Karim Benzema’s goal was the only difference as Real Madrid take a slender advantage into their Champions League semi-final second leg with Bayern Munich.
Bayern dominated the early stages with plenty of possession deploying Pep Guardiola’s renown “Tika-Taka” football from the start but they had very little to show from it. The best chance of the first half falling to former Madrid man Arjen Robben in the 13th minute as his long range shot clipped off a Madrid defender, going harmlessly wide of the goal.
Bayern continued to pressure the Madrid defence, starving them of possession as they constantly looked for a way through. However, it was Madrid who would take the lead from a what looked like a promising attack from Bayern. The returning Cristiano Ronaldo, picked up the ball in midfield and fed Fabio Coentrao, where the full back cut the ball across goal where Benzema was waiting to slot it into an empty net with ease to score his 24th goal of the season.
Munich continued to press on in an attempt to draw the game level, but again it was Madrid with all the chances as Ronaldo missed a golden chance to double the lead for Los Blancos. Goalscorer, Benezma put the ball into the middle of the box for the Portugese man to finish off Munich, he instead put the ball high and over the goal. The frustration was clear on his face as he knew he should have put the chance away. The next big chance fell to Angel Di Maria, as the ball fell to his feet from a cross but he blazed his shot over the bar just minutes before half time.
Bayern had one more chance before half time, Arjen Robben putting the ball high and wide after an amazing dribble deep into the Madrid half. Xabi Alonso did well to hold the Dutch winger off, making it difficult for him to get off any sort of half decent attempt on goal as his chance floated over the cross bar giving Casillas nothing to worry about.
The second half began much of the same as Bayern continued their possession play, trying to play their way around the Madrid defence to no avail. Their best chance coming deep into the second half when Mario Gotze, who was brought on in place of Frank Ribery, picked up the ball in the Madrid box and fired the ball straight at Casillas. The Veteran ‘keeper pulling off a reflex save to keep the score at 1-0.
Cristiano Ronaldo continued to threaten the Munich goal with two good chances to stretch Madrid’s lead. The first coming from some quick thinking from the Ballon d’Or winner but Jerome Boateng made the angle too tight for him to muster a shot on target. Soon after he tested Neuer again as he got a shot off from the edge of the box, only for it go straight to Neuer. His return from injury was cut short as he made way for a flu ridden Gareth Bale. The Welsh winger’s last appearance for Madrid coming in the Copa Del Rey final where he scored the winner for Madrid in the dying embers of the game. There were no heroics this time however, as Bayern had the grand share of possession throughout the second half.
Late in the game, Bayern had a penalty claim turned down, as Muller felt he was taken down in the box by Alonso. Howard Webb waved the protests away as Bayern did everything they could to try and get an equalising goal in injury time. It was not to be their day as Madrid claimed a narrow win even though they saw very little of the ball all night. Pep Guardiola will hope to overturn this when the two sides meet in the Allianz next tuesday for the second leg.
Line Ups and Statistics
Real Madrid
Casillas, Carvajal, Fábio Coentrão, Alonso, Pepe (Varane – 73′ ), Ramos, Modric, Isco (Illarramendi – 82′ ), Benzema, Di María, Ronaldo (Bale – 74′ )
Bayern Munich
Neuer, Rafinha (Javi Martínez – 66′ ), Alaba, Kroos, Boateng, Dante, Robben, Lahm, Mandzukic, Schweinsteiger (Müller – 74′ ), Ribéry (Götze – 72′ )