Madrid left reeling as Bayern power to first-leg win at the Bernabéu | OneFootball

Bayern Munich made the trip to the Spanish capital this evening, to take on Champions League quarter-final opponents Real Madrid. In the end, the Bundesliga side claimed a first-leg advantage thanks to goals from Luis Díaz and Harry Kane ensuring a 2-1 victory. 

The German record champions' motive was clear from get-go, applying an aggressive press from which Konrad Laimer was afforded space to shoot over the bar. A succession of corners followed, from which Upamecano criminally failed to tap in from Harry Kane's cut-back. 

Madrid eventually tested Manuel Neuer from his own distribution error on 16 minutes, closing the angle to smother Kylian Mbappé. Two minutes later, the French speedster broke with pace, teeing up Vinicius Junior on the left who drew another fine save from the veteran.

A second gilt-edged chance passed Bayern by near the half-hour -- young Tiago Pitarch gave it straight to Gnabry who couldn't beat Andrei Lunin. At the other end, Neuer had to utilize his fast reactions by getting down fast to Mbappé's drive after a fine Valverde pass.

Perhaps it was fate that it would be a third time lucky scenario for Bayern, who went 1-0 to the good on 41 minutes. Kane intercepted a stray pass from Vinicius Junior, prompting Gnabry to take over and supply Luis Díaz who dispatched it beneath the sprawling Lunin. 

If it took some time to break the deadlock, the Bavarians needed 40 seconds of the second half to net a second. Pavlović picked the pockets of Carreras to play Olise, soaring down the right before cutting it back to Harry Kane who bend it around Rudiger into the right corner.

An undercooked header back to Neuer from Upamecano almost undone Bayern but Vinicius would ultimately fire wide. With the clock ticking just past the hour mark, Alvaro Arbeloa called on the cavalry in ex-BVB man Jude Bellingham and Eder Militão. 

The Galacticos started to up the ante as the Mbappé-Neuer duel took centre stage once again, with the latter spreading himself to produce a third spectacular save of the night. Vincent Kompany also dipped into his reserves, introducing Jamal Musiala. 

As any football fan knows, you write Madrid off at your own peril and Bayern found out with 15 minutes remaining. Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed a delightful ball in from the right, laid on a plate for Mbappé to finally get the better of Neuer who almost kept it out. 

Barring a Kane snapshot, momentum swung entirely in the hosts' favour. Neuer was key in keeping a near-post drive from Vinicius out. Late on, Mbappé curled wide and Bayern spurned a chance to bag a third in the dying embers, but crucially take the lead home to Munich.