Olise Steals the Spotlight at the Bernabeu

As the second goal went in for Bayern Munich, Real Madrid's left-back Alvaro Carreras was seen gesturing to his teammates for support, struggling to cope with the skillful Michael Olise on his own. Without Vinicius Junior tracking back to provide assistance and Aurelien Tchouameni preoccupied in midfield, Carreras found himself exposed against one of the world's finest footballers as Bayern Munich took control in the Bernabeu. Bayern's experienced playmaker, Joshua Kimmich, recognized the situation and consistently fed Olise, playing a total of 17 passes to the winger. Olise continued to push forward, attacking the Madrid defense. Jamie Carragher described it as one of the standout performances of the season. "To achieve that in the Bernabeu," he exclaimed in a CBS interview. Although Manuel Neuer received the man of the match award, thanks to his nine saves from the chances created by Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe, Olise outshone the superstars. The 24-year-old London-born former Crystal Palace winger has become a superstar in his own right. His assist for Harry Kane's winning goal marked his sixth in the Champions League this season, surpassing any other player in the competition. Oliver Glasner, Olise's former Crystal Palace manager, commented on his rise: "I'm not surprised. From the first day he stepped onto the pitch, you could see his potential. He was injured when I arrived but made a huge impact on our game when he was fit, and he was only 22 at the time. I watched the game against Real Madrid, and he was outstanding. His end to the season is incredible, but this isn't his ceiling – he can still improve." Olise is likely to finish with the most successful dribbles as well. His exceptional performance in the previous round against Atalanta led former Germany international Christoph Kramer to call him the best Bundesliga signing of the past decade. A revelation in red, Olise's talent is undeniable. As the questions before this heavyweight European tie centered on whether Madrid's forwards could create the decisive moments against a slick Bayern side, it's clear that Bayern currently boasts the most potent attack in the world. Kane and Luis Diaz scored the goals, with Serge Gnabry and Olise providing the assists. The three players involved in the most goals in major European leagues this season, excluding penalties, all play for Bayern, with Olise leading the way. In the Bernabeu, Olise looked like the most effective player on the pitch, showcasing his repertoire of no-look passes and frequently rolling the ball under his foot. There has long been a confident swagger to Olise's game, and he demonstrated that on the biggest stage. During his time in the Premier League, Olise became known for his brief but humorous interviews. If there's a player who prefers to let his actions speak louder than words, it's him. Because on the pitch, he has no trouble expressing himself. Arda Guler, the Madrid midfielder, soon became frustrated, but Olise's antics were not just for show. He continually created space for himself and worked back defensively as well. Vincent Kompany, his coach, speaks of a player who can do it all. "What sets him apart is his mentality. He is a perfectionist, an extremely fussy guy who gets irritated if every detail is not perfect. I often see him in Kevin [De Bruyne]. His precision in shooting, quality in dribbling, and ability to use both feet." Given the news of Mohamed Salah's impending departure, there are links to Liverpool, but that opportunity has passed. Bayern will not sell, as Uli Hoeness, the club's long-time patriarch, points out that no amount of money could make up for the team being worse as a result. They are in the glory game, and Olise has turned into a player who can win them a Champions League. This particular Champions League? Possibly. The tie against the 15-time European champions is not yet won, with Mbappe and Vinicius posing a threat on the counter-attack in Munich. However, Bayern's more coherent game should prevail over the course of three hours of football. Individual talent wins games, but the difference in the Bernabeu was that Bayern had that individual talent coupled with organization, discipline, and determination – all embodied by Olise in a performance to remember. Just ask Alvaro Carreras.