FC Bayern lost a good starting position for the second leg in the semi-final first leg of the Champions League against Real Madrid. Munich had to accept a late equalizer to make it 2-2 on Tuesday evening (April 30, 2024).
A perfect precision pass from “Dr.” Toni Kroos used Vinicius Jr.’s free ball in front of Neuer to take the lead into the right corner (24′). Bayern recovered from the extremely surprising goal during the break. Leroy Sané restored the draw shortly after the break with a fantastic individual performance and a cracker (53′). A little later, Lucas Vázquez hit Jamal Musiala on the shin in Real’s penalty area, and Harry Kane gave Madrid keeper Andriy Lunin a penalty (57′, bottom left). Vini Jr. later converted a penalty kick just as confidently (83′).
To the live ticker: FC Bayern – Real Madrid arrow right semi-final Champions League arrow right
Tuchel: “Real did what they do to everyone”
“It was good, then not so good, then again good, then not so good again,” said the strong Konrad Laimer on Amazon Prime, “but it’s Real Madrid. Overall, it was okay.” “The goals always came when the other team was better,” said Madrid star Kroos, “Vini made the pass very easy for me when the score was 1-0. The 2-2 was fair in the end.” “We should have been leading after 10 or 15 minutes and then we didn’t go through with our plan,” said Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, “I don’t know why. And then Real did what they do with everyone: they made it Two chances, two goals.”
Tuchel was able to rely on the recently injured Leroy Sané and Musiala for the starting eleven, and Thomas Müller was also on the field from the start – for the 150th time in the Champions League. Former Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti had to replace Dani Carvajal (suspended) and the still injured David Alaba and regular goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Bavaria’s furious start
Leroy Sané (1st), Harry Kane (6th), Sané again (7th), all with shots from the middle distance and Kane again with an attempt from the halfway line (9th): Bayern worked things up in the first quarter of an hour a whole series of good to very good scoring chances. But no attempt made it into the Real goal. The hosts seemed quicker in thought, more aggressive in the duels and more greedy. But then Toni Kroos played his first dream pass.
Kroos with the “surgical procedure”
After 20 minutes, a diagonal ball from Kroos had no consequences. The Madrilenians’ attack was not yet dangerous, but the returnee to the German national team showed his passing precision to perfection for the first time. When the 34-year-old Real director was able to place a free ball into Vini Jr.’s path, everything was just right: ball path, pressure, speed – a masterpiece in the guests’ first serious advance.
Passer Toni Kross (l.) and double goalscorer Vinicius Junior celebrate in Munich.
Until the break, Bayern didn’t manage to do much other than increase their possession rate: only a free kick from Kane was nicely staged by Thomas Müller and Sané, but the Englishman placed it to the left of the goal.
Munich suddenly efficient
After the break, Real Madrid continued to try out its “totally cool” tactics from the first part of the game: “endure” Munich’s build-up and possible attacks and then bite like a viper. Kroos dove out to the left of the penalty area and found his master in his national team captain Manuel Neuer (51′).
But Sané redeemed Bayern and their fans with his uniqueness: With a start from the right side, the dribbler moved inwards and heaved the ball flat into the near corner with all his might. Lunin was as surprised as he was powerless. And with the next individual action – this time developed by Musiala – Bayern handed out the second wad a little later.
2:1 is not enough
Munich then pushed for the next goals. Antonio Rüdiger deflected a Kane shot towards a corner (66′), then central defender Eric Dier failed twice with his header (67′, 71′).
But Real remained vigilant: Luka Modric, who had now replaced Kroos, chipped the ball to Vini Jr., who, however, was unable to flick the ball past Neuer this time. But in the final stages the Brazilian showed his rip-off again after Minjae clumsily brought down Kim Rodrygo. Kim didn’t look particularly good when she conceded the first goal and moved against Vini’s direction. “Kim was too greedy twice today,” commented Tuchel after the game. Munich’s central defense remains the German record champions’ Achilles heel in the 23/24 season
The second leg will kick off next week (08.05.24) at 9 p.m. at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid.
