The second leg of the Champions League semi-finals between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium was an unnervingly entertaining game filled with odd moments to put things mildly. From a Bayern perspective, it ended with an all too familiar result and with more than just a hint of déjà vu. Here’s a look at what initially worked and ultimately failed for the Bavarian side.
Bayern weather the storm in the first half
Just after the kickoff, Leroy Sane sold Joshua Kimmich short with a pass that Vinicius Junior intercepted to put Bayern under pressure. It was a sign of what was to come from the Brazilian winger throughout the game.
A few minutes later, it appeared that inexplicable forces beyond the playing field were working against Bayern. With Antonio Rudiger and Bayern players focussed on one ball in Real Madrid's half, another Real Madrid player in Die Roten's half took a throw-in that led to a double save from Manuel Neuer to deny either Vinicius Junior or Rodrygo from opening the scoring from just inside the box. That passage of play was so perplexing it almost caught out the cameraman who was focusing on Rudiger. Had either of the Brazilians managed to score then, it would have been a surprisingly early sucker punch.
After a frantic start, Bayern settled down as the half went on. They had chances to take the lead, but poor decision-making in the final third let them down. The visitors did well to weather the early storm and keep it goalless at the break.