Real Madrid 1 Bayern Munich 0

There was a moment in the fondo sur, where the most boisterous Madridistas bang their drums and orchestrate the loudest noise, when a huge banner was unfurled to read “Reyes de Europa”.

The nine-time winners have not lived up to that “Kings of Europe” billing since Zinedine Zidane’s volley at Hampden Park in 2002 but now, after the years of hard-luck stories, near-misses and under-achievement, the club of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale et al are only one more good result away from their first final in 12 years.

That will not be straightforward, naturally, when the opposition is Bayern Munich, the outstanding club side in Europe over the past three seasons.

Yet Madrid are entitled to feel they are the marginal favourites before the return leg at the Allianz Arena, not just because of Karim Benzema’s first-half goal but also the inability of their opponents to turn all their possession into the hard currency of goals.

Bayern had far more of the ball; they just did not do enough with it. They played every kind of pass apart from the killer one and, at this level, it is always so important to score in the away leg.

Madrid, in stark contrast, created the much better chances from less of the ball, even on a night when Ronaldo was short of fitness and Bale started on the bench because he was still feeling the after-effects of a virus. Bale replaced Ronaldo after 73 minutes and Carlo Ancelotti might need them both if Madrid are to feature at Estadio da Luz on May 24th.

Bayern, lest it be forgotten, put seven past Barcelona at this stage last season – 4-0 in Bavaria, 3-0 in Catalonia – and received their own standing ovation from the Camp Nou, where they know a thing or two about stylish, attacking football. Pep Guardiola’s side began strongly. They give the impression on these nights they are absolutely devoid of anxiety and, by half-time, the possession statistics told their own story. Madrid had seen 27 per cent of the ball.

It was rare to see any team at this level, never mind a side as haughty as Madrid, cede so much possession on their own ground.

Bayern played with the kind of pass-them-to-death authority in the early exchanges that has been beyond any team at the Bernabeu since Guardiola’s best days with Barcelona.

There were no more than three occasions when Ronaldo had the ball in the opening quarter of an hour and Benzema’s goal, after 18 minutes, felt like a jolt bearing in mind the way the game was starting to take shape.

There is, however, possibly no more enthralling sight in football than Madrid when they break from their own penalty area, with Ronaldo picking up speed, stretching those powerful limbs, and the crowd’s first wish is that the ball arrives at his feet.

The danger comes from every angle and, from defence to attack, there was something remarkable about the way the opening goal was carved out.

A few seconds earlier, Mario Mandzukic’s header had given Toni Kroos the chance to let fly from inside the penalty area. Pepe threw himself in front of the volley and, as soon as the ball was blocked, the players in white started to advance. Ronaldo collected the ball on the left and his pass was weighted beautifully for the overlapping Fabio Coentrao. His low cross eluded both Dante and David Alaba and Benzema was following in to score from six yards.

Bayern were briefly knocked out of their rhythm but it was only temporary and they quickly shook their heads clear. Almost always, they would look to go wide.

Arjen Robben, driving forward on the right, has menaced every team he has faced in the competition this season. Franck Ribery, on the opposite side, always wanted the ball, and this double act was formidable enough to pin Madrid into their own half at times.

The paradox was that Madrid, despite surrendering so much of the ball, ought to have scored more in the opening 45 minutes. Ronaldo, of all people, was careless in the extreme when Benzema’s cross picked him out close to the penalty spot and the Ballon d’Or winner shanked his shot over the crossbar.

Ronaldo’s look of self-revulsion was a measure of how rare these aberrations are, but he was not alone. Five minutes before the interval, another left-wing cross went over Ronaldo and fell invitingly for the unmarked Angel di Maria. His shot was wild and Bayern were let off again.

Bayern’s entire season has been about exerting pressure on their opponents and the pattern continued into the second half.

At times, however, they were in danger of straying towards the predictable. Robben continued to shine but he and Ribery often found themselves crowded out by opposition defenders.

Mandzukic provides an aerial threat but his mobility lets him down and it is clear why Bayern are looking forward to the day when Robert Lewandowski arrives from Borussia Dortmund, effectively to take his place.

Ronaldo twice tested Neuer before Bale took over and when Bayern had their best chance to equalise, after 84 minutes, the substitute Mario Götze aimed his shot too close to Iker Casillas.

Guardian Service