Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid Preview: Where to Watch, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News
Bayern Munich take on Real Madrid on Sunday in the International Champions Cup in Houston, Texas, with both sides looking to get off the mark in the tournament.
The match will showcase new signings for both sides, with Real boasting the arrivals of Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Rodrygo, and Ferland Mendy. Bayern will be hoping to give fans a glimpse of World Cup hero Benjamin Pavard.
Take a look at 90min's preview of the clash below.
Where to Watch
When Is Kick Off? | Sunday 21 July |
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What Time Is Kick Off? | 01:00 (BST) |
Where Is it Played? | NRG Stadium, Houston |
TV Channel/Live Stream? | ESPN |
Referee? | TBC |
Team News
The only player missing from the Munich squad is £72m signing Lucas Hernandez who is recovering from a knee operation back in Germany. Niko Kovac will be looking to give the club's young talents some invaluable first team experience.
As for Zinedine Zidane, he will be missing former Manchester City prospect Brahim Diaz due to a bicep injury. A summer with a heavy international schedule will also mean late returns from those involved in the Copa America, the Gold Cup, and the European Under-21 Championships.
Predicted Lineups
Bayern Munich | Neuer; Pavard, Alaba, Sule, Kimmich; Gnabry, Tolisso, Thiago, Coman, Singh; Lewandowski. |
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Real Madrid | Courtois; Varane, Vallejo, Odriozola, Mendy; Valverde, Modric, Kroos; Rodygo, Hazard, Jovic. |
Head to Head Record
Excluding friendlies, the two giants have met 26 times. Los Blancos have the edge over Die Bayern with 12 victories compared to the German's 11.
The most recent meeting between the two came in the 2017/18 Champions League semi-finals when it was Zidane's side who progressed, eventually going on to win the competition for the third season in a row.
In fact, Bayern haven't managed to beat the side from the Spanish capital since 2012, a record Kovac will want to put an end to.
Recent Form
There is no doubt that Bayern will be hoping to pick up where they left off in last season's incredibly strong run-in that saw the squad win the DFB Pokal and pip Borussia Dortmund to the Bundesliga title.
However, their performances in this summer's friendlies so far have been a mixed bag, losing to Arsenal in their International Champions Cup opener.
Sunday's match in Houston will be Real's first since they limped home with a 2-0 defeat to Real Betis at the Bernabeu on the last day of the 2018/19 La Liga season. They will be looking to put last year behind them and continue where Zidane left them two seasons ago.
Here's how each side has fared in their last five results:
Bayern Munich | Real Madrid |
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Arsenal 2-1 Bayern Munich (18/7) | Real Madrid 0-2 Real Betis (19/5) |
Lindau 2-4 Bayern Munich (29/5) | Real Sociedad 3-1 Real Madrid (12/5) |
Kaiserslautern 1-1 Bayern Munich (27/5) | Real Madrid 3-2 Villarreal (5/5) |
RB Leipzig 0-3 Bayern Munich (25/5) | Rayo Vallecano 1-0 Real Madrid (28/4) |
Bayern Munich 5-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (18/5) | Getafe 0-0 Real Madrid (25/4) |
Prediction
Both managers will be looking more at the performances rather than the result. However, there is no harm in winning matches in preparation for the new season.
Real Madrid have lots of work to do after last season's shambolic performances. They may also still be a little rough around the edges with much of the squad yet to play together.
Bayern Munich will perhaps be a little more prepared but not by much. Their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal shows the importance of having these games, highlighting any major problems before the start of the season.
The Germans should come out on top.