Soccer
Bayern Munich edged out Real Madrid 6-4 on aggregate in a classic Champions League quarter-final tie, taking advantage of Eduardo Camavinga’s red card for a 4-3 second-leg win.
It was 1-1 within six minutes of kick-off – the earliest both teams have ever scored in a Champions League knockout game – after goalkeeping errors from Manuel Neuer and Andriy Lunin, and that set the tone for a chaotic, five-goal first half.
Arda Guler got his brace and Kylian Mbappe joined him on the scoresheet, either side of Harry Kane striking for Bayern, with the aggregate score poised at 4-4 at the interval.
But the tie turned again when substitute Camavinga received a needless second caution for timewasting, with Luiz Diaz and Michael Olise striking late on to ensure Bayern will face holders Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
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Bayern’s first-leg lead lasted only 35 seconds as Neuer played a dismal pass straight to Guler, who curled a first-time attempt into the unguarded net from 30 yards out.
Some equally generous goalkeeping at the other end led to a quickfire equaliser, though, with Aleksandar Pavlovic unable to miss with a close-range header after Lunin became pinned behind his line from Joshua Kimmich’s corner.
Bayern started to dominate, but Madrid struck again in the 29th minute as Guler whipped a 25-yard free-kick over the wall, with Neuer unable to hook it away from the top-right corner.
The Bundesliga champions came storming back, needing nine minutes to respond on this occasion as Kane stroked home, but there was another goal to come before half-time.
Vinicius Junior crashed an effort off the crossbar as the end-to-end action continued, and the Brazilian then teed up Mbappe to slot past Neuer in the 42nd minute.
The contest continued in the same vein after the interval, but without the same level of clinical finishing. Olise sent two curlers narrowly over and Diaz passed up a pair of chances, while Neuer made an excellent reflex save from Mbappe’s point-blank volley.
Camavinga put Madrid’s hopes in jeopardy when, having already been booked, he picked up the ball to prevent a Bayern free-kick with four minutes of the 90 remaining. And only three minutes later, Diaz’s 20-yard curler deflected into the far corner off Eder Militao.
There was still time for Olise to add a brilliant, bending fourth for Bayern in stoppage time, and after the full-time whistle went, Guler became the second Madrid player to see red following his angry protests towards the officials.
Data Debrief: Bayern survive topsy-turvy tie
Bayern felt they should have been home and dry after a complete performance at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu last week, but they were put through the wringer here.
Guler’s first goal was the earliest in Madrid’s storied Champions League history, beating Gareth Bale’s 57-second effort against Legia Warsaw in November 2016. It was also the earliest Bayern have ever conceded in the competition, beating Barcelona’s Raphinha goal after 55 seconds in October 2024.
That was a sign of things to come in an astonishing game. Bayern conceded three goals in the first half of a Champions League knockout match for the first time since April 2014, also against Real Madrid (two from Sergio Ramos and one from Cristiano Ronaldo).
Among the first-half goalfest, Kane became the first player from one of Europe’s top five leagues to score 50 goals in a season since Erling Haaland in 2022-23 (52), and Mbappe became the first player to ever score 10 away goals in a European Cup or Champions League campaign.
But with extra time looming, Camavinga’s red card proved the turning point, with Bayern reaching their 22nd European Cup or Champions League semi-final – only Madrid (33) have reached more.
Los Blancos have now lost both legs of their quarter-final ties in each of the last two seasons (also versus Arsenal in 2024-25), having only done so once prior to the last campaign (against Inter in 1966-67).
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