Bayern Munich has taken a sharp, public jab at Real Madrid following the Spanish giant’s dramatic qualification for the UEFA Champions League final, using the very tool Madrid often employs: social media humor.
The incident stems from Real Madrid’s incredible comeback against Bayern in the semi-final second leg on May 8, 2024. With the aggregate score level and the match deep into added time, a late goal from Joselu sent Madrid through to the final at Wembley on June 1.
In the aftermath, Real Madrid’s official social media accounts posted a meme featuring actor Will Smith from the film “I Am Legend,” with the caption “When you qualify for the Champions League final at the 90th minute.” The post was a clear, light-hearted reference to their last-gasp victory.
Bayern Munich, however, has now fired back. The German club’s Arabic-language social media account posted a counter-meme on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Their post featured a famous scene from the movie “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” where the character King Théoden declares, “I know your face.” The text over the image read, “When you remember you have beaten them 8 times in the Champions League.”
The post is a direct reference to the historic head-to-head record between the two European powerhouses. According to official UEFA statistics, Bayern Munich has indeed defeated Real Madrid eight times in the Champions League, more than any other team has managed against the record 14-time champions.
This social media exchange highlights the intense and respectful rivalry between the clubs. While Real Madrid celebrated a specific, recent miracle, Bayern Munich chose to remind everyone of a broader historical dominance, turning Madrid’s own weapon of memes and banter back against them.
