Bayern Munich ‘need tactics but also luck’ against Real Madrid – Thomas Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel said Bayern Munich will need luck if they are to overcome Real Madrid in their Champions League semi-final, as he encouraged his side to play with freedom in Tuesday’s first leg at the Allianz Arena.

It represents a last chance for the 50-year-old, who will leave the club at the end of the season, to bow out with silverware having lost the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen – the first time in 12 years they have not been crowned champions.

Bayern will assess the fitness of Konrad Laimer, Matthijs de Ligt and Dayot Upamecano ahead of the meeting with 14-time European champions Real – who moved to within one win of the LaLiga title on Friday – whilst Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane could also be doubts.

Tuchel promised his players will not be distracted by the “legend” of the side from the Spanish capital.

“Obviously we need tactics, but also some luck,” he said. “You can achieve a lot with tactics. The approach is the car, and the players drive it.

“We need to find a good balance and moments where we have solutions. The players also need freedom to bring it to life. But obviously we also need some luck in the game. We need to coax out that luck a bit as well.

“Against Real, you’re obviously also competing against the legend, the shirt. We’ll focus on content. Everyone’s looking forward to a great game.”

Bayern’s Harry Kane set a personal record during Saturday’s 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, his two goals taking his tally for the season to 42, the most the 30-year-old has managed in a single campaign.

One striker Tuchel will be happy not to see in Munich is Karim Benzema, who left the Bernabeu for the Saudi Pro League last summer.

The France international scored four times across the tie when Real knocked out Tuchel’s Chelsea at the quarter-final stage two seasons ago, including the extra-time winner in Spain in a famous 5-4 aggregate win.

The manager noted a change in approach since Benzema’s departure, facilitated partly by the signing of top scorer Jude Bellingham.

“We faced Real twice with Chelsea, also previously with PSG and Dortmund,” he said. “The most notable difference from the last game with Chelsea is that Karim Benzema is gone. He was the focal point at the time.

“They’ve made up for that with a change of system. Many approaches are still similar but how they play has changed, also through Jude Bellingham. We need to find a good balance.”

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti told the club’s official website: “Real Madrid are never underrated in this competition. Everyone knows what we can do. To be honest, we feel hugely respected by everyone in this competition.

“We are confident but we have great respect for this team. They haven’t had the best season in the Bundesliga but they played a very impressive tie against Arsenal. They were very good in both games.

“This club’s history is more or less the same as ours in the Champions League and that counts for a lot.

“We are both teams without a very fixed identity, which means we can play in different ways.”

On Tuchel, Ancelotti said: “If I have anything to say about Tuchel, it’s that he’s a great coach.

“He’s young and his tactical awareness is fantastic. His teams are very well coached. I have great respect for him, I’m fond of him.”