Coach Vincent Kompany hailed goalkeeper Manuel Neuer after Bayern Munich secured a 2-1 Champions League quarter-final, first-leg win at Real Madrid.
Luis Diaz and Harry Kane’s goals gave the German Bundesliga leaders a strong lead on a dominant display but Kylian Mbappe pulled one back for the home side, with Neuer making a string of impressive saves to keep the record 15-time winners at bay.
The 40-year-old Neuer thwarted the competition’s top goalscorer Mbappe on several occasions and was named man of the match.
“You need special performances always at this level in these type of games,” Kompany said.
He praised two-time Champions League and 12-time Bundesliga winner Neuer’s longevity. “To still perform like he does now, that is something that not many goalkeepers, even the top ones, are able to do,” Kompany said.
Kompany said that despite Mbappe’s goal in the 74th minute, he was happy with his team’s win ahead of the second leg next week. “Any win in the Bernabeu is an important result,” he added.
Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa backed his team to mount a comeback in Munich.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
