Champions League

Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid is more than a classic – it is a rivalry built on grudges, chaos and unforgettable flashpoints

Before the latest chapter at Allianz Arena, here is how Bayern Munich’s “villains” helped define one of soccer’s greatest feuds.

Agustín Martín Calum Roche

Update: Apr 14th, 2026 02:24 EDT

The Allianz Arena will stage another European showdown this Wednesday between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. The so-called European Clásico will bring the end of another knockout tie between two of the biggest clubs on the continent. On one side is Real Madrid, with 15 European Cup titles in its trophy case. On the other is Bayern Munich, with six, making it the third club to win three straight titles in the competition (1974-76), after Madrid itself (1956-60) and Ajax (1971-73).

The two have produced some of the battles that have defined this tournament since it was founded in 1955. The record could hardly be tighter: 13 wins for Madrid, 12 for Bayern and four draws from their 29 meetings so far. But this rivalry has been sustained above all by controversy before, during and after games, involving far too many protagonists – most of them German: plenty of “ogres,” in Madridista slang.

1976 – Maier, Roberto Martínez’s broken nose and the Madman of the Bernabéu

Curiously, the first official game between the two teams came in the 1976 European Cup. They had previously met in a friendly at San Mamés in August 1973, to celebrate Athletic Club’s 75th anniversary. The Germans crushed Madrid 5-1, with three goals from Gerd Müller. In that 1976 tie, Sepp Maier collided violently with Roberto Martínez and broke his nose. The German goalkeeper would also take center stage after the final whistle: a Madrid fan ran onto the field and attacked Austrian referee Erich Linemayr before being brought down by a kick from Maier himself. The reason was Linemayr’s failure to award a clear penalty on Santillana. Madrid was punished with two games away from its stadium. It was the beginning of Bayern’s legend for mental toughness and of the “black beast” aura German teams held over Real Madrid. In the return leg, the image everyone remembered was Amancio. “The Wizard” was sent off in his final European game.

Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid is more than a classic – it is a rivalry built on grudges, chaos and unforgettable flashpoints — 1976: Roberto Martínez scored, Maier leaves with broken nose.

1987 – Matthäus, a horrifying tackle and Juanito’s stomp

Almost a decade passed before the next major flashpoint. In a European Cup semifinal, a brutal tackle by Lothar Matthäus on Chendo prompted an angry reaction from Juanito, who stomped twice on the Bayern midfielder – once on the back and once on the head. The Málaga-born forward was sent off and banned for five years, which meant he would never play for Madrid in Europe again, and Los Blancos lost 4-1. In the return leg, after Juanito and Matthäus reconciled, Madrid still fell short, winning only by the narrowest margin. But the chaos flared again when Klaus Augenthaler was sent off after throwing a couple of punches at Hugo Sánchez, then left the field making horn gestures at the entire Santiago Bernabéu crowd.

2000 – Kahn earns his reputation

Oliver Kahn was the central figure in the clashes between Madrid and Bayern during the first decade of the 21st century. The goalkeeper never shied away from confrontation, especially when he came to the Santiago Bernabéu. In 2000, after losing the first leg, the German riled up Bayern supporters by saying: “Bayern can score five against any Spanish team. Madrid is going to notice, and it’s going to be surprised.” A headed goal by Nicolas Anelka shattered Bayern’s hopes of reaching the final.

Two years later, in 2002, FIFA was handing out its award to the year’s three best players, with Ronaldo winning ahead of Kahn and Zinedine Zidane. Because of a major traffic jam in Madrid, the Brazilian arrived almost an hour late, something that infuriated Kahn, who had been invited both to receive the award and play in Madrid’s centenary all-star game. After Ronaldo joked, “Next time I’ll take a helicopter so I can get here sooner,” Kahn refused to play in the game that was meant to crown Madrid’s celebration. On another occasion, he refused to swap jerseys with Iker Casillas in a friendly. Before another tie, he came out with this line: “At Madrid they film a lot of commercials, but they don’t play soccer.” He also enjoyed provoking opposing benches, as he did with Raúl.

But that 2000 tie had another major figure: Edmund Stoiber, minister-president of the German state of Bavaria and a member of Bayern’s board, a role he held until this past February. That same year, in criticizing Madrid’s financial state, he did not hesitate to take a shot: “Today there is an elite in Europe that includes teams like Bayern, Barcelona, Milan and Manchester United ... and Real Madrid is not in it. Our dream has come true. Theirs is piling up debts in the hundreds of millions.” It went down badly with Lorenzo Sanz, who made sure Bayern’s board heard about it.

2002 – Pizarro and Salihamidžić turn up the heat

After meeting in the 2001 semifinals, the two sides faced off again the following year. This time the provocation came from Claudio Pizarro and Hasan Salihamidžić. The Peruvian said, word for word: “We’re going to score five against those clowns.” The next day he was forced to apologize: “I said it jokingly on the team bus. I did not mean to offend anyone with those comments.”

His teammate Salihamidžić also got carried away before the second leg, saying on television: “They’re not from another world. In the first half they controlled things, but they just kept doing little backheels and they weren’t really imposing. In the second half we showed that if you press them, they crap their pants.” The truth is, they said it ... and then they were knocked out.

2007 – Van Bommel’s obscene gestures

Four years later came another meeting, this time in the round of 16. The tie went Bayern’s way, but not before an ugly moment. Madrid was leading 3-1 when, late on, Mark van Bommel unleashed a shot to make it 3-2. The Dutchman, a former Barcelona player, celebrated by making obscene arm gestures toward the section of Madrid fans. UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against him, and the entire Madrid fan base responded with disgust.

2012 – A cursed penalty shootout and revenge two years later

In 2012 there was another tie – and another Bayern advance. This one came through a cursed penalty shootout. After both games ended with the same scoreline – 2-1 to Bayern in Munich, then 2-1 to Madrid in Spain – the shootout decided who would reach the final. Three key Madrid players missed: Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká and Sergio Ramos. Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer could not resist mocking the attempts: “I had studied Cristiano and Kaká, but I didn’t know Ramos liked to shoot so high.” Ramos’s kick flew well over the bar, and Madrid went out.

Two years later, in 2014, revenge arrived after an ill-judged remark from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Having lost the first leg only 1-0, Bayern’s then-chief executive burst out: “In Munich even the trees are going to burn. We have one quality in our house: it feels like hell. We must give them a hot bath.” And there was indeed a bath – but it was Madrid that delivered it. Carlo Ancelotti’s side won 4-0, with goals from Sergio Ramos – who scored twice – and Cristiano Ronaldo, who got the other two.

That was the turning point. The knockout ties that followed have shown how Bayern’s members have softened their tone each time they have faced Madrid in the Champions League. Bayern no longer has individual “ogres” – now the danger lies in the collective.