The UEFA Champions League semifinal between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid kicked off Tuesday with a delicious first leg, with superstars and sparring, with noise and nerves — but without a winner.
Bayern and Real dueled at the Allianz Arena in Germany. Both scored blinding goals. Both, for more than 25 minutes, led.
But neither held their lead. Vinicius Jr.’s second goal on the night earned Real Madrid a 2-2 draw, and an implicit advantage heading back home for next week’s second leg at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
Bayern, looking to salvage a rocky season, took control of the ball and the game early. But Madrid, boosted 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, then darted behind the Bayern defender to give the visitors a lead against the run of play.
Bayern responded over five frantic second-half minutes. Leroy Sané unleashed a laser, his first goal in 185 days, to equalize.
Harry Kane then put Bayern ahead from the penalty spot, after a dazzling dribble from Jamal Musiala, and suddenly, the kings of Europe were wobbling. For most of the second half, Bayern pressed for — and nearly found — a third goal.
But with less than 10 minutes remaining, Kim clumsily fouled Rodrygo in the box. Vini converted the penalty. And Real Madrid, as always, as ever, just as it did last round against Manchester City, weathered a European storm.
The 14-time champions will be favored heading into next Wednesday’s second leg (3 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+/Univision). They are on the cusp of yet another final, perhaps against their soon-to-be star, Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé. (PSG’s semifinal against Borussia Dortmund begins Wednesday, and concludes next Tuesday.)
They will know as well as anyone, though, that there is still work to do. Bayern, although dethroned in Germany, proved Tuesday that it is still mighty.
You can re-live the first leg as it happened below.
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