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Champions League: Real Madrid strikes, holds firm in win over Bayern

Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric was a picture of poise and precision in the club's 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday.

Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric was a picture of poise and precision in the club's 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday.

Perhaps more troubling, though, was the inability of Ribery to impose himself on the game. Such threat as Bayern posed from wide came almost exclusively from Robben, with Carvajal dealing with him so comfortably that Guardiola had his wide men switch flanks repeatedly before eventually withdrawing Ribery altogether after 71 minutes. Perhaps it was just a bad night for the France international, and it would be a major surprise if he didn't start the second leg, but his lack of impact is a concern.

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