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 tracking back to provide assistance, and Aurelien Tchouameni was preoccupied with the midfield battle, leaving Carreras exposed against one of the world's top footballers as Bayern Munich took control at the Bernabeu. Joshua Kimmich, Bayern's experienced playmaker, was aware of the situation and consistently fed Olise, playing 17 passes to the winger. Olise continued to push forward, and Jamie Carragher described his performance as one of the best of the season. 'To do 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 at the other end, it was Olise who 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, the most of any player in the competition so far. 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 watched the game against Real Madrid and said, 'It was a great game to watch, and he was outstanding. His end to the season is incredible, but 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. A revelation in red, Olise has been making waves in the football world. Bayern took charge in the Bernabeu, and as the game unfolded in Madrid, it became clear that they have the most potent attack on the planet right now. Kane and Luis Diaz scored the goals, while Serge Gnabry and Olise provided 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 on the pitch in the Bernabeu, showcasing his repertoire of 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, and he has no trouble expressing himself there. Arda Guler, the Madrid midfielder, became frustrated, but it wasn't just for show. Olise was constantly creating space for himself and working back defensively. Vincent Kompany, his coach, speaks of a player who can do it all. 'What sets him apart is his mentality. He's a perfectionist, an extremely fussy guy who gets irritated if every detail isn't perfect. I often see him in Kevin [De Bruyne]. His precision in shooting, his quality in dribbling, and his 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. However, that ship has sailed, as Bayern will not sell. 'We won't be contributing to them playing better next year,' says Uli Hoeness. Bayern's long-time patriarch makes the point that there is no sum of money that could make it up to his members because 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 organisation, discipline, and determination - all of which was embodied by Olise in a performance to remember. Just ask Alvaro Carreras.