Thomas Tuchel settled into his seat at the Bernabeu. If the England manager was looking forward to an absorbing Champions League quarter-final between the competition’s two greatest rivals, he wouldn’t leave disappointed.
Bayern Munich edged it, as we thought they might, and head back to Bavaria as favourites to break a hold that Real Madrid have had over them for 12 years.
This game has been played more than any other in Champions League history, and on the last four occasions the 15-time kings of Europe have got the better of Bayern.
Tuchel’s mind may have drifted to the fateful night in this stadium two years ago when Madrid broke German hearts and crushed his hopes of winning another Champions League with two late goals in the semi-final.
Bayern have been Europe’s superpower this season, but would Madrid once again be their kryptonite and save their best for the biggest stage?
For a while, the simple answer was no. The Bundesliga leaders were the better team and made it count thanks to goals by Luis Diaz and Harry Kane.
However, this is a Madrid side with an incredible will to win in Europe. Kylian Mbappe’s second-half strike means they are still in it, and only the enduring resilience of veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer kept Bayern’s lead intact.
From feeling they should have left the Bernabeu as clear winners, the Germans ended up grateful that they won this game at all.
Of course, Tuchel had other business last night. There are 70 days before England kick off their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Texas, and he was in Spain to run the rule over Kane, Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Kane didn’t disappoint his former Bayern boss having recovered from the ankle injury that ruled him out of the recent friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
Having had a hand in the opening goal shortly before half-time, the England captain produced a clinical finish to put Vincent Kompany’s side in control of this tie just 22 seconds after half-time.
Aleksandar Pavlovic picked the pocket of Alvaro Carreras on halfway and fed the excellent Michael Olise. He cut inside and passed to Kane who sized up his opportunity on the edge of the box before curling a shot beyond Andriy Lunin for his 49th club goal of the season.
It’s an outstanding record and one that could yet see Kane emerge as a leading contender for the Ballon d’Or if Bayern fulfil their potential in the Champions League and he has a big World Cup as well.
Either way, it was a goal to delight Tuchel who is hardly spoilt for choice with options at centre-forward should Kane go down with another injury in North America.
‘We knew before the game all the hype around it coming to Madrid and the Bernabeu,’ said Kane. ‘We’re really happy with the win and we’re in a good position, but it can change very quickly.’
If this was a night for Kane to underline his importance to Tuchel, it was also one that saw the best and worst of Alexander-Arnold.
Having demonstrated once again why the manager cannot trust his defensive capabilities, the former Liverpool defender showed just how effective he can be going forward.
An incisive move in the 41st minute saw Kane feed Serge Gnabry whose pass picked out Luis Diaz, ghosting in behind his old Anfield teammate to sweep home.
Then in the 74th minute, and with Madrid in desperate need of inspiration, Alexander-Arnold made an overlapping run onto Federico Valverde’s through ball and produced a sublime pass to pick out Mbappe who pulled a vital goal back.
Can Tuchel continue to ignore such a potent attacking threat, even off the bench?
Bellingham, meanwhile, was surprisingly named among the substitutes and didn’t get on until the hour mark to help lead the fightback. It would be folly for Alvaro Arbeloa not to start him again in the second leg in Germany.
Real could easily have levelled were it not for an outstanding performance from Neuer. ‘He makes it look so easy,’ said Kompany. ‘That’s what you have with great goalkeepers.’
Given their recent record against Madrid, Bayern won’t be taking anything for granted.
