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Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany drew a surprising parallel between his team's victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League and defeating Blackburn Rovers twice during his tenure as Burnley manager—while winger Michael Olise cheekily took a swipe at the Spanish club's reputation as the "Kings of Europe."
The Bavarian side traded blows with Madrid at the Allianz Arena in a memorable European clash on Wednesday evening.
Madrid surged ahead three times against the German giants, but were ultimately undone when Eduardo Camavinga's late—and hotly contested—red card shifted the momentum, allowing the hosts to seal the match in the closing minutes. The tie concluded 6–4 on aggregate, with Bayern advancing to the semifinals at Madrid's expense.
The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for Los Blancos, who gave everything in Munich and felt hard done by referee Slavko Vinčić's decision to dismiss Camavinga at such a crucial juncture.
Arda Güler received a red card after the final whistle for arguing with the referee, with several Madrid players furious at the manner in which the tie came to an end.
Kompany Makes Strange Comparisons
During his post-match press conference, Bayern boss Kompany may have inadvertently rubbed salt into Madrid's wounds by likening the showdown to his former club Burnley's rivalry with Blackburn in the English Championship.
When asked where this result ranks among his career highlights, Kompany said: "It's so tough to say.
"When you manage Anderlecht in Belgium and you beat Standard Liege, it's such an emotional game. I don't think the feeling is that much different—it gives you everything.
"I remember we beat Blackburn twice at Burnley. Nobody in this room would want to compare it to tonight, but it was incredible. It's something I experienced so much as a player, and this was no different. Of course for Bayern Munich this game carries an amazing feeling, but I don't think you wait for Real Madrid to say: 'okay, this is going to be the best feeling'. You have to draw it from every moment, and I try to live each one as fully as I can.
"I'm happy right now, in this moment. But tomorrow we'll shift our focus to the next game and put this behind us."
Olise Questions 'Kings' Claim
MARRA DE QUEM PODE! 🤨🤷♂️ Em entrevista EXCLUSIVA ao nosso @fredcaldeira, Olise deu aquela cutucada no Real Madrid após a classificação na Champions League! 🔥🇫🇷#MFM #PósJogo #Entrevista #CasaDaChampions pic.twitter.com/e5JRfu93Ed
Kompany wasn't the only one to downplay the significance of the result during post-match media duties.
Olise, who netted Bayern's final goal of the evening, was asked by TNT Sports Brazil how it felt to eliminate the "kings of the competition."
"Kings of the competition?" Olise repeated with a skeptical look, before the reporter clarified: "[Madrid have won] 15 trophies, I think… historically."
"Yeah, yeah," the former Crystal Palace winger responded with a grin.
Following their victory, Bayern will take on defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semifinals.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, now face the prospect of a second consecutive season without silverware, with Álvaro Arbeloa widely expected to be relieved of his managerial duties this summer.
Read the Latest Real Madrid News, Analysis and Insight From SI FC
Andy Headspeath is a Real Madrid correspondent for Sports Illustrated FC. Originally from the UK, the weather, culture and soccer drew him to Spain over a decade ago, where he now lives with his wife, son and two unruly dogs. A player of remarkably modest ability and only one fully functioning knee, he brings more than a decade of experience across a broad range of editorial roles in sports media, spanning match reports to in-depth features and interviews. He specializes in soccer history and culture, as well as—naturally—La Liga.