Real will up gears and reach final

PICTURE: REUTERS

I have to admit, I was surprised by the result at the Allianz Arena yesterday morning (Singapore time).

But, credit to Bayern Munich, they were the better team in the Champions League semi-final first leg and their 2-1 win over Real Madrid was a fair reflection of their performance.

Despite that, I still feel that in a week's time, it will be Real who will be on the way back to the Allianz Arena for the Champions League final.

The reason is simple: What you saw yesterday was the best of Bayern and a below-par Real. There will be some players in the famous all-white strip with something to prove after the first leg, so expect Real to up their performance a gear or two.