Goals from Luis Diaz and Harry Kane gave dominant Bayern Munich a decisive 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
On Tuesday, Kylian Mbappé’s goal just 16 minutes into the game gave Real, who have won a record 15 times, the lifeline of a thrilling campaign at home at the Bernabéu.
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Vincent Kompany’s side are perhaps the strongest team in Europe this season and they performed well in the first half and could have taken the lead by a few goals.
Instead, Dias only scored one goal and Kane added another after the interval, but Mbappe’s goal kept Alvaro Arbeloa’s side level.
The captivating matches in this round were a European tradition, and it was the record 29th time the two teams met in this competition.
Bayern burst out of the blocks and Konrad Reimer’s sharp shot narrowly went over the bar, showing that Kompany’s side were coming to attack the Spanish capital.
The German champions should have taken the lead through defender Dayot Upamecano, who waved over the line from close range after Kane put the ball into his path.
Despite the Frenchman’s clumsy finishing effort, the ball was still headed towards the net, but Madrid defender Alvaro Carreras hacked it from near the line to keep it safe.
With Bayern dominating possession, Madrid were almost pushed back, but the hosts tried to break through quick strikers Mbappe and Vinicius Junior on the counter.
Mbappe, the tournament’s top scorer, scored the opening goal, and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made a solid save with his feet to thwart the striker’s attack.
Vinicius was next, but Neuer also played the ball around the corner.
Madrid’s defense was almost ruined by the momentary insanity of 18-year-old midfielder Thiago Pitarch, who started in place of Jude Bellingham as the England international strengthened his fitness following an injury.
Under pressure, Pitalci’s poor backpass went straight to Serge Gnabry in front of goal, but Andriy Lunin, perhaps not knowing how, deflected the German’s shot behind his back.
Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde, who scored a sensational hat-trick in the last 16 against Manchester City, set Mbappé back on target, but Neuer saved the French star’s drive from a wide angle.
Bayern were at times at the mercy of Real, who gave the ball away too often, and the opening goal was a clever combination of play that put the hosts in a corner.
They sprung into action after Vinicius’ pass deflected off to Michael Olisse and returned to Bayern.
Gnabry played a one-two with Kane, then pushed the ball in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold, and in the 41st minute the Madrid defender’s former Liverpool teammate Diaz reached the goal, beating Lunin to score.
Kane didn’t appear to be fully fit as he was ruled out of the starting lineup due to an ankle problem, but he made an even bigger impact less than a minute into the second half.
Olise turned the ball back on the edge of the box and Kane doubled Bayern’s lead with a curling shot into the bottom corner.
This was his 11th goal in the Champions League this season, second only to Mbappé, and his 49th in all competitions.
Vinicius gave Real a golden chance to pull one back when Upamecano gave Neuer a disappointing header, but the goalkeeper came out well and put pressure on the Brazilian, sending his shot into the side netting.
Neuer made a mistake that led to Madrid’s late comeback at the Bernabéu and eliminated Bayern from the 2024 semi-finals, but he again made a brilliant save to deny Mbappé.
The former Paris Saint-Germain striker sent a shot wide from an angle as Madrid scrambled to get back on par.
With Bellingham coming on as a substitute, Madrid raised the bar even further and eventually found the back of the net, with Alexander-Arnold fulfilling his role in Bayern’s opener.
The right-back guided a low cross to the far post and this time Mbappé beat Neuer and fired the goal straight onto the crossbar after 74 minutes.
Bayern roared back as Kane’s volley went wide in an attempt to restore their advantage, but they instead took a narrow lead and headed back to Bayern for next Wednesday’s second leg.
Kane told TNT Sports he was delighted with the win.
“We certainly played really well today. There were some things we could have done better, like the last ball and the last finish. We had some good chances there,” he said.
“But they deserve credit. They were successful as well and Manuel (Neuer) made some really good saves. Overall, we can be really happy with the win.”
Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger said the team was “still alive” thanks to Mbappe’s goal, but lamented the team’s defensive mistakes.
“We came out after half-time and made another big mistake. Both goals we conceded were gifts,” Rudiger told Movistar TV.
“We have been talking about these things, trying not to lose the simple ball. But it happened with two goals. Very dangerous at this level.”
