3 things that went wrong for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid
Final Score: Bayern Munich 1-2 Real Madrid
Scorers: Bayern Munich - Kimmich 28'; Real Madrid - Marcelo 44', Asensio 57'
Allianz Arena has been an absolute fortress for Die Roten, whose dominant stature at their home in Munich has withered many-a-sides. But if there's one side that has had no quandaries in breaching the Bavarian keep, it is Los Blancos.
The first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid was the 25th game to be played between the two sides, making it the most played fixture in the history of European competitions.
Real Madrid have really taken a liking to Bayern as they recorded their sixth-consecutive victory against the Bundesliga winners in a streak that dates back to April 2014.
It was by no means the best of performances for the Galacticos as Bayern dominated the majority of the match but the defending and record champions were clinical enough to seal the deal on the night.
Bayern managed to do several things properly. Cristiano Ronaldo was rendered ineffective throughout the game and Franck Ribery played out of his skins and was the best player on the pitch today. But it just wasn't enough.
So without much further ado, let us look at the three things that went against Bayern in the game.
#3 Injuries early on in the game
It's just fair to say that Bayern Munich have not had their share of luck when it comes to player fitness. From losing Manuel Neuer for most of the season to missing David Alaba and Kingsley Coman for this game due to the duo nursing thigh and ankle injuries respectively, the Bavarians were anyway short of a full-strength squad to pick from for this tie.
Things just went from bad to worse in the game, as veteran winger Arjen Robben was made to exit the game with what looked to be a foot injury in as early as the eighth minute of the game.
Lady luck wasn't satisfied yet as she cursed the home side to another injury in the 34th minute when Jerome Boateng suffered a groin pull while trying to run forward with the ball in the attempt to create an attack for Bayern.
While Bayern did have the bench strength to replace these players, they obviously missed the dexterity that the two bring to the table. Robben's pace was amiss on the right flank for Bayern which was taken over by Muller after the former's injury, and on a night where the latter bottled many chances, the Dutchman's presence could have definitely made a difference.
While Niklas Sule is certainly not a massive downgrade on Boateng, he certainly does not match the World Cup winner's pace and flexibility while his ball playing capabilities are also rather inferior.