UEFA CL: Bayern hits hard in Madrid, Arsenal snatches victory in Lisbon
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All original articlesBayern Munich took a serious option on the qualification by winning (2-1) on the pitch of Real Madrid, after an intense clash in the first leg of the Champions League quarter final. In the other match of the evening, Arsenal snatched a precious victory against Sporting (1-0), thanks to a late goal by Kai Havertz.
Bayern Munich makes Real Madrid pay
It was the poster queen of these quarter-finals, and she did not disappoint. Between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, accustomed to the big European evenings, the duel turned once again in favor of the Bavarians (2-1), at the end of a match mastered in its highlights. From the first period, the scenario was drawn around a man: Manuel Neuer.
The German goalkeeper, imperial despite his 40 years, multiplied decisive interventions, notably against Kylian Mbappé (18th, 29th), keeping Bayern afloat in moments of pressure in Madrid. More realistic, the Germans struck before the break. Served in the area, Luis Díaz opened the scoring with a clinical strike (41'), rewarding a globally balanced first period. The turning point of the match comes as soon as the break comes around. On a quick play, Michael Olise finds Harry Kane, who doubles the lead (46th).
Real, knocked out, struggles to get back up. Despite several opportunities, notably for Vinícius Júnior, the Spaniards still clash with Neuer, who made a total of eight saves. It was necessary to wait until the 74th minute to see Mbappé restart his team, scoring his 14th goal in the competition this season. Insufficient, however, to reverse the trend. Bayern leave Madrid with a valuable advantage before the return match in Munich, where Real will have to show a completely different face to hope to reverse the situation.
Arsenal leave Lisbon with narrow advantage
In the other quarter-final, Arsenal suffered for a long time on the field of Sporting CP. Sometimes dominated and put under pressure in an electric atmosphere at Alvalade, the Gunners have nevertheless shown resilience. Sporting, led by Pedro Gonçalves and Francisco Trincão, lacked efficiency in its highlights, notably against a decisive David Raya.
Little inspired in the game, Arsenal relied on their fundamentals, notably on set pieces, before making the difference in the final moments. Launched on the left side, Gabriel Martinelli perfectly served Kai Havertz, who scored the winning goal in stoppage time (90+1e). A precious success for Mikel Arteta’s men, who take a short lead before the return match at the Emirates Stadium.