Arjen Robben expects Real Madrid to remain a serious threat in the Champions League quarter-final, yet the former winger still predicts Bayern Munich will advance, as Bayern carry a 2-1 advantage into Wednesday’s second leg after Luis Diaz and Harry Kane scored in Madrid.

Robben emphasises that the tie remains delicate because Madrid often thrive in away games, although the current situation favours Bayern. The Spanish side have not lost in their last four visits to Munich, so Bayern must protect the first-leg lead with full concentration.

Speaking to Bayern’s official website, Robben praised Madrid’s mentality while still leaning towards his former German club. “You can never write off Real, Robben told the Bayern website. Im impressed by the fact that they always stay calm.” Robben believes that calm approach under pressure keeps Madrid dangerous in any situation.

Robben knows the strengths and weaknesses of both teams after playing for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Robben spent two seasons with Los Blancos before completing 10 years in Munich, where Robben lifted the Champions League trophy in the 2012-13 season and became a key figure in Europe.

Madrid’s impressive record in Munich underlines Robben’s warning. The Spanish team are unbeaten in their last four away matches against Bayern, winning three and drawing once. Since the start of the 2013-14 season, Madrid have earned three away victories at Bayern from only four visits in all competitions.

Those numbers place Madrid alongside notable Bundesliga runs. In the Bundesliga era, which began in 1963-64, only Werder Bremen and Koln have managed streaks of five straight league matches without losing away to Bayern, underlining how rare such consistent visiting success in Munich has been.

Robben’s own Champions League record highlights why the Dutchman carries weight when commenting on this contest. For Real Madrid, Robben scored once and registered one assist in 11 Champions League games. With Bayern, Robben produced 25 goals and 12 assists across 70 Champions League appearances.

Robben’s view of Wednesday’s second leg is shaped by that long Champions League experience. The former winger expects momentum swings and possible setbacks during the match, yet Robben still considers Bayern’s squad deep enough, with many match-winning players, to manage difficult spells and still close out the quarter-final over two legs.

Robben described how Real Madrid often manage big European nights with a clear structure and sudden attacking bursts. “Theyre happy to sit deep and then suddenly break forward. Sometimes they only need one or two moments. You have to watch out for that. They have a lot of individual quality. But I believe that Bayern are the better team. They also have very good individual players who can decide a match. Theyre a well-oiled machine, and I believe theyll keep going right to the end. But its still football, so there could always be a situation where a red card is shown or something like that. You obviously have to be careful about that. You have to be on your toes for the full 95 minutes. If Bayern can manage that, then as far as Im concerned theres only one team that will win.”

The former winger therefore sees tactical discipline as the key factor. Bayern’s players must stay alert for the entire 95 minutes, manage emotional moments such as possible cards, and avoid lapses that allow quick Madrid counters, if Bayern want to turn a narrow first-leg lead into a semi-final place.