Even after securing a valuable 2-1 win at Santiago Bernabeu, Bayern Munich are not getting carried away, and their CEO, Jan-Christian Dreesen, made that pretty clear.
The result gives Bayern a narrow edge heading into the second leg in Munich, but within the club, there is no sense of comfort.
That feeling is shaped by the fact that Real Madrid are never out of a Champions League tie.
Speaking about the tie, Dreesen first reflected on the significance of the victory itself, since it happened after more than two decades.
“We’ve won this match for the first time in 25 years. Back then, in 2001, it was Giovane Elber who opened the scoring, and today it’s this team that has achieved this victory.”
Not a reason to celebrate
As such, Bayern Munich are not letting themselves be carried away, as Kylian Mbappe’s late goal shifted the story, turning what could have been a commanding result into a far more delicate advantage.
Dreesen acknowledged that reality when discussing the overall situation, stating,
Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid with Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich have a narrow advantage over Real Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“We’ve secured a fantastic starting position for the return leg in eight days, one we can be happy with,” he added.
That optimism ultimately gave way to caution. The Bayern CEO made it clear that, despite leading the tie, nothing has been decided.
“We’re only winning 1-0. Real Madrid has the quality to turn a game like this around at any moment, but so do we.”
The Bernabeu atmosphere
Meanwhile, Dreesen also touched on the atmosphere inside the Bernabeu, acknowledging its unique impact when the home side gains momentum.
“It can unleash tremendous force if given the chance. We had something in our game that Real Madrid didn’t: our X-Faltor, our forty-year-old goalkeeper, our world-class keeper.
“Neuer was exceptional, but only 90 minutes have been played, and we still have to maintain that level for at least 90 minutes in the second leg,” he concluded.
Source: Ok Diario