Olise's signature move - the final chord in Bavaria's quarter-final symphony

When Michael Olise set off to celebrate in front of the Südkurve in stoppage time and slid across the pitch on his knees, it felt like a release after a match that had been building up to a climax for 90 minutes. Seconds later, he was lying under a pile of red bodies, the Allianz Arena was rocking, and just afterwards it was confirmed: the 24-year-old Frenchman was named Man of the Match in a quarter-final second leg that fits seamlessly into FC Bayern's catalogue of great European nights against Real Madrid.

However, this night was not just about the last shot, but a common thread that ran through 90+ minutes. Before Olise made it 4-3 in stoppage time, he'd already put Real on high alert several times, again and again, with the same technique, his signature move: darting inside from the right, laying the ball onto his left foot and curling it towards the top corner. At first he missed the target by millimetres - in the end he struck right into the heart of the Royals.

The 68th minute. The game has long since become what you would expect from a quarter-final between Bayern and Real: open, wild, full of twists and turns. Alphonso Davies picks up speed on the left, pushes forward, crosses, the ball lands at the feet of Jamal Musiala, who, like Phonzie, has also come off the bench, and he takes a shot from the left of the penalty area. The shot's deflected, the ball soars into the Munich night sky and, in a long arc, comes down on the right.

Right where Olise is, as if he’s been waiting for this exact moment. He takes the ball down with his chest, soft and controlled. Behind him, Konrad Laimer starts a run past Ferland Mendy, drawing the Real defender away, opening up the channel that Olise needs. All that remains in front of him is Arda Güler, more of an escort than a barrier. Olise lightly taps the ball inside and takes it on his left foot. You can feel the collective intake of breath in the Allianz Arena: now for his move. From the right to the centre, his left foot ready to flick the ball towards the top left-hand corner.

The shot is cleanly struck, the trajectory as if it had been sketched. Keeper Andrij Lunin stretches to the limit of his reach, gets his fingertips to the ball and tips it just over the crossbar. Olise stops, covers his face with his hands and looks up into the night sky as if searching for an answer. It's so close to an equaliser - and yet it's clear: this evening will witness a lot more from him.

Scenes like these explain why Olise has long since become one of the figures who stands out the most in the Bayern attack. On the right wing, as an inverted winger with a strong left foot, he lends the game an elegance that you can feel as soon as he gets on the ball. In the clash with Real, he was basically the mirror image of what Luis Díaz embodied on the left wing: constantly on the move, with a clear drive towards goal and a charisma that makes every touch look dangerous. His dribbles are tight, his steps short and light, his changes of direction fluid. It's this mixture of technique and composure that leaves opponents floundering, even though they know exactly what might be coming.

At the same time, Olise is not just someone who plays beautiful football. He combines finesse with consistency in the final third, is always looking for the finish and goes into those areas that decide a game. The fact that he's been directly involved in a goal in each of his last three Champions League games and has racked up a total of three goals and two assists shows just how focused his game has become.

After the final whistle, he speaks calmly about the wild evening: "We demonstrated a lot of stamina and kept fighting our way back into the game. In the end, we're happy with the result." Then the sentence that perfectly describes his performance: "I tried it five or six times beforehand and got closer each time. It was nice to score the goal." This "getting closer and closer" became tangible against Los Blancos. His moves seemed to get more and more compelling by the minute, as if he was getting closer to the perfect shot step by step.

The 77th minute. Bayern switch play to the right-hand side and the ball ends up with Olise again. He takes it down with his chest, controls the situation and looks up briefly. The roles are the same as before, only the intensity is higher. Arda Güler and Ferland Mendy have recognised the threat, push out close to him, double up on him and try to close down his usual routes.

Olise disregards the narrow space. He sets off on a dribble, feints briefly to the right, takes the ball to the left as if it were sewn to his boot. Mendy holds off a tad too oong, hesitates to make contact - exactly the window of opportunity Olise needs. Again, he takes a left-footed shot from a half-right position, and again the ball has that unmistakable spin. Lunin dives, stretches, but this time the ball whizzes just over the crossbar. The stadium groans.

Olise turns away, shakes his head briefly - and then looks back towards the goal, as if to make sure the ball really didn't dip under the bar. The moment resmbles repeatedly knocking on a door that you know has to open at some point.

Bayern, Olise and a season of resilience

The fact that this door actually burst open on this night is in keeping with FC Bayern's whole season. The team have shown remarkable resilience time and time again, not allowing themselves to be disheartened by setbacks but responding instead. The game against Real was the Munich side's first win at home in the Champions League after trailing at the break since 16 March 2016 - when their opponents were Juventus.

At the same time, the 90+ minutes against Real shattered a mental barrier. Bayern had previously lost four knockout ties in a row against the record winners in Europe's premier club competition. In recent years, Real often marked the end of the line, a benchmark and a wall at the same time. Now, for the first time since the 2011/12 semi-final, the Munich men prevailed in a direct knockout clash and turned the narrative around.

Olise is emblematic of this development. His game combines the courage of one-on-ones with the discipline of a team player who is embedded in clear processes. He gives Bayern's attacking game the moments of surprise it needs to disrupt a team like Real - and still remains consistent in his behaviour. "It was a good, exciting game with lots of twists and turns," he says. "We knew they would try to come back. At the beginning, it quickly became a back-and-forth game. When it eventually calmed down, we played a bit better in the second half and took our chances." He saved one of those chances for the final scene, when others would probably have chosen the safe route.

The scoreboard is showing 90'+4. The final seconds are ticking away, the score is 3-3, Real are pressing, Bayern are defending with everything they've got. Then they break free from the pressure one last time in a controlled manner, link up through the centre and the ball ends up with Kane. The Englishman looks up and shifts play to the right - to where Olise is waiting.

The same thought probably flashes through the minds of many spectators: Hold onto the ball, take the pace out of the game, go to the corner flag, wind down the clock. Kane's gesture suggests exactly that, asking for composure and control. Olise, however, sees another option. He takes the ball and accelerates in those typical small, quick steps. In front of him is once again Ferland Mendy, tired but ready. The logical route would be to the corner flag, but Olise stays true to himself - and goes back into the fray.

One touch, and the ball is ideally positioned. Olise darts a little inside, the angle opens up. Mendy takes half a step too far back, hesitates again to make contact - enough for a dribbler like Olise. He lets go with his left foot, this time flatter than before, more direct. The ball whizzes past the inside of the left-hand post by just a millimetre – and out of Lunin's reach. Silence reigns for a moment. Then the Allianz Arena explodes.

The net bulges, the Südkurve erupts, Olise throws up his arms and slides on his knees towards the corner. His teammates dive on top of him, burying him underneath them - they know that this shot is more than just the goal to make it 4-3. It's the moment that finally wins the game for Bayern.

When Olise was officially named Man of the Match a little later, the decision seemed like a formality. He characterised this game in every phase: with his narrow misses, with his presence on the right wing, with dribbles that consistently caused Real problems - and finally with the goal that decided the tie.

In one evening, the elements that have characterised his role at FC Bayern this season come together. He adds brilliance and unpredictability to their attacking game, doesn't shy away from one-on-one situations and takes responsibility at moments when others would choose the safe route. His winner against Real is the clearest expression of this attitude.

At the same time, this stroke of genius reflects the development of the entire team. This season, Bayern are not a side who are content with going to the corner flag when a chance presents itself. It's a team who have the courage to go for goal again in stoppage time - and a player like Olise who goes down this path with complete conviction.

The fact that he himself only says at the end that he'd "tried it five or six times beforehand" and had "got closer each time" is in keeping with him. This sentence resonates with modesty, but also the knowledge that great moments are often the result of several missed attempts. On this night, however, one shot does not miss its target. This time, the ball lands exactly where it has so often wanted to: in the top left corner, in the hearts of the Bayern fans, in the history books of an epic quarter-final against Real Madrid. And right in the centre of it: Man of the Match Michael Olise.

The press reaction to the win against Real Madrid: