Brave Reds fall to Atlético

FC Bayern lost for the first time this season on Wednesday evening in a 1-0 defeat away to Atlético Madrid. The 57,000 capacity crowd at the Estadio Vicente Calderón, a noisy and colourful cauldron, saw a tense and hotly-contested match and rose to hail Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco's opener for the hosts after the half-hour, the strike that proved to be the match-winner.

Carlo Ancelotti made four changes to the side that saw off Hamburg on Saturday. Milestone man Jérôme Boateng, who made his 50th Champions League appearance, Xabi Alonso, Arturo Vidal and Franck Ribéry took over from Mats Hummels, Joshua Kimmich, Renato Sanches and Kingsley Coman.

Bayern started with Manuel Neuer between the sticks behind a back four of Philipp Lahm, Boateng, Javi Martínez and David Alaba. Alonso filled the holding role, with Thiago and Vidal taking up station in midfield behind a front three comprising Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski and Ribéry. After a tactical skirmish in the first ten minutes, the 22 players on the pitch lived up to the prematch billing of the tie and its history.

FC Bayern won the 1974 European Cup, beating Atlético Madrid in the final. Finals, to be exact. It looked like Atlético would win the contest, but FCB legend Katsche Schwarzenbeck salvaged a draw in the dying stages of extra-time and the Bavarians went on to win the replay 4-0. In last season's semi-finals Atlético knocked out Bayern on away goals after two dramatic encouters.

Goals scarce despite chances galore

The first half of the fixture's fifth edition was tense and fiercely-contested with chances at either end. The German record champions piled forward in search of the opener, with Müller testing Atlético keeper Jan Oblak after 13 minutes. But the tide soon turned and Carrasco warmed Neuer's gloves before Fernando Torres's header struck the post. Lewandowksi then connected with a Lahm cross, but Oblak was equal to his header. After 35 minutes Carrasco pounced on an FCB error in midfield to put Atlético in the lead with a low drive off the inside of the post.

The teams were unchanged at half-time. Müller's header hit the side-netting in the early stages of the second period before Alaba drew a save from Oblak. Around the hour mark Carlo Ancelotti sent on Arjen Robben, Mats Hummels and Joshua Kimmich for Müller, Boateng and Thiago, who sailed very close to the wind after being booked, in an effort to raise the momentum. But it was the Spaniards who upped the pressure again, earning a penalty with five minutes to go, only for the crossbar to deny Antoine Griezmann from the spot.

FC Bayern are back in Bundesliga action on Saturday when they entertain high-flyers Köln. Their next Champions League encounter is at home to PSV Eindhoven on 19 October.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Gregor Salmen

Atlético Madrid - FC Bayern 1-0 (H-T: 1-0)