MUNICH, GERMANY – APRIL 30: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals between FC Bayern München and Real Madrid at Allianz Arena on April 30 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Boris Streubel/Getty Images)
The UEFA Champions League semi-final between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid began Tuesday with a delightful first leg – but without a winner.
The two European superpowers dueled at the Allianz Arena in Germany. Both scored dazzling goals. Both led. But neither maintained the lead. Vinicius Jr.’s second goal earned Real Madrid a 2-2 draw and an implied advantage heading home for next week’s second leg.
Bayern, looking to salvage a difficult season, took control early on. But Real Madrid, driven by the brilliance of Vini and Toni Kroos, took a 1-0 lead midway through the first half. Vini dragged Kim Min-Jae out of position and then fired past the Bayern defender to give the visitors an advantage against the run of play.
Bayern responded during five frantic minutes of the second half. Leroy Sané fired a laser, his first goal in 185 days, to equalize. Harry Kane put Bayern ahead from the penalty spot.
But Kim clumsily brought down Rodrygo in the box with less than 10 minutes remaining. Vini converted the penalty. And Real Madrid, as always, weathered a European storm and moved to the brink of another Champions League final.
Los Blancos will be the favorite for next Wednesday’s second leg (3 p.m. ET, Paramount+).
You can relive the first hand as it happened below.
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FULL TIME: Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid
Vini Jr.’s two goals keep things tied in the first leg, as the decisive game will be in Madrid next Wednesday.
Vini Jr. equalizes with his 5th goal in the Champions League!
Vini equalizes from the penalty spot.
A nightmarish night for Bayern centre-back Kim Min-Jae.
He was dragged and exposed by Vini for the previous first goal.
Now, his clumsy challenge on Rodrygo ends Bayern’s advantage. The penalty was unquestionable. Vini converts. 2-2.
Penalty for Real Madrid!! Vini Jr. approaches to shoot.
Luka Modric, 38, just lost a penny to Vini.
Manuel Neuer stands out and defends.
So many great players on display here. A great spectacle. This is the peak of the Champions League.
10 minutes remaining, still 2-1 to Bayern
Real Madrid subscribers
Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz replace Toni Kroos and… Jude Bellingham?!?
A little surprise. But Bellingham was pretty quiet tonight.
14 minutes plus remaining injury time. Bayern look more likely to score again.
Real Madrid rocking
Harry Kane’s deflected shot went wide of the post.
A free header from Eric Dier nestles into the arms of Andriy Lunin.
Real Madrid live dangerously here. As it stands, this is a 50/50 proposition on the return to Madrid for the second leg. Another Bayern goal would change that.
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 created space in midfield to send the ball to Leroy Sané on the right wing.
Sané broke his 185-day goal drought with a quintessential goal from Leroy Sané – cutting inside with his left foot and firing a laser.
Then Jamal Musiala danced in the Real Madrid box and won the penalty.
Lucas’s mistake in leaving the stone. With Musiala it is a danger to do something like that.
In his first appearance in the Champions League semi-finals, Harry Kane put Bayern ahead 2-1:
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’s midfield.
Which isn’t a “F it, let’s chase the game” change. It’s another small tactical adjustment.
Toni Kroos’ first half: not just the assist. Very close to perfection with the ball.
After Harry Kane’s free kick went just yards wide, Bayern Munich now have eight shots to Real Madrid’s one.
But that one was of very high quality, and the eight were mostly so-called “half chances” – none stand out as a glaring error.
Still 1-0 with half-time approaching.
Will Bayern be able to find its rhythm again?
The challenge now for Bayern: find the rhythm of the first 20 minutes again, not let any moment corrupt their game plan.
There is a risk of starting to chase the game and losing control, especially against this Real Madrid team.
Real, meanwhile, will be even happier to dive into their own defensive third and play on the counter-attack – which is arguably when Los Blancos are at their best.
