India, April 8 -- Kylian Mbappe had half-wheeled away to celebrate when Manuel Neuer got down to pull off a save that belied age and size. The television cameras caught Mbappe looking visibly stunned.

In the context of a Champions League quarter-final between teams that have 21 titles between them, and 77 quarter-final appearances, it was a save as important as it was incredible. Goals from Luis Diaz and Harry Kane had put Bayern Munich 2-0 ahead and Real Madrid were being carved open. Then around the hour mark the 15-time winners had got a foot in the door.

Mbappe's shot, off a Jude Bellingham pass, came in the 65th minute. Four minutes earlier, Vinicius Jr had broken through on goal latching on to Dayot Upamecano's weak back pass. If ...