The UEFA Champions League semi-final between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid began on Tuesday with a delicious first leg, with superstars and sparring, with noise and nerves – but without a winner.
Bayern and Real faced each other at the Allianz Arena in Germany. Both scored dazzling goals. Both, for more than 25 minutes, led.
But neither held their lead. Vinicius Jr.’s second goal of the evening earned Real Madrid a 2-2 draw and an implied homecoming advantage for next week’s second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.
Bayern, looking to salvage a difficult season, took control of the ball and the match early. But Madrid, boosted by the genius of Vini and Toni Kroos, took a 1-0 lead midway through the first half. Vini dragged Kim Min-Jae out of position, then rushed behind the Bayern defender to give the visitors the lead against the run of play.
Bayern responded over the course of five frantic minutes in the second half. Leroy Sané fired a laser, his first goal in 185 days, to equalize.
Harry Kane then gave Bayern the advantage from the penalty spot, after a dazzling dribble from Jamal Musiala, and suddenly, the kings of Europe faltered. For most of the second half, Bayern pressed for – and almost found – a third goal.
But with less than 10 minutes remaining, Kim clumsily fouled Rodrygo in the area. Vini converted the penalty. And Real Madrid, as always, as in the last round against Manchester City, weathered the European storm.
The 14-time champions will be favored heading into next Wednesday’s rematch (3 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+/Univision). They are on the verge of yet another final, perhaps against their future star, Kylian Mbappé of Paris Saint-Germain. (PSG’s semi-final against Borussia Dortmund starts on Wednesday and ends next Tuesday.)
But they will know like everyone else that there is still work to do. Bayern, although dethroned in Germany, proved on Tuesday that it was still powerful.
You can relive the first leg as it happened below.
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FULL TIME: Bayern Munich 2 – 2 Real Madrid
Vini Jr.’s double keeps things level in the first leg as the decider takes place in Madrid next Wednesday.
Vini Jr. equalizes with his 5th goal in the Champions League!
Vini equalizes from the penalty spot.
A nightmarish evening for Bayern central defender Kim Min-Jae.
He was dragged and exposed by Vini on the first goal earlier.
Now his clumsy tackle on Rodrygo causes Bayern to lose the lead. The sanction was not in doubt. Vini converts. 2-2.
Penalty for Real Madrid!! Vini Jr. steps up to shoot.
Luka Modric, 38, just dropped a penny in Vini.
Manuel Neuer stands and saves.
So many great players on display here. Quite a spectacle. This is the pinnacle of the Champions League.
10 minutes left, still 2-1 against Bayern
Real Madrid substitutes
Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz replace Toni Kroos and… Jude Bellingham?!?
A bit of a surprise. But Bellingham was pretty quiet tonight.
14 minutes plus remaining stoppage time. Bayern looks more likely to score again.
Real Madrid falters
A deflected shot from Harry Kane goes past the post.
A free header from Eric Dier nestles directly into the arms of Andriy Lunin.
Real Madrid live dangerously here. As it stands, it’s a 50/50 proposition to return to Madrid for the second leg. Another Bayern goal would be a game-changer.
What a turnaround!
From 0-1 to 2-1 in less than five minutes!
And it was designed by Bayern’s three most dynamic players.
Konrad Laimer squeezed into a space in midfield to send the ball to Leroy Sané on the right wing.
Sané ended his 185-day drought with a quintessential goal from Leroy Sané – cutting inside his left foot and unleashing a laser.
Then Jamal Musiala danced in the Real Madrid box and won the penalty.
Lucas error dejando la pierna. With Musiala, he is a man who does something like that.
Harry Kane converted. Bayern has come back to life.
In his first appearance in the Champions League semi-final, Harry Kane gives Bayern a 2-1 lead:
And now, after Sané’s equalizer, a penalty for Bayern!
Second half in progress
A change at half-time: Raphaël Guerreiro replaces Leon Goretzka in Bayern midfield.
Which is not a “F it, let’s get on with the game” change. This is more of a minor tactical adjustment.
First half from Toni Kroos: not just the assist. Pretty close to perfect on the ball.
After a Harry Kane free-kick blasted a few yards wide, Bayern Munich now have eight shots to Real Madrid’s one.
But this one was very high quality, and all eight were mostly “half chances” – none standing out as a blatant failure.
Still 1-0 heading into halftime.
Can Bayern get back into rhythm?
The challenge now for Bayern: get back into the rhythm of the first 20 minutes, don’t let a single moment corrupt your game plan.
There is a risk in chasing the play and losing control, especially against this Real Madrid team.
Real, meanwhile, will be even happier to drop deep into their own defensive third and play on the counter – which is arguably the case when The Whites are at their best.
