Bayern late show stuns Real
Two goals in the last ten minutes from Stefan Effenberg and substitute Claudio Pizarro - two minutes from time - ensured this fixture ended 2-1 for their third successive season and gives Bayern a one-goal lead into the second leg.
The home side could even afford a missed penalty from Effenberg, but it had all looked much different early on when Real had looked to be taking an invaluable first leg advantage with Cameroon international Geremi breaking the deadlock after 11 minutes.
Bayern came into the game full of confidence, having won five out of the last six meeting between these two European superpowers including both legs of last year's semi-finals.
However, Real started in the ascendancy with Zinedine Zidane orchestrating all their best moves from midfield.
The first real chance of a tense opening came after nine minutes, when Geremi latched onto Zidane's cross, but he could not direct his header on target.
Santiago Solari went close with a long-range shot after ten minutes when he capitalised on a mistake by Willy Sagnol, but his 20-yard effort fizzed just wide of Oliver Kahn's post.
A minute later, Real did open the scoring through Geremi.
The versatile star playing wide on the right in place of the injured Luis Figo cut inside Paolo Sergio and from 20-yards out, hit a shot towards the near post which bounced past Oliver Kahn.
The goal stung Bayern into action and Owen Hargreaves went close with a free kick from the edge of the penalty area after 15 minutes, which flew just over Cesar's goal.
The imperious Zidane then tried his luck from long-range in the 16th minute and he was unlucky to see his shot nestle on the top of Kahn's net. Seconds later, Raul forced Kahn into a comfortable save with a flicked header.
The goal seemed to inspire Real and they took control of proceedings once they had taken the lead.
Bayern were desperate to get back into the game, but they were very wasteful with possession in the final third of the field.
The home side got into a lot of dangerous areas, but all too often the final cross and pass was missing as Real easily coped with everything the home side could throw at them.
The closest Bayern came to drawing level in the first half was six minutes before the break when Giovane Elber beat Michel Salgado and fired his shot towards goal, but Cesar did brilliantly to push his effort away.
Bayern came out for the second half in determined fashion in a bid to get back into the game and they forced Real back.
The first real chance of the second half fell to Madrid after 49 minutes with Raul flashing his shot from an acute angle just over the crossbar.
Four minutes later, Elber worked an opening for himself with some neat skill, but his shot was straight at Cesar.
Bayern had claims for a penalty waved away by Scottish referee Hugh Dallas in the 57th minute when Elber went down in the penalty area under a challenge from Claude Makelele.
The home side made a double substitution after 63 minutes to boost their attacking options with Hassan Salihamidzic and Claudio Pizarro replacing Sagnol and Paulo Sergio, but it did little to threaten Real.
Bayern almost drew level in the 68th minute when Sammy Kuffour rose highest to meet Stefan Effenberg's free kick, but his header just flew wide of the post.
Two minutes later, Bayern came within inches of finding an equaliser when Elber crashed a header off the crossbar.
Bixente Lizarazu beat Salgado down the left and fired in a high cross which Elber met with a powerful header which beat Cesar, but to the Brazilian's disbelief thudded off the crossbar.
Bayern were handed the ideal opportunity to get back in the game after 72 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for Francisco Pavon's foul on substitute Salihamidzic.
The Bosnian appeared to play for the penalty as he left his leg trailing onto Pavon's challenge.
Effenberg stepped up to take the spot kick but his effort low to the left was superbly saved by Cesar, much to the dismay of the home crowd.
Two minutes later, Lizarazu got free down the left and Effenberg flicked the Frenchman's cross into the path of Elber, who saw his volley saved by the impressive Cesar.
Effenberg turned from villain to hero eight minutes from time, when he finally made the home side's second half dominance count with a crucial equaliser.
The skilful playmaker played a neat one-two with Elber inside the box before firing the ball past Cesar from eight yards out to send the majority of the Olympic Stadium into raptures.
Three minutes later, Elber almost fired the home side in front with a brilliant header, but Cesar produced a superb reaction save to claw away the striker's goal-bound header.
Bayern did grab the winner they were seeking two minutes from time, with Elber again the creator of the goal for Pizarro.
The Peruvian striker exchanged passes with Elber and nipped in ahead of the onrushing Cesar to clip the ball past him and into the net to give Bayern an unlikely lead.
Real pushed forward in the closing minutes in a bid to find an equaliser, but Bayern held strong to hold onto a remarkable comeback.
The only sour note for Bayern was the late booking to Robert Kovac which will rule him out of the second leg at The Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday.
Bayern's late show leaves the tie nicely poised for an exciting night in Madrid next week and Madrid will be confident of overturning the scoreline at home, where they have a 100 percent record in the Champions League, having grabbed a precious away goal.
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