Olise Steals the Show at the Bernabeu

As the second Bayern Munich goal was scored, Real Madrid's left-back Alvaro Carreras was seen with his arms outstretched, pleading for support from his teammates before the restart. He was struggling to cope with Michael Olise on his own. Vinicius Junior was not providing the necessary defensive cover, and Aurelien Tchouameni was preoccupied with his own midfield responsibilities, leaving Carreras exposed against one of the world's top footballers as Bayern Munich took control at the Bernabeu. Bayern's seasoned playmaker, Joshua Kimmich, was aware of the situation and repeatedly fed Olise, completing 17 passes to the winger. Olise continued to attack the Madrid defense, earning praise from Jamie Carragher, who described it as one of the performances of the season. 'To do that in the Bernabeu,' he exclaimed, speaking on CBS. Although Manuel Neuer received the man of the match award for his nine saves, which reflected the chances created by Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe at the other end, 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 was his sixth in the Champions League this season, surpassing any other player in the competition. Michael Olise's former Crystal Palace manager, Oliver Glasner, commented on his rise: 'I'm not surprised. You could see it from the first day he was on the pitch. He was injured when I arrived but had a huge impact on our game when he was fit, and he was only 22 at the time.' Glasner added, 'I watched the game against Real Madrid, and it was a great game to watch. He was outstanding, and his end to the season is incredible. This isn't his ceiling; he can still do better.' Olise will likely finish with the most successful dribbles as well. After his exceptional performance in the previous round against Atalanta, former Germany international Christoph Kramer called him the best Bundesliga signing of the past decade. As Bayern took charge in the Bernabeu, the questions surrounding whether Madrid's forwards could create decisive moments against a slick Bayern side were overshadowed by the fact that Bayern currently has 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. He appeared to be the most effective player on the pitch, showcasing his repertoire of no-look passes and regularly rolling the ball under his foot. During his time in the Premier League, Olise was known for his brief but humorous interviews. However, he has no trouble expressing himself on the pitch. Arda Guler, the Madrid midfielder, became frustrated, but Olise's actions were not just for show. He consistently created space for himself and worked defensively as well. Vincent Kompany, his coach, praises Olise as 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, his quality in dribbling, and his ability to use both feet.' Given the news of Mohamed Salah's impending departure, there are links to Liverpool, but Bayern will not sell. 'We won't be contributing to them playing better next year,' says Uli Hoeness. Bayern's long-time patriarch emphasizes that no amount of money could compensate for the team's potential decline as a result of Olise's departure. They are in the glory game, and Olise has turned into a player who can win them a Champions League. This particular Champions League? Very possibly. The tie against the 15-time European champions is not yet won, and Mbappe and Vinicius will pose 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.