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

Real Madrid defeated Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals by two goals to one in Munich. Alex McVey reviews the match with three quick takeaways.

CR7 Ends Draught to Score His 100^th Champions League Goal

Cristiano Ronaldo was in something of a draught in the Champions League this season. Having failed to score in Real Madrid’s last five matches, Ronaldo was in the midst of his longest dry spell in European competition. As ESPN FC points out, Ronaldo had gone 659 minutes without scoring in Europe.

That was just not good enough for the superlative Cristiano. Ronaldo has been rising to the occasion and scoring in big games, and the match against Bayern Munich was no exception.

The first goal came after Casemiro played Dani Carvajal in on the right hand side, who then delivered a sharp cross to Ronaldo. Ronaldo hit the ball with the side of his foot, coming at the ball at an angle, putting it wide of Neuer into the back of the net.

The second goal saw Ronaldo poking the ball in the back of the net after an incredibly adept run that Marco Asensio intelligently picked out with a pinpoint cross.

Ronaldo was unlucky to not have had more goals to his name, as Neuer kept the Dark Invader at bay on more than one occasion, including this point blank save that would have broken the hand of most mere mortals trying to punch it away.

Ronaldo’s brace gives Madrid two crucial away goals which will be vital when facing off against Bayern next Tuesday in the Bernabéu.

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.

Madrid’s Winning Mentality

Real Madrid under Zinedine Zidane don’t often have the look of a team bound for glory.

They can barely keep a clean sheet. They are tactically over-reliant on crosses. They have a tough time breaking teams down through the middle. And despite producing occasional moments of exciting football (the 3-0 against Atleti in the fall comes to mind), they just simply have not bossed many teams in the way that people have come to expect of Los Galacticos.

However, one thing that Zidane has managed to install in his team, is a never-say-die mentality. Real Madrid have come from behind on a number of big occasions this season, from the UEFA Supercup win against Sevilla, against Real Betis in La Liga, and against Napoli both home and away.

Against Bayern Munich, Madrid were facing a team that had not lost at home in the Champions League in 16 matches.

Bayern were looking impressive for much of this match. After conceding one goal, and nearly another through a penalty, it looked like Bayern were starting to run away with it.

But Madrid kept their composure, stuck to their game plan, and came away with a crucial away win.

Madrid’s ability to come back following a deficit has to give Zidane’s men hope and mental strength going forward. While it would be nice to see more clean sheets from Madrid, it’s great to have a squad that knows they can overturn a game when it starts off poorly.