Real Madrid has drawn first blood in the UEFA Champions
League quarter final encounter against Bayern Munich. A brace from Cristiano
Ronaldo crushed Arturo Vidal’s opener. Here are the main talking points from
the game played at the Allianz Arena.
Ronaldo resurrects: Cristiano Ronaldo has not scored a
Champions League goal since September 2016. To the Los Blancos all-time top
scorer, the situation was an unfamiliar territory. However, he has put to bed
all questions over his form by notching a brace. Cr7 didn’t just nailed the
Germans, he did so in a historic style-by being the first ever player to reach
of century of goals European clubs competitions. The legend lives on.
Vidal nullifies himself: Arturo Vidal was at this usual
combative best in the encounter. He opened the scoring with a powerful header,
only to miss a crucial penalty at the stroke of half time when a poor refereeing
decision gave the Bavarians the opportunity to steer clear in the tier.
Bayern’s Spanish nemesis: according to Opta “since lifting
the trophy in 2013, Bayer lost 6 of their 21 knockout games in the UCL-5 of
them against Spanish opponents”. All the
big three Spanish clubs of enjoyed victory over Bayern in the knock out games
of the UCL since 2013. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico and now Real Madrid (again)
constantly keep haunting the German giants since Bavarians triumphed over Dortmund
in Wembley.
Martinez puts Ancelotti in a tight corner: within a period
of 173seconds, Javi Martinez got booked twice, thus receiving his marching
orders. The Spanish player’s indiscretion has cost his team dearly and left his
coach in a precarious state. Ancelotti’s success at Bayern would definitely be
judged based on his progression in the UCL, as his club enjoys monopoly in the
Bundesliga. Ancelotti returns to his former club, knowing very well that he has
to go all out against a club with devastating counterattacking arsenals.
Zidane in a comfortable lead: the mentee over staged the
mentor. The French icon continues to shame his critics. Many thought he was
appointed as a Real coach merely on his pedigree as a club legend but not for
his managerial prowess. But over one year in the job, Zidane may just be the
man to lead a club to retain the UCL for the first time.
