Bayern Munich win Champions League classic to knock Real Madrid out & march into semis

Bayern’s narrow lead from the initial match was erased almost immediately after kick off, when Manuel Neuer strayed beyond his penalty area with the ball and gifted a pass directly to Arda Guler, who unleashed a swift shot from 35 yards that found the target before the keeper could return to his post.

However, the quick blow did not unsettle the home team, who levelled the score in that leg just five minutes after, with Aleksandar Pavlovic heading in Joshua Kimmich’s corner delivery beyond the struggling Andriy Lunin.

Bayern controlled most of the possession during the first quarter hour, though the most promising opportunity fell to Real, where Kylian Mbappe was thwarted by an excellent tackle from Konrad Laimer after breaking clear.

Kimmich played a key role in yet another corner in the 27th minute, collecting the ball following a short routine before unleashing a powerful effort that Lunin tipped away impressively.

The Ukrainian goalkeeper’s fine save became vital shortly afterwards, as Real earned a free kick from 25 yards and Guler showed he could outwit Neuer from distance even with the shot stopper set, by bending it into the upper corner.

Once more, Vincent Kompany’s team hit back resiliently, and following efforts from Serge Gnabry and Pavlovic that tested Lunin, Dayot Upamecano threaded a precise ball to Harry Kane, who controlled it neatly before slotting into the bottom corner to regain Bayern’s overall advantage.

In the closing stages of the first half, Vinicius Junior emerged as the focal point.

He first connected with a lofted pass from Brahim Diaz and bent his shot against the crossbar’s top. Moments later, he exploited his speed along the left flank and crossed for Mbappe to finish calmly, handing Real a third lead in the evening’s proceedings.

Bayern might have equalised right at the start of the second period, but Jude Bellingham blocked Luis Diaz’s attempt, and Upamecano then nodded over from the subsequent corner.

Real had a chance to take the lead in the aggregate, yet Mbappe’s controlled volley was parried firmly by Neuer.

Bayern kept dominating the midfield, and while Real’s defensive setup held firm, Lunin still had to deflect a Michael Olise strike, though they posed danger on counters, with Federico Valverde forcing a save from Neuer.

Nearing the last 15 minutes, Olise’s wide free kick saw the unmarked Upamecano bizarrely head astray.

With four minutes remaining in normal time, Bayern gained a significant edge when Eduardo Camavinga picked up a second yellow for delaying play after a foul by tossing the ball aside, and the Germans capitalised on their numerical superiority in under three minutes.

Luis Diaz exchanged a clever one-two with Jamal Musiala prior to his 20-yard effort taking a deflection off Eder Militão and evading Lunin’s grasp. 

This marked Bayern’s 17th consecutive unbeaten outing across all tournaments, yet they crafted an exciting semi final matchup against Paris Saint-Germain with flair, as Olise bent in the decisive strike on the game’s final action.

For Real, the 15 time winners, it represents only their second quarter final elimination in the past 14 such campaigns.