Seven goals, fastest strike & two red cards - Bayern-Real delivers drama
The quickest strike in this season's Champions League, seven goals, two red cards and the competition's 15-time winners exiting in anger - once again the knockout stages of European club football's elite contest has delivered drama in spades. "If the start of this game is anything to go by then we are in for a hell of a night," said former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on TNT Sports after Real Madrid struck 35 seconds into Wednesday's quarter-final second leg at Bayern Munich to level the tie at 2-2. The German champions held a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Madrid, but Arda Guler's lightning-fast 25-yard strike following a mistake by home keeper Manuel Neuer set the tone for a breathless return at the Allianz Arena.
It was the fastest goal in this season's competition and followed by four more in a frenetic, fabulous first half. A chaotic finale settled the outcome in Bayern's favour as Eduardo Camavinga was sent off for Real with four minutes left and Vincent Kompany's men scored twice late to progress to the semi-finals with a 4-3 win on the night and 6-4 on aggregate. Unsavoury events came after the final whistle too as Real vented their anger over Camavinga's controversial dismissal - the second yellow card for time-wasting - as the substituted Guler was shown a straight red card on the sidelines for confronting referee Slavko Vincic.
"The story of the night is the last five minutes," said former Real Madrid winger Steve McManaman. "What a game and what an evening. " Real Madrid set for rare trophyless season - will Arbeloa pay the price?
Late goals send Bayern into semis after Real thriller 'What a start! ' - Guler scores in opening minute after 'nightmare' from Neuer Real went into the game facing a tough task against a Bayern side that had won 18 of their 20 games at home before Wednesday night's encounter. But with 15 titles and blessed with world-class talent, the Spanish giants are the competition's most successful team and always retained a belief they could turn things around in Munich.
What they didn't perhaps anticipate was a gift for the opening goal by Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer in the opening seconds. Under no pressure, the 40-year-old hit a clearance straight to Guler and, instantly, the Turkey international brilliantly sent a curling left-footed finish into the empty net. According to former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, Neuer was "faultless" in the first leg, with his superb performance at the Bernabeu leading to a clamour in the German media for the veteran's return to the national team.