Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid
Honours were even after a ding dong battle between Bayern and Real Madrid in their Champions League first leg tie, but Carlo Ancelotti will be the happier manager, with his home leg to come.
Bayern made a blistering start but missed a host of chances and Vinicius Junior made them pay when he gave Real a first half lead. But the hosts roared back with goals from Leroy Sane and a Harry Kane spot kick early in the second half, before Vinicius levelled with a late penalty.
After beating Manchester City to reach the last four the Champions League 2024 betting odds installed Los Blancos as tournament favourites and this result won’t have changed anything.
Highlights of the game
At the referee’s whistle the noise in the Allianz Arena reached a deafening level as Bayern flew out of the blocks at a frightening pace; and they almost went ahead in the first minute when Sane was put clean through by Kane, but his shot was saved by Andriy Lunin’s legs and Thomas Tuchel’s reaction said it all.
Sane should have scored and Bayern’s prolific hitman Kane was the next to have a crack when he picked up a pass in the penalty area but he fluffed his shot straight at a grateful Lunin. Then the England man went for a gem for the Champions League 2024 highlights package when he took a shot from the centre circle which had Lunin scrambling back, but Kane’s effort flew over the bar.
Jamal Musiala fired over when he should have at least tested the Madrid stopper and Tuchel’s frustration was on show again. But things suddenly got worse for the hosts when their visitors punished them with the opener. After 24 minutes of defending Germany star Toni Kroos threaded a beauty of a ball through to Vinicius and the Brazilian slotted his shot past the advancing Manuel Neuer.
As half time approached Kane fired a free kick wide, and there was a late flurry for Real who saw a Rodrygo shot ricochet off Kane and out for a corner; but the final action of the half came to nothing and the teams went in at 0-1.
Los Blancos showed first at the start of the second half and Neuer was called into action to palm away a Kroos shot which was destined for the top corner. But then Bayern reaped some instant reward for their first half efforts when Sane picked up the ball out wide and cut inside before powering a shot past Lunin at his near post and Bayern were level.
The stadium exploded, and the noise hadn’t subsided when the Germans doubled their lead. Lucas Vazquez tripped Musiala in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped Kane to send Lunin the wrong way and turn the game on its head.
The Spaniards were on the rack and Kane almost scored his second, but a deflection off Anton Rudiger took his shot wide.
Jude Bellingham had a quiet game and he was replaced by Luka Modric on 75 minutes; and the Croatian legend almost had an immediate impact when he lifted a beautiful ball over to put Vinicius through, but Neuer stayed big and made a crucial save.
But then the Bayern keeper had another job to do when Los Blancos were awarded a penalty. Kim fouled Rodrygo and Vinicius levelled the scores from 12 yards.
Statistics
This is the eighth time Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have met at this stage and the score still stands at four to three in favour of the Bundesliga side.
The Bavarians dominated for much of the first half with eight shots to three and two to one on target, but the most important stat meant Los Blancos were 1-0 ahead at the break. At the final whistle the shot counts reflected a well fought match with Bayern edging it by 14 to ten and five shots to four on target.
The draw ended a four match winning run for Bayern, but Los Blancos are now unbeaten in 19.
What’s next?
These two giants will come to blows again next Wednesday in the Santiago Bernabeu but, in the meantime, Real Madrid have more work to do at home. Los Blancos are closing in on a La Liga and Champions League double and they have a home game against Cadiz on Saturday. Ancelotti will shuffle his pack, but Tuchel will be able to make wholesale changes away to VfB Stuttgart with the Bundesliga race already run.
On Wednesday the German flag is being flown in the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund who have a home leg against Paris Saint-Germain. Die Schwarzgelben have had a good European campaign and will hope to continue their form against a PSG team yet to break through the European glass ceiling. And there’s more European action for SBOTOP fans on Thursday, when treble chasing Bayer Leverkusen have a Europa League semi-final clash away to Roma while Olympique Marseille host Atalanta in the other semi-final.
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