RB Leipzig vs Real Madrid tips and predictions: Spaniards to seize initiative in high-scoring win
- Sergiu Baltuta
- 12 February 2024
RB Leipzig will welcome Real Madrid to Germany for a Champions League round of 16 clash on Tuesday night (2000 GMT).
Visitors Real Madrid are the bookmakers' favourite to claim victory in the first leg against RB Leipzig, but it won’t be straightforward.
Leipzig and Real Madrid last met in Spain during the 2022 Champions League group stage, where Real Madrid won 2-0.
Late goals from Federico Valverde and Marco Asensio sealed the points on that occasion to avenge their earlier defeat in Germany.
Timo Werner, now at Tottenham Hotspur, scored the decisive third goal as the Germans beat the Spaniards 3-2.
That loss was Real Madrid’s only defeat in 16 games against teams from the Bundesliga in major European competition.
Under Marco Rose's guidance, RB Leipzig languishes in 5th place with 37 points but are just three points behind the coveted Champions League spots.
They could only manage a 2-2 away to Augsburg last weekend which extended their current streak to one win in six.
Despite their poor form overall, it should be noted that Leipzig have scored at least two goals in each of their last four.
However, the Bulls have lost three of the last 19 games played at home in European competitions. In the group stage, Leipzig’s only defeats came against Manchester City.
Carlo Ancelotti's team have been in superb form with their only losses this season coming against local rivals Atletico Madrid in La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
The Spaniards won their group at a canter against beating Napoli, Braga and Bundesliga side Union Berlin twice.
But in a major blow for Ancelotti’s side, they could be without Jude Bellingham after he picked up an ankle injury in the win over Girona.
Despite that, there’s plenty of attacking threat on the pitch and Leipzig tend to wide-open wide open goals, so we still expect goals.
