MADRID — Occasionally, the celebrated allure of the Bernabéu simply falls short.
This venue has witnessed countless spectacular UEFA Champions League evenings for Real Madrid, as they frequently overcame more formidable adversaries under often mysterious conditions. Yet, in their 1-2 reverse against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, they confronted the stark truth, their potential resurgence proving just unattainable.
Facing a skilled, assured, and seamless Bayern squad, Madrid appeared rather unremarkable for the initial sixty minutes. The visiting side demonstrated dominance, a fact more pronounced than the match’s tally conveyed. Nevertheless, as the latter half progressed, the situation gradually yet steadily shifted. Madrid commenced generating a consistent flow of opportunities, with Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé drawing ever nearer.
Once Mbappé eventually managed to reduce the deficit in the 74th minute, the Bernabéu faithful, guardedly optimistic, erupted in cheers as Madrid sought a second. However, the leveler remained elusive, primarily owing to Bayern’s custodian, Manuel Neuer, and his magnificent nine stops.
By the match’s conclusion, Bayern’s expected goals (xG) tally of 2.99 had comfortably surpassed Madrid’s 1.97, even though both squads registered 20 shots apiece. They also generated comparable quantities of opportunities (15-14 favoring Madrid, with Opta categorizing three of Madrid’s as ‘significant chances’ versus Bayern’s two).
A single-goal difference ensures the contest remains finely balanced as the clubs journey to Munich for the reverse fixture next week. “We’re alive,” coach Álvaro Arbeloa reiterated on multiple occasions following the game.
“We could have found the net more often,” Real Madrid’s custodian Andriy Lunin remarked subsequently. “The squad responded admirably. Neuer stood out as the MVP.” Antonio Rüdiger concurred: “Neuer was undoubtedly the premier performer.”
Nonetheless, the prevailing impression throughout much of this encounter was that Arbeloa’s squad had reached its true standard, with its limited virtues and numerous vulnerabilities unveiled under the Champions League limelight, facing premier opponents.
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern asserted control from the outset, fashioning two prime opportunities to score. One arose from Dayot Upamecano, whose poorly struck, close-range effort was saved from the goal-line by Álvaro Carreras. The second came from Serge Gnabry, who failed to capitalize on Thiago Pitarch’s errant delivery, leaving him one-on-one with Lunin. Ultimately, they took the lead via Luis Díaz, who concluded an astutely constructed play involving Harry Kane and Serge Gnabry in the 41st minute.
Kane’s strike, extending the lead to 0-2 mere seconds into the second half, rendered any resurgence seem even more remote. Arbeloa’s interval address must undoubtedly have urged Madrid to commence with vigor and fervor, pressing Bayern forcefully.
In stark contrast, they appeared strikingly inactive: Vinicius Junior delivered an erroneous pass to Carreras, who, under duress, conceded possession easily. While Vinícius and Mbappé languidly retreated towards their own net, Bayern advanced the play to Kane, who, completely unmarked outside the penalty area, guided his shot beyond Lunin.
“We committed two errors [leading to the goals],” Arbeloa stated. “We surrendered possession twice. We must prevent such occurrences. Against these caliber teams, if you make blunders, you suffer the consequences.”
Madrid demonstrated their most potent offensive prowess during the final thirty minutes, coinciding with Bayern’s pressing intensity beginning to fade, which afforded the home team greater room to exploit.
Three promising opportunities arose within seven minutes, immediately following the hour mark. Initially, Vinicius Junior, assisted by Upamecano’s feeble header, attempted to bypass Manuel Neuer, but was ushered to the flank and failed to direct his effort towards goal. Subsequently, Mbappé had two near misses, first thwarted by Neuer, then sending the ball wide across the goalmouth shortly thereafter. Nevertheless, Mbappé persisted.
“That’s the Mbappé we desire to witness,” Arbeloa remarked. “He represented an unrelenting danger.”
Additional danger emerged when Trent Alexander-Arnold gained possession. His services from the right flank had appeared as one of Madrid’s most viable avenues to goal throughout the evening, and he now delivered a cross for Mbappé, whose far-post shot trickled across the goal-line after being originally parried by Neuer.
While Madrid pressed for another goal, reciprocal peril also emerged at the opposite end. Bayern had three opportunities to seal the outcome of the fixture in the waning moments. Éder Militão, introduced as a substitute, notably enhanced Madrid’s performance and intercepted a delivery destined for the six-yard box. Bayern then had two additional near misses in the 89th and 91st minutes, including squandering a clear three-on-one counter-attack.
Madrid’s challenge for the return fixture in Munich next week will be exacerbated by the unavailability of Aurélien Tchouaméni, their most reliable performer this season. He will be banned, and there is no obvious successor for him in the midfield.
They will need to be audacious and adopt an aggressive stance, a tactic unfamiliar to a squad more accustomed to a cautious, deep defensive posture.
“If any team is capable of triumphing in Munich, it is Real Madrid,” Arbeloa asserted during his subsequent press briefing. They could possibly do so.
Madrid could yet achieve something remarkable and unforeseen in Germany, a feat for which they have a precedent, possessing players like Vinicius, Mbappé, Bellingham, and Valverde who can render it achievable.
However, despite a significantly better final thirty minutes here, their performance at the Bernabéu proved inadequate. They must exert greater effort in Munich, and in pursuing that aim, will also render themselves more susceptible to attack.