Bayern Munich 1-2 Real Madrid
When it is, there is little the opposition can do.
Of course, to an extent, great sides create their own momentum anyway and Real Madrid certainly fall into that category.
And so it proved in the Allianz Arena.
Football games between two giants of the game were always likely to produce a close affair.
The pre-match betting odds suggested as much and so, in a rare moment of accuracy, did my betting tips!
But it is advantage Real Madrid ahead of next week’s second leg after goals from Marcelo and Marco Asensio overturned an initial deficit.
The holders had their moments of good fortune while Bayern, winners in 2013 under JuppHeynckes, will feel aggrieved after having little luck themselves.
However, the truth is you need an element of luck to win any competition and Madrid, even when not playing well, have that special something when it comes to the Champions League.
It was hard not to feel some sympathy for the Bavarians who lost their hero of that 2013 triumph, Arjen Robben, to injury inside eight minutes and then saw centre back Jerome Boateng limp off 11 minutes before the break.
When your luck is out, your luck is out.
By then Bayern had actually taken the lead, although Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas should never have assumed Joshua Kimmich would cross the ball instead of shoot and beat him at his near post.
A gamble but one that was forgotten about on the stroke of half-time as Marcelo levelled with a first-time strike into the bottom corner.
Suddenly, the momentum, not to mention, the morale was with Madrid.
As if to labour the point, Isco failed to reappear after the break with a shoulder injury but his replacement, Asensio, took only nine minutes to fire them in front after Dani Carvajal capitalised on a Rafinha mistake.
The German champions created chances but were unable to grab an equaliser and Cristiano Ronaldo had a goal ruled out as his record of scoring in every European match this season finally ended.
But it didn’t matter. Madrid had the priceless advantage and, while this tie is far from over, Zinedine Zidane’s men are on course to reach a fourth Champions League final in five years.
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