Real Madrid: Predicting the Results of This Season's Final Games

Real Madrid have it all left to play for in 2012.

Semifinals of the UEFA Champions League, first place in La Liga—this could very well be a year to remember for the Spanish giants.

With five La Liga matches remaining and at least two Champions League encounters left, Real Madrid must finish the season strong if they are to walk away with Spanish or European glory.

How will the season end for Los Blancos?

Let's take a look at the final matches this year.

17th April: Away to Bayern Munich (Champions League)

Real must travel to the home of the German giants first up, who will be out to prove their European worth this season after failing to overtake Dortmund in the Bundesliga title race.

After playing their first side for several weeks now to maintain their lead in La Liga, the speed on the break of Bayern may prove a little too much for Madrid, who despite entering the match as slight favorites, will be expected to win comfortably.

Tough to go against Bayern at home, though, the attacking prowess of Real and their away goals gained here will give them a huge advantage for the return leg.

Bayern Munich 2, Real Madrid 2

 

21st April: Away to Barcelona (La Liga)

Barcelona knocked off Madrid when the two sides met in La Liga earlier in the year, and at home will be tough for the visitors to overcome.

The hosts have only dropped two points at home all season, and they're conceding an average of just one goal every two games, but with the power and ability of Madrid, those numbers are sure to change.

There's no doubt that both teams will certainly gear up for this one; both no doubt have the skills and ability to win, but they need to turn up and put out a solid performance on the pitch.

Barca will enter as favorites, but Real enter as the top dog with a five-point lead. So whilst Madrid might lose the battle, they certainly have not lost the war.

Barcelona 2, Real Madrid 1

25th April: Home to Bayern Munich

Madrid will then cap off one of their toughest weeks all year with the return leg of their semifinal clash against Bayern Munich at home.

After chalking up two crucial away goals, Los Blancos will be simply too strong and too powerful at the Beranbeu and will progress through to their final of the Champions League once again.

Real Madrid 3, Bayern Munich 0

29th April: Home to Sevilla (La Liga)

Sevilla might sit ninth on the La Liga table, but away from home, they have been nowhere near as strong this season, winning less than a quarter of all their road games this season.

And considering they're taking on a Real Madrid side at home that just dropped points in the title race to Barcelona, I think this one could be a little bit of a statement game for Madrid.

They won 6-2 last time the two met and another blowout win looks to be in the cards in this one.

Real Madrid 5, Sevilla 1

2nd May: Away to Atletico Bilbao (La Liga)

It seemed like an easy win considering the 4-1 flogging Madrid dished out to Bilbao earlier in the year, but at home, Atletico have been a tough side to get past.

Other than a loss to Valencia, they've not been beaten by a top 10 side at home this year—including the superpower that is Barcelona.

Madrid will need to start strong against the hosts and providing they can get early goals, they should have enough to walk away with a win, but not before Bilbao give the title leaders a real scare.

Atletico Bilbao 2, Real Madrid 3

6th May: Away to Granada (La Liga)

Real Madrid will feel that the title is almost within reach and even with Barcelona two points behind, they will know it is their championship to lose.

So away matches to a side currently sitting 17th on the table that fails to score in nearly half their matches this year won't be too much of a hassle for Real Madrid.

No chance of an upset in this one.

Granada 0, Real Madrid 4

13th May: Home to Mallorca (La Liga)

The final round of La Liga sees Real Madrid take on Mallorca—the side that almost stole all three points from them earlier in the year. On that occasion, it took late goals to Hijuan and Callejon to bring Madrid out of trouble, but don't expect that to be necessary in this one.

The trophy is within reach—it's probably actually at the stadium—and Madrid will know that anything other than a loss will give them the opportunity to finally lift the La Liga trophy.

They will make no mistake with a pesky but ultimately inferior Mallorca side.

Real Madrid 2, Mallorca 0

19th May: Champions League Final

Real Madrid made it to the final of the UEFA Champions League. They've beaten Barcelona for the league title and now they're supposed to do the same thing there, right?

Well, kind of, except it won't be Barcelona. It will be Chelsea, and we'll leave that notion all together for another article and another time.

This is about Real Madrid, and after their domestic success, they'll be simply too strong for a Chelsea side that's labored so hard for the last few weeks.

By the time the Blues meet Los Blancos in the final, they'll have defeated Barcelona in the semifinals, the FA Cup Final against Liverpool as well as Arsenal, Newcastle and Liverpool in the English Premier League in their fight for a top four finish.

They'll have already played their final 10 times in the past months; Real Madrid will know that and will simply be too strong and dominant for the English hopefuls.

Madrid will lift its first Champions League title since 2002 and what's more, they'll do it with Barcelona sitting at home watching them lift another trophy they could have won.

And that could well be the sweetest thing of all.

Real Madrid 3, Chelsea 1

Read more articles by Dan here, or  Follow @dantalintyre.