Sometimes dubbed the "European Clasico," the matchup between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the Champions League has delivered some of the most exciting games in UEFA club football history.
Dating back to their first-ever meeting in the 1976 semifinals, these two teams have repeatedly contested tight and tense affairs, giving fans plenty of thrills all along the way.
Superstar after superstar has etched their name into the history of this historic matchup, which has been contested regularly throughout the European Cup and Champions League.
With the two sides set to match up again in the 2025/26 quarterfinals, The Sporting News brings you a look at the all-time records between these historic European giants.
MORE: Real Madrid injury list ahead of Bayern Munich match, including update on Thibaut Courtois
Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich head-to-head
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have only ever matched up in the UEFA Champions League, where they have squared off 28 total times. As such, it is the most-played matchup between two particular clubs in UEFA's top competition.
Incredibly, they have never met in the Champions League final itself, and only once (two matches) in the group stage. Nearly all their meetings have come in the knockout stage proper, drawn together twice in the Round of 16 (four matches), three times in the quarterfinals (six matches), and an insane eight times in the semifinals (16 matches).
The all-time record is almost dead evenly split, with Real Madrid having won two more times than their German counterparts.
Some records have this literally a dead-even split at 12 wins each, but there is a caveat. Bayern officially get credit for a 2-1 regulation victory in their April 18, 2017 meeting, even though Real Madrid would eventually "win" in extra time — the only reason the match went to extra-time in the first place was because the two sides were level on aggregate, with Madrid scoring three goals in the additional period to "win" by a 4-2 score. In a vacuum, the match itself was won by Bayern Munich, even if Madrid won the aggregate score in the end.
Real Madrid have not lost to Bayern Munich outright since a 2-1 defeat in the first leg of their 2011/12 semifinal meeting, a run of eight straight unbeaten, having advanced on. Incredibly, of their 14 all-time knockout stage meetings, the winner of this matchup has gone on to win the Champions League title on eight of those occasions.
Data as of Friday, April 3, 2026.
Competition Matches Real Madrid wins Draws Bayern Munich wins
UEFA Champions League 28 13 4 11
TOTAL 28 13 4 11
Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich records
Largest Real Madrid victory: Bayern Munich 0-4 Real Madrid (Apr. 29, 2014)
Largest Bayern Munich victory: Bayern Munich 4-1 Real Madrid (two times — last: Mar. 8, 2000)
Most goals: 6 (Real Madrid 4-2 Bayern Munich a.e.t. — Apr. 18, 2017)
Most goals for Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich: 9 (Cristiano Ronaldo)
Most goals for Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid: 4 (Giovane Elber)
Notable Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich matches
Real Madrid 2-0 Bayern Munich — March 16, 1988
When Real Madrid fell behind 3-0 in the opening road leg of their European Cup quarterfinal matchup with Bayern Munich, all seemed lost. Three goals in a seven-minute span bracketing halftime appeared to doom Real Madrid, with the Bavarians setting their home fans alight.
Then, the comeback began. Goals for Real Madrid in the 85th minute and 90th minute of the first leg gave them life, even if Bayern would walk away with a 3-2 victory. Then, in the second leg at home, Milan Jankovic scored in the 26th minute to level up the aggregate scoreline, giving Madrid the advantage on the away goals tiebreaker. Before halftime, Michel would add another to put Madrid 4-3 up on aggregate, and that was that; the comeback was complete.
Bayern Munich 2-1 Real Madrid — March 7, 2007
Having lost the first leg 3-2 at the Bernabeu, Bayern Munich returned home with hope in their hearts. An 88th-minute goal from Mark van Bommel had given the Bavarians life, knowing they had two away goals in the bank.
That would be critical, as Roy Makaay scored for Bayern in the very first minute of the second leg in Germany, leveling up the aggregate score to put Bayern on the front foot. They scored again as Lucio headed one home in the 66th minute, giving them an aggregate lead.
Yet Ruud van Nistelrooy bagged a penalty in the 83rd minute to see Fabio Capello's Madrid level the aggregate scoreline and give them a lifeline at the end. As the final whistle blew, it would be the away goals tiebreaker that would see Bayern Munich advance, as these two teams again finished neck-and-neck.
Real Madrid 2-1 Bayern Munich — April 25, 2012
After Bayern Munich won the first leg 2-1 at home on a stoppage-time goal from Mario Gomez, the two sides returned to the Bernabeu with the tie very much still in the balance.
Cristiano Ronaldo would turn the matchup on its head with two goals from the penalty spot to see Real Madrid swing in front of the aggregate score, but Arjen Robben leveled it up again before halftime with one from the spot himself.
With neither side able to break the tie in the second half or extra-time, the game went to a messy penalty shootout, where both Manuel Neuer (on Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka) and Iker Casillas (on Toni Kroos and Philipp Lahm) each saved two efforts. The difference would be Sergio Ramos's miss, which allowed Bastian Schweinsteiger to deliver the killing blow with the next and final take, seeing Bayern win the shootout by a 3-1 score.
To date, it remains the only penalty shootout in the history of this rivalry.
Real Madrid 4-2 Bayern Munich (a.e.t.) — April 18, 2017
Unquestionably, the most thrilling affair between these two sides is the 2017 quarterfinal which saw Real Madrid win a barn-burner in extra time at home.
Real Madrid had won the first leg on the road in Munich by a 2-1 score, with two second-half goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, sealing a comeback victory after Arturo Vidal's 25th-minute opener.
Yet this match was far from over, as Bayern Munich would win by the same score at the Bernabeu in the second leg. After a goalless first half, Robert Lewandowski struck from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute, only for Ronaldo to cancel that out with a header 23 minutes later. Yet that Madrid comeback was short-lived, as a Sergio Ramos own-goal just minutes after would put Bayern back in front and send the match to extra-time.
Yet just before the final whistle of regulation, Vidal would see red, sent off for a second yellow card in the 84th minute. That would allow Madrid to take full control of the match, and they would score three goals in the additional period to go through convincingly, with Ronaldo getting a hat-trick in the process. A match with plenty of twists and turns!
Real Madrid 2-1 Bayern Munich — May 8, 2024
In the last match between these two sides, Real Madrid would win an absolute thriller to advance to the Champions League final.
After a 2-2 first-leg draw in Bavaria that itself featured a dramatic conclusion, with a Vinicius Jr. penalty in the 83rd minute bringing the scoreline level, fans were in for a treat in the return leg at the Bernabeu.
The game was scoreless past the first hour, but Real Madrid had the rub of the green, out-shooting Bayern Munich 14-4 by that point. Then, the visitors struck as Canadian international Alphonso Davies scored the opener in the 68th minute to put Bayern ahead on aggregate.
With the away goals rule gone by this point, Real Madrid knew they had to score twice to advance. Hope seemed lost when journeyman striker Joselu came off the bench to replace Rodrygo in the 81st minute, but he would write his name in history with a three-minute brace in the 88th and 91st minute, dramatically bringing Real Madrid back from the dead to advance to the Champions League final, where they would defeat Borussia Dortmund to lift the trophy for a record 15th time.
Have Real Madrid or Bayern Munich won more trophies?
When it comes to European play, no club in history has been more decorated than Real Madrid, as the Spanish giants have triumphed on the European Cup/Champions League stage a record 15 times.
Bayern Munich are up near the top of the list as well, but their six European championships pale in comparison, just like everyone else. Madrid's 15 titles are eight more than any other club, putting them in another stratosphere altogether.
When it comes to domestic dominance, Real Madrid still lead thanks to their place in history as one of Spain's most dominant clubs. However, despite having been at the top of German football for less time, Bayern have nearly caught up thanks to the fact they have a stranglehold over the German top flight in the modern era, while Real Madrid have had to contend with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in La Liga in recent decades.
Most Champions League titles by club
Club Champions League titles Last
Real Madrid 15 2024
AC Milan 7 2007
Bayern Munich 6 2020
Liverpool 6 2019
Barcelona 5 2015
Ajax 4 1995
Man United 3 2008
Inter Milan 3 2010
Domestic trophies
Competition Real Madrid titles (last) Bayern Munich titles (last)
La Liga/Bundesliga 36 (2023/24) 34 (2024/25)
Copa del Rey/DFB-Pokal 20 (2022/23) 20 (2019/20)
Supercopa/DFL-Supercup 13 (2024) 11 (2025)
TOTAL DOMESTIC 69 65
Other European/International trophies
Competition Real Madrid titles (last) Bayern Munich titles (last)
FIFA Club World Cup 5 (2022) 2 (2020)
FIFA Intercontinental Cup 1 (2024) 2 (2001)
UEFA Cup/Europa League 2 (1986) 1 (1996)