[1] Due to the tie being closely contested, Madrid supporters sometimes referred to Bayern as the "Bestia negra" ("Black Beast").

[2] Despite facing each other the most in the competition's history, with several controversial incidents occurring due to the great importance of most of their meetings,[3][4][5] the clubs have never met in the final of a Champions League or European Cup.

[11][12] During the 2010s, the two teams met in the 2011–12 Champions League semi-finals, which ended 3–3 on aggregate (Bayern won 3–1 on penalties after extra time, but lost the final at their own stadium), and then at the same stage in the 2013–14 edition with Real Madrid winning 5–0 on aggregate on their way to winning the competition.

[13] They were also drawn together in the 2016–17 quarter-finals; Real Madrid won 6–3 on aggregate after extra time and subsequently lifted the trophy.

[14] Until the 2018–19 season, when they were twice defeated in Madrid by three-goal margins,[15][16] Real's biggest loss at home in the Champions League had been at the hands of Bayern on 29 February 2000, 2–4.