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Pre-season Friendlies
Aug 5, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
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Live Commentary: Bayern Munich 1-0 Real Madrid - as it happened

Follow the action with Sports Mole's live text commentary as Bayern Munich meet Real Madrid in the Audi Cup final.
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Bayern Munich continued their preparations for the new season by winning the Audi Cup with a 1-0 victory over Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena.

Pep Guardiola's side dominated possession for much of the match, but there were close calls at both ends in a tight encounter as Thomas Muller struck the post with a deflected effort and Toni Kroos tested Manuel Neuer with two long-range strikes.

The deadlock would eventually be broken in the 88th minute as Robert Lewandowski converted from close range to secure the win for his side.

Read below to find out how the action unfolded.


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Good evening everyone. The Audi Cup comes to a conclusion tonight as Bayern Munich host Real Madrid in the final of this pre-season tournament. Both were comfortable on the way to victories, but who will come out on top in a battle between two of Europe's biggest sides?

Of course, victory in the Audi Cup is not the target for either of these sides this season, but another impressive display should build confidence, especially for the players on the fringes of the team. One thing is certain, there will be plenty of world-class players on show tonight.

Let's take a look at how we got here. Real Madrid were the first side to secure their place in this final with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. James Rodriguez opened the scoring with a header before Gareth Bale secured the win with a low strike against his former side.

Bayern were the main event for the locals yesterday evening, and Pep Guardiola's side certainly did not disappoint. Despite missing Arjen Robben and Thiago Alcantara, new signings Douglas Costa and Arturo Vidal were both impressive as goals from Juan Bernat, Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski earned them a comfortable 3-0 win over AC Milan. The Serie A side were never really in the match. I'm sure the sponsors won't mind this final, either.

Before these two sides take centre stage at the Allianz Arena, there is still the matter of deciding who finishes third in the tournament. It looks like Spurs are cruising to that spot. They currently lead Milan 2-0 thanks to goals from Nacer Chadli and Tom Carroll.

BAYERN: Neuer, Benatia, Alaba, Rafinha, Alonso, Boateng, Costa, Götze, Lahm (c), Vidal, Müller

SUBS: Ulreich, Lewandowski, Gaudino, Bernat, Rode, Hojbjerg, Green, Benko


It's a strong looking side from Guardiola as he keeps Vidal, Gotze, Costa and Lahm in the starting lineup for the second evening in a row. David Alaba and Thomas Muller return, but Robert Lewandowski is on the bench again as Thiago and Robben continue to rest.

REAL MADRID: Navas, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Casemiro, Lucas, Kroos, Cheryshev, Isco, Jese

No official word on Real's substitutions, but there's plenty to choose from tonight for Rafael Benitez. Slight knocks have prevented Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema from playing in this tournament, but Sergio Ramos, Isco, Jese and Pepe are among the starters this evening. Toni Kroos is also in the side against his former club. Bale, Rodriguez and Luka Modric have dropped out of the team.

RESULT! Spurs, who will now turn their focus to Saturday's Premier League opener with Manchester United, have beaten Milan 2-0 to clinch third spot in the tournament. A successful day for Mauricio Pochettino and his players.

Will Kroos get good reception this evening? I'm sure there's plenty of Bayern fans who would have him back tomorrow if they had the chance.


It was carnage the last time Real visited the Allianz Arena. In his first year with Bayern, Guardiola looked on course for the Champions League title until they were forced to face Real, who recorded a 4-0 victory in the semi-final first-leg with braces from Ronaldo and Ramos before a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture handed them the most emphatic of triumphs. Would it be unfair to expect similar entertainment?

Before the start of the season, Benitez is a man under pressure. That comes with the label of Real Madrid boss, and nothing but success will be accepted by the fans or the club's hierarchy. His record in Europe has been impressive over the years, but much of the focus may be on his relationships with key players. It could be tough for the Spaniard to move away from a conservative approach for a fan base desperate to see attacking football, too.

KEY BATTLE: It may only be a pre-season friendly, but there's intriguing match-ups all over the pitch this evening. One battle which is certain to provide entertainment is Muller vs. Ramos, with the Bayern forward set to play as the central striker this evening. Muller will be determined to roam into different positions to cause problems for Ramos, who will have to be wary of Vidal and Costa coming through from midfield.


It's been another busy summer in the transfer market for these two European giants. You've got to admire Bayern's business. Some would call their decision to let Bastian Schweinsteiger to leave brave, but the arrivals of Costa and Vidal strengthen their options and give them a different threat behind the strikers. There's plenty of competition for places in Guardiola's squad.

Real parted with a reported £23m to secure the signing of full-back Danilo from Porto, and it will be intriguing to watch his battle with Dani Carvajal, who starts this evening and has been a dependable option at full-back in recent seasons. Casemiro is also back in the squad after a loan at Porto, and his displays in the Champions League last season should have caught the eye of Real's fans. His physicality could be key in midfield if he is given opportunities. Perhaps the biggest arrivals is still to come. Is David de Gea staying or going?


PREDICTION: I think we could be in for a treat this evening. Bayern were in fine form last night as they dominated possession on the way to beating Milan, while Real were too clinical for Spurs. A lot will change when the managers turn to their benches in the second half, but Bayern might just cause a few more problems this evening. 2-1 to the hosts.

If you're interested in keeping an eye on a few games tonight, Sports Mole has you covered. We've also got live text coverage of the friendly between Chelsea and Fiorentina, while the Champions League qualifier between Shakhtar and Fenerbahce is also an option. Keep up to date by clicking on the fixtures.

The players are lining up in the tunnel at the Allianz Arena, which means we are just a few short moments away from this match getting underway.

KICKOFF: For a pre-season clash, the sound from the stands is impressive as the match gets underway.

I mentioned earlier on that Muller would look to move into different positions. The forward's first involvement in the match is to drop deep before unleashing a 25-yard effort which drifts wide of the target.

Bayern have certainly started the brighter of the two sides, with Pepe forced into some good defending to clear a dangerous cross from Philipp Lahm as Real look to relieve some of the pressure on their defence.

Vidal is seeing plenty of the ball in the early stages and it's certainly easy to see that Bayern may play slightly differently this season due to his eagerness to run with the ball from midfield.

CLOSE! Real are inches away from an opener. Kroos picks the ball up 30 yards from goal before producing an effort which sails inches wide of the post with Neuer struggling.

The start of this game is reminiscent of that famous 2014 Champions League semi-final. Bayern are enjoying more time on the ball, but Real look very bright when they attack at pace. However, they certainly lack the same threat without Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema.

Alaba, who seems to be able to do just about anything on a football pitch, comes forward to send a powerful shot at goal and Navas looks uncomfortable as he pushes the ball back into danger. Luckily for him, Lahm is unable to turn home the rebound.

There's a moment of concern for both managers as Pepe and Boateng both call for medical attention after going down. Guardiola and Benitez will be hopeful their defenders can shake off the problems.

SUBSTITUTION: Boateng looks like he'll be fine to continue, but Benitez is forced into a change as Pepe comes off to be replaced by Nacho. It's probably not worth the risk with the start of the season so close.

It's been a pretty well-contested match in the first half, with not many signs to suggest that this is a pre-season friendly encounter, but apart from a couple of early moves, there hasn't been much high-quality action in the final third of the pitch.

A poor corner from Costa allows Real to break at pace. Bayern look to be in trouble, but the hosts are given a helping hand when Ramos plays a poor pass which allows the defence to recover. Ramos probably wasn't high on the list of players Real wanted leading the counter.

Bayern continue to dominate possession, with Alonso dictating the tempo from a deep position against his former side. Vidal and Costa haven't seen much of the ball further up the pitch. They could hold the key to unlocking the Real defence.

Bayern fans want a penalty when Carvajal collides with Muller, but there didn't look to be much in it and replays suggest any contact was outside the box.

Excellent defending from Carvajal, who reacts quickest to charge down a shot from Costa inside the bod. I'm not sure if Navas had a chance of keeping that one out.

There's been plenty to like about this match so far, but some of the decisions made in the final third of the pitch have been poor. Both sides are lacking a bit of pace to their play in attacking areas.

YELLOW CARD! It might only be a friendly, but Marcelo can't really argue with the decision as he picks up a booking for a late challenge on Lahm.

The free kick which follows Marcelo's tackle almost brings a breakthrough for Bayern. Costa reacts to a clearance and sends the ball back into the box, but his shot is diverted wide by Muller.

YELLOW CARD! Alonso can't believe his luck after appearing to get a foot on the ball, but the referee disagrees and books him for a tackle on Carvajal. The referee is not letting much go tonight.

OFF THE POST! Muller has certainly been the most dangerous player this evening and he's even closer to a goal when his strike from outside the box hits Ramos before coming back off the post.

Bayern are just starting to cause a few more problems for Real, but we've still not seen much of Gotze or Vidal in the final third. Real are holding firm, despite struggling to retain possession further up the pitch.

Crucial defending from Boateng as he heads clear under pressure with Ramos looking set to meet a Kroos corner.

SAVE! Superb from Navas. Costa does well to create space for himself on the wing, before pulling a cross back for Gotze, but Navas reacts brilliantly to get his leg to a low shot.

More drama at the end of the first half. Boateng looks to be determined to get his head on the ball, but while clearing he manages to bring down Ramos. It might have been a harsh penalty. The defending was far from convincing.

HALF TIME: BAYERN MUNICH 0-0 REAL MADRID

A decent first half comes to an end at the Allianz Arena. There's been some flashes of brilliance, but neither side have created too many clear opportunities. Bayern have been the more threatening, with Muller striking the post and Gotze testing Navas.

Much like they did last night, Bayern have dominated possession. However, they've lacked the pace which was key to their performance against Milan. Lewandowski is on the bench and his presence in the centre of attack could give the attack-minded players more to work off around the box. Gotze has been furthest forward for much of the first half, but he's struggled to get on the ball.

The flow of the game has been good, and the defences have not been easy to break down, which is sometimes the case in pre-season friendlies. However, with both managers expected to make plenty of changes in the second half it's tough to predict what is to come. Real would certainly like their midfielders to see more of the ball further up the pitch.

A quick reminder that if the match ends in a draw after 90 minutes, we will have a penalty shootout to decide the winner of the Audi Cup. I'm holding out for goals in the second half!

SUBSTITUTIONS: The second half has started at the Allianz Arena and both managers have made changes to their sides. Guardiola has sent on Lewandowski and Sebastian Rode for Gotze and Lahm, while Asier Illarramendi and Marco Asensio has replaced Cheryshev and Casemiro for Real.

YELLOW CARD! The referee has been a bit too eager to use his cards tonight. Benatia goes into the book for bringing down Asensio, but there didn't seem to be much contact.

SAVE! Neuer proves why he is considered the best goalkeeper in the world as he moves quickly across the line to make a brilliant save from Kroos, who had targeted the top corner with a free kick from 30 yards.

As predicted, the pace of the match has changed since the interval but Real have looked more confident in possession as they look to cause a few more problems for the Bayern defence.

CHANCE! Bayern should probably be ahead. Alonso's corner is delivered into the perfect area, but Benatia somehow manages to send a free header wide of the target.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Benitez decides it's time for three more changes as Modric, Rodriguez and Alvaro Arbeloa replace Marcelo, Isco and Jese.

SUBSTITUTION: The changes keep on coming. Juan Bernat, who capped an impressive performance with a goal yesterday, replaces Vidal.

CHANCE! The Allianz Arena is left stunned by this miss from Lewandowski. Costa is the creator of the chance once again as he skips a challenge before delivering the perfect pass to the Polish striker, who somehow manages to miss the target from just a few yards out.

Kroos seems determined to score with a long-range strike this evening. His latest effort appears to be on the way to finding the top corner until Neuer tips the ball to safety.

SUBSTITUTION: Alonso has certainly been one of the better players on the pitch, but his shift comes to an end as Pierre Hojbjerg comes off the bench.

A poor clearance from Neuer gifts Illarramendi possession 30 yards from goal, but the midfielder's effort lacks power and the Bayern shot-stopper is able to get back on his line to collect.

Very impressive attendance for a pre-season tournament!


Boateng has made a couple of vital interceptions this evening and he comes to the rescue once again when Asensio collects a clever pass from Rodriguez at the back post.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Borja Mayoral, who has built an impressive reputation with Castilla, and Danilo are off the bench to replace Vazquez and Kroos.

Ramos was the latest player to pick up a booking just before those changes as the referee continues to punish any late challenges. It looks like we could be heading for a penalty shootout. The changes have certainly had a negative impact on this game.

Bayern are asking more of the questions in the latter stages as Real drop slightly deeper to keep out the hosts. Costa looks the most likely to create something for Guardiola's side.

SAVE! A brilliant stop from Navas keeps Real on level terms as he pushes away a powerful effort from Bernat, who had created space with a lovely piece of skill on the wing.

SUBSTITUTION: Rafinha heads off to be replaced by Fabian Benko for the final 10 minutes.

Will there be a late twist? It seems like there's been an endless run of penalty shootouts in pre-season. Bayern have probably slightly edged proceedings this evening, but they're still struggling to find the breakthrough.

SHOT! Costa collects the ball on the right before evading a couple of tackles from Real defenders and unleashing an effort which drifts a yard past the post.

GOAL! BAYERN MUNICH 1-0 REAL MADRID (LEWANDOWSKI)

Bayern score what will surely be the winner in the Audi Cup final! It's poor marking from the visitors as Costa's free-kick finds Lewandowski, who turns the ball home at the back post.

The penalty shootout appears to have been avoided. Bayern are looking comfortable in the final minute at the Allianz Arena.

FULL TIME: BAYERN MUNICH 1-0 REAL MADRID

It may only be a pre-season tournament, but Guardiola will be happy to have seen his side overcome a difficult challenge to record victory with a late Lewandowski strike. Bayern were brilliant against Milan yesterday and were certainly the better side this evening. Real showed flashes of impressive play, but like most pre-season friendlies, the changes certainly affected the flow in the second half.

That's all from our live coverage this evening. Thanks for joining me. Goodnight!

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Bayern Munich's players celebrates wining their 25th Bundesliga title after German first division Bundesliga football match FC Bayern Munich vs 1 FSV Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena in Munich, southern Germany on May 23, 2015
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