Bayern stuns Real Madrid in Champions League quarterfinals
Harry Kane delivered for Bayern Munich on his return from injury, scoring a goal and helping set up another in his team’s 2-1 win at Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Kylian Mbappe scored Madrid’s goal after the visitors had taken a two-goal lead at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Kane had been listed as a gameday decision after missing the team’s Bundesliga match last weekend because of an ankle injury.
The result left Bayern with an edge ahead of the second leg in Germany next week as it tries to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2023-24, when it was eliminated by eventual champion Madrid. “We are still alive, clearly,” Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said.
“We are one goal away. We have shown that we can win anywhere. We showed it with the scoring chances that we had against an opponent that we knew was going to make it difficult for us.”
Arsenal won 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon in the other quarterfinal on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Barcelona will host Spanish rival Atletico Madrid, and Liverpool will visit defending champion Paris Saint-Germain.
Madrid and Bayern are playing their sixth knockout-stage meeting in 14 seasons, with the Spanish powerhouse having won four of their five two-leg matchups since the 2011-12 season.
Kane participated in the build-up of Bayern’s first goal in the 41st minute, exchanging passes with Serge Gnabry who ultimately fed a through ball for Luis Diaz inside the area.
The Colombia forward calmly sent a low shot past Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. Kane scored himself in the 46th with a nice one-timer from the top of the area, firmly finding the corner with a low strike.
It was his 11th Champions League goal, equalling his best scoring season in the European tournament. He finished with 11 goals in 2024-25.
Kane has scored 22 Champions League goals since the start of the 2024-25 season, the most of anybody.
Mbappe scored his 20th Champions League goal since the start of the 2024-25 season in the 74th, finding the net from close range after a pinpoint low cross by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Mbappe leads the scoring this season with 14 goals, which is double the forward’s total last season. He is three goals shy of the most goals in a single Champions League campaign achieved by Cristiano Ronaldo with Madrid in 2013-14.
Vinicius Junior had one of Madrid’s best chances in a one-on-one situation with Manuel Neuer in the 61st.
