Bayern Munich Beat Atletico Madrid 2-0 in Champions League as Karl and Laimer Score Second-Half Goals
Bayern Munich beat Atletico Madrid 2-0 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday, November 3, in Matchday 4 of the Champions League league phase. Teenager Lennart Karl scored in the 54th minute, and Konrad Laimer added a second in the 74th. The result took Bayern to eight points from four games. Atletico stay on four.
It was a patient away performance from the German side. The first half ended goalless, and Bayern wore down their hosts over the course of the match. Before the game, both teams and the crowd observed a minute's silence in memory of Jesus de Miguel, a Spanish second-division player who died after being injured in a match.
The breakthrough came early in the second half. Atletico defender Le Normand was slow to clear the ball, and Karl nipped in. The 18-year-old lifted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper to score his first Champions League goal of the season. It was his fifth in the competition before turning 19. He is only the fourth player to reach that mark. Lamine Yamal (11), Kylian Mbappe (10) and Raul Gonzalez (six) are the others.
Bayern then had a few more chances. Dayot Upamecano hit the crossbar with a deflected effort from distance, and Harry Kane curled a shot over. In the 74th minute, Bayern won the ball back, and Kane played in Laimer. The right-back, who had been playing in a back four, drilled his shot past goalkeeper Jan Oblak. It was a superb finish and made the result safe.
Bayern were again led by assistant coach Aaron Danks, as head coach Vincent Kompany is still absent on medical grounds. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made his 164th Champions League appearance, which put him past Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller on the all-time list.
Atletico had never lost a Champions League home match against Bayern before this game. They came in on a nine-game unbeaten run in La Liga. Bayern were caught offside four times, and Atletico none.
The win keeps Bayern unbeaten in the competition, with two wins and two draws from their four games. It was also a good response to the 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Bayern now go back to domestic action.