Trent Alexander-Arnold to force Thomas Tuchel U-turn? Should Jude Bellingham have started? Ballon d’Or decider for Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe?

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We analyse all the big talking-points from Bayern Munich's 2-1 quarter-final first-leg UEFA Champions League win over Real Madrid inside the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night. Trent Alexander-Arnold showed all his quality for Kylian Mbappe's goal, while there may be questions over whether Jude Bellingham could have started the game, given his big impact when he came on.

Highlights: Kane and Bayern too hot for Real in Bernabeu first leg

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Tuchel Trent U-turn?

Liverpool legends Steven Gerrard and Steve McManaman - both on commentary duty for TNT Sports at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu - were both stunned by Trent Alexander-Arnold's absence from the recent England squad, and their opinions seemed valid on a night when the 27-year-old was one of Real Madrid's standout players.

England boss Thomas Tuchel has been among those to cast doubt on Trent's defending ability, and though he was caught out for Luis Diaz's goal, there were also moments - such as when he formed an iron wall to stop Konrad Laimer bursting into the box in the first half - that showcased his defensive will on the biggest of stages.

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He also featured heavily in the attacking situations Madrid did muster, topping the home side's charts for final third entries (8), and showcasing his all-round skillset by passing through the lines and swinging in some threatening crosses and set-pieces in the first half, before his glorious assist for Kylian Mbappe in the second half got Real back in the game.

Is there room for a Tuchel U-turn before the summer?

'Could have done even better' - Kane on first-leg victory at Real

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Should Bellingham have started?

Only the Real Madrid medical team know what condition Jude Bellingham was in ahead of this game.

According to Marca, Los Blancos were reportedly frustrated that the England midfielder turned up for Three Lions duty last month, only to miss both games and fail to build up his fitness ahead of the first leg with Bayern.

But his showing when he came on - full of skill and hard running - suggested he might have been able to start and come off, rather than come on when his side were already 2-0 down.

That said, he helped get them back in the game, and should he be in better shape next week in Munich as Real bid to get back in the tie, then perhaps Real boss Alvaro Arbeloa's decision will have proved to be the right one.

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Ballon d'Or hopefuls Kane and Mbappe end level

Arguably the two premier forwards on the planet - with a conciliatory nod to Erling Haaland - went head-to-head on Tuesday night, and it was Harry Kane who looked like edging his battle with Kylian Mbappe as the match ticked into the final quarter.

Kane had come into the game under an injury cloud - and did not look totally himself during the course of the night - but he was there when opportunity came knocking, sliding in beautifully from the edge of the area to put his side 2-0 up just after half-time.

Mbappe had passed up some presentable openings up until that point - admittedly some that he had carved out all by himself - but he turned in Trent's delicious, inch-perfect cross on 74 minutes to haul himself level with Kane on the night, and keep the overall gap at three in terms of UCL goals this term - Mbappe on 14, Kane on 11.

The battle for the Ballon d'Or will go on past next week, but whoever progresses to the semi-finals will strike a big blow to the other's hopes.

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Courtois the biggest miss

How many times has Thibaut Courtois saved Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League?

Against Liverpool in the 2022 final, against Manchester City - countless times - and so on.

Injury has seen Madrid shorn of the giant Belgian for the most critical period of the season, and his replacement - Andriy Lunin - had question marks next to his name after Bayern's second goal.

Kane's shot was good, but not immensely powerful and not in the corner - but Lunin, though he got a hand to it, could not keep it out.

Would Courtois have done? The mistake was put into even sharper focus with Manuel Neuer making a number of fine stops at the other end, and with Courtois likely to still be missing for the second leg, it could prove to be a big factor in the destiny of this fascinatingly poised tie.

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