Bayern edges Real in 10 goal thriller
Bayern Munich edges Real Madrid in a 10-goal thriller over two legs to progress to the last four. Though Real Madrid threatened to take the game to extra time, Camavinga’s red card saw their hopes of making a miraculous comeback fade away. Over the two legs, Manuel Neuer kept out Los Blancos with some incredible saves. Meanwhile, Arsenal managed to keep Sporting out thanks to yet another defensive masterclass. Stay tuned to our discussion as we unpack the different factors that made a difference in these ties.
Neuer comes up big against Real Madrid
Bayern will have to build a statue in honor of Manuel Neuer because his saves are the reason Bayern made it this far. Let’s not take anything away from their tactical masterclass over two legs. However, the Germans constantly got caught out on the counterattack, forcing Neuer to come up big in front of goal. Real Madrid will be kicking themselves for making two costly errors that led to Bayern’s goals at the Bernabéu, which ultimately saw them get knocked out. This is something we have been witnessing from Real Madrid time and time again this season, and when you make mistakes against that kind of opposition, you get punished.
Arsenal avoid Sporting
Despite Sporting falling short, they will be delighted to have made it this far in the competition. There will also be a bit of frustration amongst Rui Borges’ men for not finishing off their chances. The best chance came in the first half when Catamo struck the post in the 43rd minute. Meanwhile, Arsenal reached the semi-final for the second time in a row. This was also the first time they reached back-to-back semi-finals, highlighting the immense progress Arteta has made. They will face a much sterner test against Cholo Simeone’s side, but will have the edge given that the second leg is at the Emirates.
