April 08, (THEWILL) — Bayern Munich left the Spanish capital with a 2-1 first-leg lead following a gripping UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Luis Diaz opened the scoring in the 41st minute, applying a first-time finish to round off a sweeping team move. The goal came after Manuel Neuer had kept Bayern’s lead intact with sharp stops to deny Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, while Madrid escaped punishment when Thiago Pitarch surrendered the ball in a dangerous area without consequence.
Bayern doubled their advantage barely 20 seconds after the interval. Michael Olise picked out Harry Kane in space on the edge of the penalty area, and the England striker steered his effort into the bottom-right corner with clinical precision.
Real Madrid pressed for a way back into the tie. Vinicius Junior rounded Neuer but could not find the target, before Neuer then produced a remarkable stop to tip Mbappe’s driven attempt around the post. Bayern had also let their own opportunity slip earlier in the match, when Upamecano mishit a Kane pullback inside the six-yard box, and Alvaro Carreras was able to clear off the line.
Madrid’s persistence eventually paid off. Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered a precise cross from the right, and Mbappe turned the ball in at close range, even though Neuer got a hand to the shot and came close to keeping it out. Bayern now hold a one-goal lead heading into the second leg in Munich.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
