Bayern Munich 1 – 2 Real Madrid: Three Takeaways from the Champions League

Mistakes Made the Match

Mistakes by both sides were the deciding factor in this match. Bayern were dominant in possession for much of the match. It wasn’t useless possession either, as they troubled Real Madrid’s box time and time again with attacks coming mostly through Robben attempting to exploit Marcelo’s defensive frailties.

It was Nacho, who also had a poor match against Atletico Madrid in midweek, who missed his mark on Vidal, leaving him open for Bayern’s opening goal. Vidal is a tough customer, for sure, but it’s hard to imagine the likes of Pepe getting bossed around that easily by him.

However, Nacho was a stalwart besides that mistake, and his defensive discipline was crucial to keeping Bayern out of the game later on.

Another mistake that was a crucial turning point in the match was Vidal’s missed penalty. Having already scored the opener, Vidal was looking for his brace from the spot. But instead of slotting it behind Keylor, Vidal aimed for the stands. Had he not skied the shot, this would have been a very different match.

The second big mistake from Bayern that defined their evening was Javi Martinez getting two consecutive yellows within the span of a few minutes. The second yellow card was a bit harsh from the referee, but it was stupid for Martinez to have gone in sliding so quickly after his previous booking.

The contact on Ronaldo was light, and he probably milked it for more than it was worth, but there was definitely contact. This could have gone the other way very easily, but Martinez still should have known better than to give the ref an excuse.

"The red card changed the entire complexion of the game."

Madrid were no longer forced to be tentative in their attacking play, as Marcelo was freed up to bomb forward on the wings, and the midfielders began implementing an aggressive press that saw Madrid pepper Munich’s goal with shots throughout the last twenty odd minutes of the match. Bayern were perhaps lucky to not have conceded another given the pressure they were under.