Real are still the real deal
CLINCHED: FROM A GOAL DOWN TO BEATING BAYERN 2-1
A third straight title is on the cards for Spanish giants.
Munich
Defending champions Real Madrid last night came from a goal down to snatch a 2-1 victory against Bayern Munich, giving them a considerable advantage going into their Champions League semi-final second leg in Spain next week.
For Real, eyeing a third straight title, Marcelo scored an equaliser against the run of play just before half time to cancel out Joshua Kimmich’s opener.
Early in the second half a perfect break allowed Real substitute Marco Asensio to grab the winner.
The result was identical to last year’s quarter-final first leg between the teams before Real won the return game as well on the way to the first successful Champions League title defence.
It was a rare quiet night for Cristiano Ronaldo as he failed to score for the first time in 12 Champions League outings.
The absence of Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale from the starting XI called their futures into question. When Zinedine Zidane reshuffled at half-time, it wasn’t one of the two missing members of his “BBC” that he turned to, but Asensio. The youngster scored the crucial winner.
Marcelo was all over the place defensively at times and was partly at fault for Bayern’s opener, but he has now scored more goals than any other defender in the Champions League knockout stage.
His seventh goal in the latter stages was a magnificent strike, adding to his goals against Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus earlier in the campaign. For all the gaps he leaves behind on his raids forwards, the Brazilian more than makes up for by being one of Real’s most consistent attacking threats.
Bayern have not bolstered their squad as much as their fellow European giants in recent years and it showed last night.
Franck Ribery, 35, was their best player on the night, but his fellow 2013 Champions League winners Jerome Boateng and Arjen Robben both hobbled off in the first half.
The German champions have barely been tested in romping to seven straight Bundesliga titles, but have repeatedly been shown their shortcomings in Europe.
Earlier in the season Bayern recalled veteran coach Jupp Heynckes after the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti.
Judging by last night’s evidence, Bayern also need fresh blood on the pitch when Niko Kovac takes over as coach at the end of the season. –