Bayern Munich's work without the ball provided the platform for a 2-0 Champions League victory at Atletico Madrid. Lennart Karl and Konrad Laimer scored after the interval, while Harry Kane supplied the pass for the second goal without finding the net himself.
Pressure turns into goals
The Guardian reported 19 Bayern attempts and almost 70% possession before half-time. Those figures did not produce an early breakthrough: Karl shot over, Kane missed opportunities and Atletico maintained a compact defensive shape.
That resistance ended in the 54th minute. A deflected Tom Bischof effort reached Robin Le Normand and Marc Pubill, whose hesitation allowed Karl to take possession and beat Jan Oblak. Atletico responded with substitutions and a more adventurous approach. Marcos Llorente subsequently forced Manuel Neuer into a save.
Bayern made the extra space count. Kane found Laimer on the right, and the Austrian delayed his finish to evade David Hancko before firing into the roof of the net.
Recoveries explain the result
UEFA's analysis recorded 58 Bayern ball recoveries and 30 tackles. It linked both goals to high turnovers: Karl's intervention inside the penalty area and Alphonso Davies dispossessing Llorente before the move for Laimer's strike.
VnExpress reported that the result left Bayern on eight points from four matches, comprising two wins and two draws, with Atletico on four points. The league-phase round had not yet been completed when those standings were reported.
For Atletico, Diego Simeone's next task is to improve the response after losing possession and the contest for second balls, as outlined in Bongda24h's account of his post-match assessment. Bayern leave Madrid with a win built on repeated collective pressure.