After Bayern’s defeat: a shocking debate about Mbappé… Is Real Madrid better off without him?

Marca continued: “There is no doubt that Real Madrid are in a dire situation. It is true that Arbeloa’s side did not deserve to lose, but the impression left by the match is that Bayern Munich are far superior to Los Blancos, who held their own out of sheer pride in front of the Bernabéu crowd, and thanks to Mbappé’s lightning pace, not because of his footballing ability.” 

She added: “There will always be those who wish to fuel the pointless debate that Real Madrid are better off without the Frenchman, but he scored Real Madrid’s only goal and created their best chances, whilst Bayern’s goals did not come from Mbappé’s mistakes.”

The newspaper continued: “The idea that Real Madrid are a better, more cohesive, and more... whatever else, without Mbappé, would be a lovely theory, almost poetic, were it not for the fact that football tends to favour those who strive for the impossible over those who lose hope. If Real Madrid still have a glimmer of hope in Munich, however slim, it is thanks to Mbappé.”

The newspaper highlighted Thiago Peters’ performance, stating: “What happened to him against Manchester City was repeated against Bayern Munich. Thiago lost possession on the edge of the six-yard box. Against City, Courtois saved him, and this time it was Lönnberg who showed quick reflexes to block Gnabry’s shot. The academy graduate received the loudest applause of the night thanks to his efforts, but his daring to take risks in areas where one shouldn’t gamble almost cost him dearly (for the second time).”

She continued: “The player who understood the game better than anyone else, and who fought tooth and nail against defeat on the pitch, was Arda Güler.

Güler had a brilliant first half, almost exceptional, and continued to shine in the second. He was skilful on the ball, and everything he did worked in his favour. He was the one leading Real Madrid’s attacks in the best possible way, and the first to pass the ball to Mbappé, who found himself one-on-one with Neuer. 

Commenting on the Man of the Match, Marca said: “It’s clear he’s not at his best, but he’s not finished yet. Neuer put in a superb performance at the Bernabéu, saving Bayern in the first half with three excellent saves – two from Mbappé and one from Vinícius – and three more in the second half. The German goalkeeper went into the match with some doubts, but when the pressure was on, he responded with a stunning performance, saving his goal from crucial shots that allowed Bayern to keep a clean sheet until the 74th minute.”

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She referred to the difficult night experienced by Real Madrid left-back Carreras, explaining: “He had been warned, but things turned out worse than expected. Oliés gave Carreras one of his worst nights as a Real Madrid player. The Madrid full-back held his own as best he could, but he was up against one of the best players in Europe at the moment, a player with a massive physique and an exceptional ability in one-on-one situations against defenders. It has been a long time since the Bernabéu has seen an opponent of such strength and class.”  

Chouameni will miss the second leg after a clash with Oliisi as the Bayern Munich player looked to play a through ball. As for Tah, he will be suspended for his violent challenge on Mbappé. The punishment was the same for both players, and these were perhaps the only two controversial decisions made by referee Michael Oliver throughout the entire match. Although they did not affect the result, the differing interpretations of these two incidents did have an impact on the outcome of the match.

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