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In a matchup between two teams that have combined for 17 Champions League/European Cup titles and 25 final appearances, footballing giants Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are set to meet in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal battle at Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
In the United States, the match is scheduled to start at 2:45 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch the game live on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
Hulu With Live TV: In addition to their extensive Netflix-like streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of live television channels, including Fox Sports 1. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
FuboTV: Fox Sports 1 is included in the “Fubo Premier” channel package, which is tailored towards international soccer fans. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial, and you can then watch the game live on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app.
DirecTV Now: Fox Sports 1 is included in all four channel bundles. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial no matter what package you choose, and you can also get an Amazon Fire TV if you prepay two months. Once signed up, you can watch the game live on your computer via the DirecTV Now website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the DirecTV Now app.
Preview
If you would have been told at the start of the tournament that Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were going to play against each other, you would have assumed it would be in the final. But no one’s complaining (except probably Zinedine Zidane and Jupp Heynckes) in the result of this draw, because 180 minutes–at the very least–of Real vs. Bayern is about as good as it gets.
Despite an inconsistent season in Spain that has them sitting in third place 15 points behind leaders Barcelona, Real Madrid have looked as dangerous as ever during Champions League play. They got a scare against Juventus in the second leg of their quarterfinal matchup, but three away goals in the first leg and a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo in the waning moments of the second leg were enough to get them through. And that comes on the heels of a 5-2 aggregate drubbing of French giants Paris Saint-Germain.
Again, the second leg against Juve wasn’t pretty, but going through PSG and the defending runners-up in consecutive rounds should serve as enough proof that Real can win a third straight Champions League title.
Of course, the road gets even tougher in the semifinals, as Bayern awaits. Sitting at 25-3-3 with a 22-point advantage over second-place Schalke in the Bundesliga, Heynckes’ side has been one of the most dominant in the world this season. In Champions League play, the Germans made easy work of Besiktas in the Round of 16 then held on against Sevilla after tallying a pair of away goals in the first leg.
Whoever ultimately prevails in this matchup will almost assuredly be favored in the final. If it’s Real, it will be their 16th appearance in Europe’s biggest game and fourth in the past five years. If it’s Bayern, it’s their 11th time in a Champions League/European Cup final, and the first since they won in 2013.