Olise Steals the Show at the Bernabeu

Following the second goal by Bayern Munich, Real Madrid's left-back, Alvaro Carreras, was seen gesturing to his teammates for support before the restart, clearly struggling to cope with Michael Olise on his own. Vinicius Junior was not providing sufficient defensive cover, and Aurelien Tchouameni was preoccupied in midfield, leaving Carreras exposed against one of the world's top footballers as Bayern Munich took control in the Bernabeu. Joshua Kimmich, Bayern's seasoned playmaker, recognized the situation and consistently fed Olise, completing 17 passes to the winger. Olise continued to pressure the Madrid defense, earning praise from Jamie Carragher, who called it one of the performances of the season. 'To achieve that in the Bernabeu,' he exclaimed on CBS. Although Manuel Neuer received the man of the match award, thanks to his nine saves, which reflected 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. Michael Olise's former Crystal Palace manager, Oliver Glasner, commented on his rise: 'I'm not surprised. You could see it from his first day on the pitch. He was injured when I arrived but had a huge impact on our game when fit, and he was only 22 at the time.' 'I watched the game against Real Madrid; it was a great game to watch, and he was outstanding. His end to the season is incredible. This isn't his ceiling; he can still improve.' He will likely finish with the most successful dribbles as well. Exceptional in the previous round away to Atalanta, former Germany international Christoph Kramer called him the best Bundesliga signing of the past decade that night. A revelation in red, Bayern took charge in the Bernabeu. As the questions before this heavyweight European tie centered on whether Madrid's forwards could create decisive moments against a slick Bayern side, it's undeniable that Bayern currently has the most potent attack globally. Kane and Luis Diaz scored the goals, with 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 looked like the most effective player in the Bernabeu, showcasing his swagger with no-look passes and regularly rolling the ball under his foot. During his time in the Premier League, Olise became known for his humorous but monosyllabic 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 infuriated, but it wasn't just for show; Olise was always creating space for himself and worked back defensively too. 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.' No wonder there are links to Liverpool given the news of Mohamed Salah's impending departure; the France international would be a dream replacement. But that ship has sailed. Bayern will not sell, as Uli Hoeness says, 'We won't be contributing to them playing better next year.' Bayern's long-time patriarch makes the point that no sum of money could make up for the loss, as the team would be 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? Very possibly. The tie against the 15-time European champions is not yet won, and Mbappe and Vinicius will be a danger on the counter-attack in Munich. However, Bayern's more coherent game should win out over 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 of which were embodied by Olise in a performance to remember. Just ask Alvaro Carreras.