Bayern End Atletico Resistance With Second-Half Double in Madrid

Bayern Munich turned patience into points at the Metropolitano on Tuesday night, beating Atletico Madrid 2-0 in the Champions League league phase. After a goalless first half in the stadium that will host June's final, the visitors found their breakthrough nine minutes after the restart. Lennart Karl broke the deadlock in the 54th minute, finishing off the move that finally stretched an Atletico defence that had held firm until then. Konrad Laimer doubled the lead in the 74th minute, and from there Bayern controlled the closing stages to leave Spain with a clean sheet and a statement win. The result mattered because Bayern had drawn their previous two European matches, against Arsenal and Viking, and needed a victory to strengthen their push for a top-eight finish and direct passage to the last 16. Atletico, meanwhile, were left to rue a night when they stayed organised for so long but could not find an answer once Bayern's pressure told. Tuesday's other results kept the table tight at the top, with Paris Saint-Germain still leading the way, but Bayern's away win was the night's most disciplined performance — a team absorbing pressure, waiting for its moment, then taking it twice in the second half.