Lineups
Dortmund: Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Emre Can; Adeyemi, Brandt, Sancho; Füllkrug
PSG: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Hernández, Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, Ruiz; Dembélé, Mbappé, Barcola
Match ticket information
The first leg of the tie kicks off at 2100 CET on Wednesday, May 1 2024 at the BVB Stadion Dortmund, Dortmund (known as Signal Iduna Park for sponsorship purposes). The tickets for this game are sold out but they can be found on seatsnet.com under “Dortmund vs PSG tickets”.
The second leg of this clash kicks off at the same time on Wednesday, May 7 2024 at the Parc des Princes, Paris. Like the first leg, the tickets for this game are sold out on both clubs’ websites but can be found on seatsnet.com under “PSG vs Dortmund tickets”.
Seatsnet also offers fans the ability to choose their seating for the game.
Prediction
This season, PSG have been the most potent side (alongside Manchester City, who have been knocked out) in the knockout rounds. They have scored ten goals in four matches.
Dortmund, on the other hand, have focused on winning at home. They have done this impressively too, which sends a message to other teams that it will be difficult to penetrate them in front of their famed Yellow Wall.
We predict that both teams will win each leg of the tie at their home grounds to send the game to extra-time or a penalty shootout, where Dortmund will come out on top.
Luis Enrique’s team may have more superstars and big names, but Terzić has built the perfect machine for the Champions League.
