Bayern Munich Women recovered from a two-goal deficit against Real Madrid, with Edna Imade and Momoko Tanikawa earning a draw before a late push for a winner fell short.

Bayern Munich had to work their way out of trouble before they could make a game of it. Two goals down inside 22 minutes, they looked vulnerable against a Real Madrid side that punished their slow start. But Edna Imade and Momoko Tanikawa brought Bayern back, and the hosts finished a breathless night wondering how they had not found a winner.

The 2–2 draw at Sportpark Unterhaching kept Bayern unbeaten in their first three UEFA Women’s Champions League league-phase matches. It also extended their unbeaten home record in the competition’s group and league phases to 17 games. Yet, given how much control they eventually established, this felt like a point gained and two dropped.

Bayern finished with 64 per cent possession, 16 attempts on goal and seven corners. Real managed seven shots and none from the corner spot. The numbers reflected the shift in the game: Real made their early chances count, but Bayern spent much of the second half pushing for a winner. 

Real strike first… and then again

Real needed just seven minutes to take the lead. Linda Caicedo reached the byline and cut the ball back into the area, where captain Athenea del Castillo finished to put the visitors ahead.

Bayern had plenty of time to respond, but their early possession did not translate into enough clear chances. Klara Bühl and Franziska Kett looked to create openings from the left, only for their deliveries to go without a Bayern player in the middle.

Real were more clinical. In the 22nd minute, former Bayern midfielder Arianna Caruso delivered a free-kick into the box. María Méndez sent the ball back across goal, and Lineth Beerensteyn rose to head home. The former Bayern forward doubled Real’s lead against her old club, leaving the hosts with a steep climb before half-time.

Bayern needed a response, and Imade supplied it. In the 31st minute, Bühl’s corner found the forward, who rose above the defence to power a header into the net.

The goal gave Bayern a foothold in the match, and their attacking play grew more purposeful. Pernille Harder sent a chance over the bar from Linda Dallmann’s delivery, while Bühl and Dallmann also threatened before the break. Bayern had created opportunities, but they went into half-time still chasing the game.

Tanikawa changes the mood

Bayern did not wait long to level the score after the restart. Seven minutes into the second half, Dallmann tested goalkeeper Merle Frohms, who saved the initial effort. Tanikawa collected the rebound, made space for herself and curled a left-footed shot into the top corner.

At 2–2, the game had taken on a different feel. Bayern were no longer chasing a two-goal deficit; they were looking for the goal that would complete the turnaround.

Tanikawa was central to that push, contributing not only the equaliser but also the composure Bayern needed in possession. She combined with Harder to set up Imade, who found herself through on goal, only for Frohms to deny her. The goalkeeper also kept out an effort from Harder as Real tried to hold their shape under pressure.

Bayern continued to find ways into dangerous areas. They recorded 13 shots from inside the penalty area, created three big chances and forced Real to defend for long stretches. But their dominance did not bring the finishing touch they needed. 

A late winner that never came

The closing stages belonged to Bayern. Bühl continued to deliver from wide areas, and Magdalena Eriksson came close with a header from another corner, sending it just over the crossbar.

Then, in stoppage time, substitute Sophie Proost struck the base of the right post. It was Bayern’s clearest late reminder that the comeback could still become a victory. Instead, the ball stayed out, and the final whistle confirmed the draw.

The contrast between the teams was striking. Bayern had 64 per cent of the ball and seven corners to Real’s none, while both sides registered four shots on target. Real had made their chances count early; Bayern had done the harder work of recovering from two goals down, but could not find a third. 

A point that tells two stories

There was plenty for Bayern to take from the performance. Imade gave them a route back into the game, Tanikawa delivered a moment of quality when they needed it, and the team kept pushing after a start that could easily have knocked their confidence.

But the first 22 minutes will concern José Barcala. Real found space down the left and converted their early opportunities, forcing Bayern to spend the rest of the match repairing the damage. Against stronger opposition in Europe, that kind of start can be difficult to overcome.

Bayern's response showed why they remain a difficult side to beat at home in the Champions League. Their late pressure also showed that they had the chances to take more than a point.

For Real, the draw will feel different. They will be pleased with the way they started and with the two-goal cushion they built, but they could not sustain that control after the break.

Bayern remain unbeaten after three league-phase games, with five points from a possible nine. The result keeps their campaign moving, but the missed chances leave a clear lesson: recovering from a poor start is one thing. Turning that recovery into three points is another.