How many Champions League semi-finals has Bayern played in, and how many did they reach the final?
Ahead of another showdown with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich’s long history in Europe’s final four offers a reminder of its staying power.
Bayern Munich is one of the most decorated clubs in Champions League history, trailing only Real Madrid (15) and AC Milan (7). Its six titles put it level with Liverpool, proof of just how often the German giant reaches the latter stages of the competition. Now, in 2026, it will face Real Madrid once again in a bid to book a place in the semifinals. But how many semifinals has Bayern reached, and what is its overall record?
So far, Bayern has played in 21 Champions League semifinals and has won more of them than it has lost. In 11 of those ties, it went on to reach the final, while in the other 10, its opponent advanced instead. It is now chasing a 22nd appearance in the round before the final. Here is its record:
To date, Bayern Munich has played in 21 Champions League semi-finals and has won more times than it has lost. In eleven of those matches, it has reached the final, and in the remaining nine, it has been the opponent. Now, it seeks to reach the semi-final stage for the twenty-second time. This is its record:
| Season | Semifinal | Result | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-74 | Újpest-Bayern | 1-1; 1-3 (1-4) | Bayern Munich |
| 1974-75 | Saint Étienne-Bayern | 0-0; 0-2 (0-2) | Bayern Munich |
| 1975-76 | Real Madrid-Bayern | 1-1; 0-2 (1-3) | Bayern Munich |
| 1980-81 | Liverpool-Bayern | 0-0; 1-1 (1-1) | Liverpool |
| 1981-82 | CSKA Sofia-Bayern | 4-3; 0-4 (4-7) | Bayern Munich |
| 1986-87 | Bayern-Real Madrid | 4-1; 0-1 (4-2) | Bayern Munich |
| 1989-90 | Milan-Bayern | 1-0; 1-2 (2-2) | Milan |
| 1990-91 | Bayern-Red Star | 1-2; 2-2 (3-4) | Red Star |
| 1994-95 | Bayern-Ajax | 0-0; 2-5 (2-5) | Ajax |
| 1998-99 | Dynamo Kyiv-Bayern Munich | 3-3; 0-1 (3-4) | Bayern Munich |
| 1999-00 | Real Madrid-Bayern | 2-0; 1-2 (3-2) | Real Madrid |
| 2000-01 | Real Madrid-Bayern | 0-1; 1-2 (1-3) | Bayern Munich |
| 2009-10 | Bayern-Lyon | 1-0; 3-0 (4-0) | Bayern Munich |
| 2011-12 | Bayern-Real Madrid | 2-1; 1-2 (3-3) | Bayern Munich |
| 2012-13 | Bayern-Barcelona | 4-0; 3-0 (7-0) | Bayern Munich |
| 2013-14 | Real Madrid-Bayern | 1-0; 4-0 (5-0) | Real Madrid |
| 2014-15 | Barcelona-Bayern | 3-0; 2-3 (5-3) | Barcelona |
| 2015-16 | Atlético Madrid-Bayern | 1-0; 1-2 (2-2) | Atlético de Madrid |
| 2017-18 | Bayern-Real Madrid | 1-2; 2-2 (3-4) | Real Madrid |
| 2019-20 | Lyon-Bayern | 0-3 | Bayern Munich |
| 2023-24 | Bayern-Real Madrid | 2-2;2-1 | Real Madrid |
Of the 21 semifinals Bayern has played, eight have come against Real Madrid.The split is perfectly even: Bayern has won four and Madrid has won four.Even so, recent history suggests Madrid has gotten the better of the German side, eliminating Bayern in 2014, 2018 and 2024, including that late Joselu brace.
To find the last semifinal between the two in which Bayern came out on top, you have to go back to 2012, in the famous penalty shootout at the Bernabéu. All that remains now is to see which of these two European heavyweights can once again carve out a place in the tournament’s final four.
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