Before the epic battle between Bayern and Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final 2023/24, many people talked about the showdown between two English stars, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. However, it was Jamal Musiala, a former young English international, who received the most praise.

More important contributions than Kane

As many predicted, the first leg of the Champions League semi-final 2023/24 between Bayern and Real Madrid was extremely tense and dramatic. Real opened the scoring thanks to Vinicius, but Bayern quickly scored two goals early in the second half to take the lead. In the end, Vinicius completed a brace with a successful penalty kick to secure a 2-2 draw.

Vinicius was the player who garnered the most attention with his brace. Leroy Sane also earned praise for his superb dribble and finish to equalize the score 1-1. Meanwhile, Kane made history as the English player with the most contributions to goals in a single Champions League season. However, there’s one person who cannot be overlooked: Jamal Musiala.

The 21-year-old player is having a stellar season. Alongside Kane, he is one of the biggest hopes in Bayern’s attack in a season where the team has been disappointing. Unlike Kane, who attracts attention with impressive goal statistics, Musiala’s contributions may be quieter but no less important.

Musiala continuously made moves that caused Real’s defense to struggle, and one of them resulted in a penalty

Kane successfully converted the penalty kick, thanks to Musiala’s effort.

As a versatile player capable of performing well in various attacking positions, from central forward to the wings, Musiala made the Real Madrid defense have a tough day at the office. He demonstrated impressive dribbling and ability to navigate tight spaces.

Evidence of this is Musiala’s successful dribbles, with a total of 5 in this match, while the entire Real team only managed 6 successful dribbles altogether. Additionally, Musiala won 10 duels (the highest in the match) and earned a penalty kick.

The situation occurred in the 55th minute. Musiala confidently dribbled straight into the Real Madrid penalty area. His threat forced the experienced defender Lucas Vazquez to commit a foul. The referee pointed to the penalty spot, and Kane successfully converted, raising the score to 2-1.

Without Musiala’s efforts, Kane might not have scored in this match and thus wouldn’t have made his mark in Champions League history. The English forward played with determination, but lacked the breakthroughs seen in his younger counterpart.

Overshadowing Bellingham

Not only did Musiala shine brighter than Kane, but he also outshone another compatriot, Bellingham. In the reunion between the two English football prodigies, who had been teammates in the English youth teams for many years, Musiala performed much better than Bellingham.

Beyond his dribbling skills that create breakthroughs, Musiala also showcased impressive passing abilities. According to statistics, he had 60 touches, with a passing accuracy rate of 88.6%, delivered 2 crosses, and made 1 key pass.

Musiala also made positive contributions on the defensive end.

Meanwhile, Bellingham is completely lost

The 21-year-old star also demonstrated excellent coordination with his teammates. The trio of Musiala, Muller, and Kimmich frequently unsettled the Real defense. Besides his attacking prowess, Musiala also diligently contributed to the defensive efforts, playing a significant role in thwarting the opponent’s attacks.

Compared to a relatively subdued Bellingham on the opposite front, Musiala had a standout performance despite not directly scoring or assisting. He continued to excel in big matches, showcasing why he’s one of the most promising young talents in world football today.

The Bayern player deserves the praises after an outstanding 90 minutes against Real in the first leg of the semi-final and promises to be a dangerous spark for his team in the return leg.