Michael Olise reflects on Bayern Munich's dramatic win over Real Madrid
Michael Olise was named Player of the Match in Bayern Munich’s dramatic 4-3 Champions League quarter-final victory over Real Madrid on Wednesday. The French winger scored a decisive stoppage-time goal to seal the win after a chaotic encounter at the Allianz Arena. Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Olise reflected on a performance that sets up a semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain later this month.
Olise described the match as a "good, back-and-forth" affair, acknowledging the relentless nature of the early exchanges. "We knew they would try to come back. At first it was a bit like ‘goal, goal, goal’. When it eventually calmed down, we played a bit better in the second half and took our chances," he said. The 22-year-old praised his team's resilience in securing a result that sends the German giants into the last four.
The match-winning goal was a personal reward for persistence after several earlier attempts. "I tried five or six times before and I was getting closer each time. It was nice to score," Olise admitted. His performance underscored his growing importance to the Bayern side since his high-profile transfer from Crystal Palace last summer, a move that reportedly cost the Bundesliga champions around £50 million.
This context makes Olise's pivotal role in such a significant European tie particularly noteworthy. His adaptation to a new league and a club with perennial Champions League ambitions has been closely watched. Delivering a match-winning display against the record fourteen-time European champions represents a major milestone in his first season in Munich, demonstrating his ability to influence games at the very highest level.
The victory sets up a tantalizing semi-final against French champions Paris Saint-Germain, with the first leg scheduled for April 28 and the return on May 6. For Bayern Munich, the win keeps their quest for a seventh European Cup alive in a season where domestic dominance has eluded them. For Olise, the occasion provided a perfect platform to showcase the talent that made him one of the most sought-after young attackers in European football, justifying Bayern's significant investment. His continued development will be crucial as Bayern navigate the final stages of the competition.
