Bayern Munich closed out a dramatic 2-1 win at the home of 15-time UEFA Champions League (UCL) winners Real Madrid in the first leg of their showpiece quarter-final tie, making Die Roten the favourites to advance to the last four for the 22nd time.
2025/2026 UEFA Champions League
1-2
Match Report
Modern and historic in equal measure, the Bernabéu provided the perfect backdrop for this meeting between the two most successful sides at this stage of the competition. And they lived up to expectation in a first half which showcased the quality of these storied clubs all over the pitch from the very first exchanges. Bayern began on top, and were in disbelief when Dayot Upamecano failed to properly connect with Harry Kane’s headed pass from just a couple of yards out. But the hosts soon began to effectively use their pace on the counter, as Manuel Neuer was required to deny Kylian Mbappé following Arda Güler’s slipped through ball.
That wasn’t the last time Bayern’s legendary stopper would be seen on the highlights reel in the half, with his next save from Mbappé only bettered by a diving stop to prevent a powerful Vinícius Júnior strike from finding the bottom right. Despite those chances, it would have been wrong to suggest the visitors didn’t deserve their opener, which stunned the home crowd five minutes before HT. They carved Madrid open with a rapid passing move, culminating in a perfect through pass by Serge Gnabry which was received gratefully by Luis Díaz and passed into the net.
And Madrid had barely returned from the dressing room when Bayern compounded their misery, with a mazy Michael Olise run and lay-off providing the service for Kane to sweep beyond Andriy Lunin from the edge of the area within 30 seconds of the restart. Lunin did manage to stop Olise getting one of his own on two occasions in the aftermath, though the hosts soon started to show signs of improvement. They were given a gift when Upamecano’s botched clearance fell straight to Vinícius, though the Brazilian couldn’t find the net on rounding Neuer, while Mbappé curled just beyond the post.
That recent pressure did come to fruition with 15 minutes remaining though, as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s low cross to the far post found Mbappé, whose finish crossed the line despite Neuer’s best efforts. There were predictably more chances for Los Blancos from there, but they couldn’t prevent just a second defeat in nine H2Hs with Bayern. Die Roten’s goals either side of the break place them in the driving seat in the tie, and possibly earmarks them as early favourites for a seventh UCL title.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
1' Laimer finds himself in a promising position but his attempt goes over the bar
6' Olise makes a good solo run but Huijsen kicks his legs and fouls
7' Olise hasa shot at goal from the free kick, but it hits the wall and goes wide
8' Kimmich swings in a cross from the corner, but Lunin gathers the ball
10' Upamecano gets to a rebound and strikes but Carreras makes a goal-line clearance
16' A defence-splitting pass is taken by Mbappe, but his shot is saved by Neuer
18' Vini smashes an effort towards the bottom right corner, but Neuer denies him
25' TAA strikes the ball towards goal, but his effort fails to threaten the keeper
27' Gnabry shows good awareness inside the box but his effort is stopped by Lunin
28' Mbappe unleashes a quick low drive, but Neuer pulls off a great save
34' Vini Jr tries his luck from the edge of the box, but his effort is saved
37' Yellow Card! Tchouameni booked for his blatant foul
41' GOAL! Gnabry assists Luis Diaz to break the deadlock! Real Madrid 0-1 Bayern
44' Oliver blows his whistle for a foul after Stanisic hacks down his opponent
45' Vini appeals for a penalty but the ref takes no action
46' GOAL! Kane arrows in a well-placed shot as Olise assists! Real Madrid 0-2 Bayern
47' Olise takes the ball to the corner flag and sends it into the box
53' Vini takes a mid-range shot, but it lacks accuracy and it goes way over the bar
54' Mbappe receives a pass and bursts into the box, but his attempt is stopped
56' Olise easily weaves through the defence and unleashes a shot, but it is saved
58' Kane has an attempt on goal, but Valverde blocks his effort
60' Alvaro Carreras is penalised after knocking Olise down
61' Vini gets a shot away from inside the penalty box, but it goes inches wide
62' Bellingham and Militao on, Thiago and Huijsen off
63' Olise makes a good run with the ball, but his shot goes narrowly over the bar
65' Luis Diaz pulls the trigger inside the box, but his effort is stopped
66' Mbappe drives a shot towards the net, but Neuer knocks the ball away
68' Mbappe finds some space for a shot, but his effort goes wide of the right post
69' Musiala and Alphonso Davies on, Gnabry and Laimer off
70' Yellow Card! Tah booked
74' GOAL! Mbappe receives a cross from TAA and scores! Real Madrid 1-2 Bayern
75' A pass into the penalty area finds Kane, but his effort goes wide
77' Yellow Card! Luis Díaz booked as he brings down Vini Jr
80' Brahim Diaz takes a shot from distance but it is saved
81' Vini is down in the box but the ref takes no action
82' Vini unleashes a shot in the direction of the right post, but Neuer denies him
83' Antonio Rudiger is penalised for a foul as he brings down Neuer
86' Yellow Card! Musiala booked
Line-ups
Real Madrid XI: Rudiger, Alexander-Arnold, Mbappe, Valverde, Lunin, Tchouameni, Vinicius, Güler, Álvaro Carreras, Dean Huijsen, Thiago Pitarch
Subs: Alaba, Carvajal, Ceballos, Militao, Brahim, Fran García, Camavinga, Bellingham, Gonzalo García, Raúl Asencio, Fran González, Franco Mastantuono
Bayern XI: Neuer, Kane, Gnabry, Kimmich, Tah, Laimer, Upamecano, Luis Díaz, Stanisic, Olise, Pavlovic
Subs: Guerreiro, Goretzka, Alphonso Davies, Min-jae Kim, Hiroki Ito, Musiala, Jonas Urbig, Nicolas Jackson, Tom Bischof, Lennart Karl, Erblin Osmani