Citing examples such as Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, Matthäus noted that Real once had “characters on the pitch” who “no longer exist”. He conceded that today’s Madrid stars are “fast, strong on the ball and excellent technicians who naturally possess a certain strength – as was evident in the first leg”, the former Bayern pro continued. Yet he added a big “but”: “Nevertheless, they no longer radiate the same authority as in past decades. They are good players, but none is an icon—no Vinicius, no Bellingham, no Mbappé—and that’s what Real are missing.”
Bayern’s 2-1 first-leg win in Madrid makes them favourites heading into the return fixture at home, and Matthäus agrees. “But that doesn’t mean, of course, that it will be an easy task,” warned the 65-year-old. Former Bayern boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently expressed a similar view; he is far from writing Real off and is not impressed by the current hype surrounding FCB.