Olise Steals the Show at the Bernabeu

As the second Bayern Munich goal hit the back of the net, Real Madrid's left-back Alvaro Carreras was seen gesturing to his teammates for support before the restart, clearly struggling to contain Michael Olise on his own. With Vinicius Junior not tracking back and Aurelien Tchouameni preoccupied in midfield, Carreras found himself isolated against one of the world's top footballers as Bayern Munich took control at the Bernabeu. Bayern's seasoned playmaker Joshua Kimmich recognized the situation and consistently fed Olise, playing a total of 17 passes to the winger. Olise, in turn, continued to push forward against the Madrid defense. Jamie Carragher described it as one of the standout performances of the season. "Achieving this at the Bernabeu is impressive," Carragher exclaimed in a CBS interview. Although Manuel Neuer received the man of the match award, with nine saves that reflected the chances Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe had, it was Olise who outperformed 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 so far. 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 when fit, he had a significant impact on our game, even at just 22 years old. I watched the game against Real Madrid, and he was outstanding. His end to the season is incredible, and this isn't his limit; he can still improve." He is also likely to finish with the most successful dribbles. After an exceptional performance in the previous round against Atalanta, former Germany international Christoph Kramer praised him as the best Bundesliga signing of the past decade. A revelation in red, Olise has made a name for himself. As Bayern took charge at the Bernabeu, the questions surrounding this high-profile European tie initially focused on whether Madrid's forwards could create the decisive moments against a slick Bayern side. However, it's clear that Bayern currently boasts the most potent attack globally. 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. Olise looked like the most effective player on the pitch in the Bernabeu, showcasing his repertoire of no-look passes and regularly rolling the ball under his foot. He has long had a confident swagger to his game, and he demonstrated this on the biggest stage. During his time in the Premier League, Olise was known for his brief but often humorous interviews. If there's a player who prefers to do his talking on the pitch, it's him, as he has no trouble expressing himself there. Arda Guler, the Madrid midfielder, became frustrated, but it wasn't just for show. Olise was constantly maneuvering for space 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's a perfectionist, extremely detail-oriented, and gets irritated if everything isn't perfect. I often see similarities with Kevin De Bruyne in his precision shooting, quality 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 won't sell, as Uli Hoeness says, "We won't be contributing to them playing better next year." Bayern's long-time patriarch emphasizes that no amount of money could make up for the loss to the team's members because they would be worse off as a result. They are in the Champions League, and Olise has turned into a player who can win it for them. It's very possible that Bayern could win this particular Champions League. Although 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, Bayern's more coherent game should prevail over three hours of football. Individual talent wins games, but the difference in the Bernabeu was that Bayern had that individual talent combined with organization, discipline, and determination, all embodied by Olise in a memorable performance. Just ask Alvaro Carreras.