Luis Diaz and Harry Kane scored the goals that earned Bayern Munich a 2-1 triumph against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals Wednesday.
According to AFP, Kylian Mbappe’s goal 16 minutes from the end gave Real Madrid a chance to win their 15th title at home in a thrilling match.
Vincent Kompany’s club, which is probably the best in Europe this season, played a masterclass in the first half and might have been ahead by a lot of goals.
Instead, they only had one from Diaz, which Kane added to after the break. However, French star Mbappe’s goal kept Alvaro Arbeloa’s team in the tie.
“It’s a shame it wasn’t 2-0 at the end,” said Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who made a lot of good stops in the second half as Madrid turned up the heat.
“We witnessed again today how dangerous Real Madrid is. They had a lot of chances and could have scored more.
“First of all, we’re happy to have won here away from home, but it will be hard to win back in Munich.”
Antonio Rudiger, a defender for Real Madrid, remarked that Mbappe’s goal kept the tie alive.
Rudiger told Movistar, “The two goals we gave up were gifts, and we needed more in the second half.”
“I think we’re still alive; that goal from Mbappe opened everything up.” I believe we had a lot of chances to score, but this is how it turned up.
The most exciting match of the round was a European classic, the 29th time these two heavyweights had met in the league.
Bayern came out strong, and Konrad Laimer’s shot that just missed the bar proved that Kompany’s team had come to the Spanish capital to attack.
Bayern wanted to snap their nine-game losing record against Madrid and prove why many people think they are the favorites to win the championship this season.
Dayot Upamecano, a Bayern defender, should have scored when Kane set him up, but he missed from close range, and Alvaro Carreras was able to clear the ball off the line.
Bayern had most of the possession, but Madrid tried to send quick forwards Mbappe and Vinicius Junior on the counterattack. Neuer saved both times.
A moment of craziness from 18-year-old midfielder Thiago Pitarch, who started in place of Jude Bellingham, almost ruined Madrid’s defense. Pitarch’s bad back ball under pressure went right to Serge Gnabry in front of goal, but goalie Andriy Lunin blocked the German’s effort away.
Bayern is slick
Bayern played with Real at times, who gave up the ball too easily. Their first goal was a smooth combination move that caught the hosts off guard.
Gnabry sent the ball to Kane, who passed it back to him. Then he shoved the ball behind Trent Alexander-Arnold so that Diaz, a former Liverpool teammate of Alexander-Arnold’s, could reach it and score past Lunin in the 41st minute.
Kane, who might not have started because of an ankle injury, didn’t look completely healthy, but he had an even bigger effect less than a minute into the second half.
Olise sent the pass back to Kane on the edge of the box, and Kane curled a shot into the bottom corner to give Bayern a two-goal lead.
It was his 11th goal in the Champions League this season, putting him behind only Mbappe, who has 14. It was also his 49th goal in all competitions.
Vinicius had a great chance to score for Real after Upamecano sent a weak header back to Neuer, but the Brazilian hit the side netting instead.
Neuer made an amazing save to stop Mbappe again, and he took home the man of the match prize.
When Bellingham came on as a replacement, Madrid played well and finally scored. Alexander-Arnold sent a low cross to the far post, where Mbappe beat Neuer and smashed it home off the crossbar after 74 minutes.
Bayern immediately shouted back, but Kane volleyed wide as they tried to get their lead back. Instead, they take a small lead back to Bavaria for the second leg next Wednesday.
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