Defending champions Bayern Munich staged a thrilling comeback to beat Real Madrid 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash here on Tuesday.
Two goals in the space of six minutes towards the end of the game gave Bayern a vital edge to take to the Spanish capital in the return next week.
After Geremi had given Real an 11th minute lead, it looked as if Bayern were heading for defeat until a dramatic finale.
Skipper Stefan Effenberg, who had missed a 71st minute penalty, made amends by scoring from close range in the 82nd minute after being set up by Giovane Elber.
Then, with just two minutes left, the impressive Elber played a one-two with Claudio Pizarro who blasted the ball home to send most of the fans inside the Olympic Stadium into ecstasy.
The two sides had met in the semi-finals of the event in the last two years - Real won through on their way to the title in 2000 but it was the German champions who clinched both legs in 2001 as they made their way to the trophy.
Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said afterwards: "German teams never give up and especially not Bayern Munich. Elber had hit the crossbar, Effenberg missed a penalty but our heads did not drop and we went on to earn a deserved success."
Hitzfeld's opposite number at Madrid, Vicente Del Bosque, said he had suspected Bayern might bounce back strongly just as they did during the final moments of the match.
"It was a painful result but I suspected Bayern might hit back like that. We tried to play the same way in the second half as we did in the first but it never really materialized that way.
"It was a typical victory by a battling side like Bayern."
Real shocked the defending champions by taking the lead after just 11 minutes when Cameroon defender Geremi hit a left foot shot from the edge of the box which bobbled over the despairing dive of Bayern keeper Oliver Kahn.
The goal came just moments after Geremi had put a header from a Zinedine Zidane cross wide of the mark.
The Spanish side, chasing a ninth European Cup, surged forward after that goal looking for more reward with Raul coming close on a couple of occasions.
Santiago Solari also caused a few nervous moments for the home side when he shot wide from outside the area.
It wasn't until the 38th minute that Real goalkeeper Caesar Sanchez was called to make his first serious save when he dived to his right to push away a smart turn and volley
from Elber.
But Elber had already given warning of his speed, twice getting the better of his markers only to be flagged offside when he was bearing down on goal.
Then Santa Cruz headed wide of the Madrid goal as Bayern began to string some confident moves together.
Bayern dominated the second half and were well worth their win although it seemed that they would suffer a fruitless night.
Elber found himself at the forefront of Bayern pressure again when Sanchez had to hurry to gather a strike from the edge of the box from the Brazilian after 52 minutes.
The Germans coninued to push and Sami Kuffour had a header that sailed wide from an Effenberg freekick in thr 68th minute.
A minute later, Bayern thought they had levelled the score when Bixente Lizarazu crossed from the left and Elber met it with a fine header which came off the crossbar with Sanchez well beaten.
In the 70th minute, Bayern squandered their best opportunity. Substitute Hasan Salihamidzic was brought down in the area by Pavon Barahona and referee Hugh Dallas of Scotland gave the penalty.
But Effenberg's spot-kick was
saved by Sanchez diving to his left.
Sanchez was called on again four minutes later when he saved a point-blank header from Elber.
Zidane had been a doubt for the match having picked up an ankle injury in the league game with Sevilla at the weekend while the Spanish champions were also missing Portuguese ace Luis Figo.
Bayern were without German international midfielder Mehmet Scholl, who injured his ankle in the 0-0 league draw against SV Hamburg on Saturday.
The winner of this tie will play the winner of the quarter-final between surprise Greek qualifiers Panathinaikos and Spanish giants Barcelona who are playing their first leg on Wednesday in Athens.
Zidane told French television station Canal Plus afterwards: "Unfortunately after conceding the first goal we were just not able to deal with the situation.
"Bayern never give up and hardly ever have a bad match and that's what brought about this result. But it's not the end of the world for us. This tie is certainly not over and it's not mission impossible in the second leg."