Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich: 8 Predictions for Champions League Semi 2nd Leg

If you want to see some of the best football on offer throughout the world, look no further than Real Madrid against Bayern Munich next Wednesday.

Two of the top teams in Europe will face off in the crucial second leg of the Champions League semi-final to determine who will be moving on to Munich's Allianz Arena to contend the final.

After a scintillating 2-1 win by the German side in the first stage in Germany, all the necessary impetus will be on Madrid to overturn a one-goal deficit in front of their home fans at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Both teams play slick, open, attacking football, and the obscene amount of talent that both clubs possess will be on full display.

Here are eight predictions for what is sure to be one of the best matches of the season.

Marcelo Will Get Sent off

Real Madrid's Brazilian left-back Marcelo is a ticking time bomb ready to detonate and crush Los Blancos' hopes of progressing to the final.

He always seems to be on the verge of committing that one fatal challenge that will send the referee over the edge, and he has already picked up a red card in the Champions League this year.

Marcelo certainly did not rein in his combustible personality in the first leg against Munich, and he seemed to forget that he is not Pepe with a rash challenge near the end of the match.

With the intensity that always accompanies matches of this magnitude, I believe that this will finally be the match when Marcelo's impetuous actions cost his club dearly.

Mario Gomez Will Torment Madrid

In Munich, the Real Madrid defence struggled to cope with the air and ground threats of Mario Gomez. It will be a struggle for them to cope with Gomez again in Madrid.

Gomez can hurt a team in any number of ways, and this versatility is what makes him such a potent threat. 

At the death, he scored the winner with his feet, which gives the Germans the advantage they now enjoy. As his astounding record of 47 goals in 49 games this season shows, Gomez can convert any chance that comes his way.

Unless Jose Mourinho can come up with some brilliant scheme to stop Bayern's well-rounded striker, Sergio Ramos and Pepe will have their hands full in a match in which they cannot let their opponent score.

It Will Be a Game of Many Fouls

Both teams demonstrated an unsurprising willingness to foul their opponents in the first leg, and I expect this to continue in the second meeting.

In total, 34 offenses were called by the referee, and a staggering total of nine yellow cards were issued to both teams.

And the second stage will be an even cagier affair because both sides will be striving to get a particular result. Bayern will need to hold onto their lead in an extremely hostile environment, while Madrid will need to give everything they physically can to overturn their 2-1 deficit.

Every official will need to be as vigilant as they can because their services will constantly be needed.

It Will Be a Battle of the Goalkeepers

This tie features two of the best goalkeepers in the world, and their teams needed every ounce of their ability during the first leg.

Bayern and Real Madrid each took fifteen shots in what was a very open and beautifully flowing fixture. It featured all the beautiful football that one would expect from two sides of their caliber.

In Round Two, when everything is at stake and the home team will have to come out ready to send all their men forward, Manuel Neuer will certainly be peppered for the full 90 minutes.

And, as will inevitably happen on numerous occasions, Munich will counterattack and Iker Casillas will have to be wary of his defence being breached.

Franck Ribery Will Torment Alvaro Arbeloa

Franck Ribery will be the key to unlocking Real Madrid's defence, which will not be able to allow an away goal when already mired in a 2-1 hole.

He was Bayern's most dangerous player in the first leg, wreaking havoc down the left side and threatening to score or create a goal nearly every time got on the ball.

Perhaps if Sergio Ramos was locking down the right flank for Madrid, the Frenchman's threat could be somewhat neutralized, but Alvaro Arbeloa simply cannot shut down Ribery.

Arbeloa couldn't in the first leg, and unless Jose Mourinho gives him a considerable amount of help this time around, there will be little to stop Ribery again.

Bastian Schweinsteiger Will Perform Better—and Madrid Will Struggle to Cope

At the Allianz Arena, Real Madrid benefited from the fact that Bayern Munich's midfield anchor, Bastian Schweinsteiger, was not on top of his game.

Karim Benzema almost scored inside of 10 minutes after Schweini gave away possession in midfield, and his overall performance was unspectacular.

But there is no way that in such an important game (especially since Bayern's domestic season is effectively over), Schweinsteiger will not be back to his metronomic, box-to-box self.

And if he is back to his best, Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira will have trouble controlling the middle of the pitch, which will be crucial to their hopes of overturning their deficit.

Cristiano Ronaldo Will Step Up

Cristiano Ronaldo is a player who steps up in big situations.

Despite the fact that he is not perceived as such, he delivers in Clasicos, in the Champions League, and when the pressure is on in La Liga—he has already beaten his own domestic goalscoring record this season with 41 classy strikes.

He didn't find the back of the net in the first leg, but his team will need him to produce some of the magic moments that many have come to expect from arguably the best player in the world.

Unfortunately, he will have Philipp Lahm to deal with on the left side, if Jose Mourinho wishes to play him there, but Ronaldo can thrive in any attacking position.

When given the opportunity to deliver in the clutch, he will not disappoint.

Real Madrid Will Progress to the Final

Despite the fact that Real Madrid go into the second leg trailing the opponents by one goal, I see them progressing to the final in front of their home fans, and denying Bayern the opportunity to play in front of theirs again.

Even though Madrid may be at a numerical disadvantage, their crucial away goal means that even a 1-0 win will earn them a date to face either Barcelona or Chelsea at the Allianz Arena.

And if Los Merengues can even reverse the last match's scoreline and win 2-1, they will at least earn extra time and possible penalties to decide the semi-final.

But can Real do it? They most definitely have the quality and skill to pull off a result against a team of Bayern Munich's caliber, and the support of 90,000 fans in full voice should help put them over the edge.

The only question is: can Barcelona come back from their deficit against Chelsea and make this year's final the Clasico that so many would love to see?