A Bayern-Real Madrid game is never just a friendly, not even in August. Despite the Audi Cup not being an official competition, both sides will face tonight’s game as if it were. Especially true in the case of the Bundesliga side who have outstanding issues with Real Madrid. The last time the La Liga team visited the Allianz Arena was in the return leg of the 2013/14 Champions League semi-final after a 1-0 win at the Bernabéu. Rummenigge promised that “even the trees would burn”. The result of the game was a humbling 0-4 with two powerful headers from Sergio Ramos, a precursor for the ‘Décima’ and a morale blow to the psyche of the Bayern supporters. It was also a major blow to Guardiola who later stated: “The way I set about that game was the biggest cock-up of me career as coach”.
Guardiola once again surfaces prior to the game in already tense circumstances. He’s at loggerheads with certain circles of the German media and former club legends such as Effenberg and Matthäus following the club’s defeat to Wolfsburg in the German Super Cup last weekend. The result was deemed as a fiasco with Bayern in control up to the 89th minute when Wolfsburg equalized and eventually went on to win in a penalty shoot-out. This is the third Super Cup final that Bayern have lost in Guardiola’s three seasons in Germany. A defeat tonight against Madrid would create further tremors for the coach from Santpedor.
Tonight will be Rafa Benítez’s first taste of a Madrid-Bayern game in his short time as new Madrid coach. It’s also the first time he face’s Pep in a European fixture, a surprising statistic for a man who has won a Champions League, a UEFA Cup and featured in 105 European ties. The coach of the La Liga side is still working on his ideal formation and despite Bale's goal yesterday there is still popular clamor to play Isco in the deep forward role and not the Welshman.
Today will be interesting to see if Benítez remains faithful to his mantra of rotation. There will be certain changes, Keylor is set to replace Casilla and Carvajal and Pepe will take the place of Danilo and Varane. In attack, Benitez may persist with Kroos, Modric, James, Isco and Jesé.
Guardiola held back some of his bigger names for the semi-final against Milan knowing that a Madrid final was on the cards. The likes of Neuer and, Xabi Alonso sat out the Milan game and will feature in tonight's final. Just another pre-season summer friendly.