Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid: Things Learned from Audi Cup

Robert Lewandowski struck late to earn Bayern Munich a deserved 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the final of the Allianz Arena-hosted Audi Cup on Wednesday night.

A fairly even opening 45 minutes between last season's two defeated Champions League semi-finalists gave way to a near-dominant second-half showing from the Germans. Both sides made changes from their respective wins over AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur a day earlier, but the quality of Pep Guardiola's selections gave the impression that this one meant a bit more to the Bundesliga champions.

Read on for a few things learned from this pre-season clash.

Bayern Munich Fans Will Fall in Love with Douglas Costa

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Douglas Costa caused Real Madrid problems all night long.

If Douglas Costa's first appearances in front of the Allianz Arena faithful are anything to go by, they will soon fall in love with the Brazilian.

The attacking midfielder set up Lewandowski's winning goal with a beauty of a free-kick, floating it almost perfectly in front of the striker. That combination almost struck gold before then, only for the Poland international to shoot wide from his team-mate's precise centre into the six-yard box.

Costa had terrorised Real Madrid from either flank almost all night long. Driving hard down the left, cutting in from the right—he was virtually unstoppable. After the match, Guardiola talked up the former Shakhtar Donetsk man's versatility, per his club's official Twitter page.

"He can play on the left or the right," Guardiola said. "He will make Lewandowski, Muller and Co. even better."

Bayern have hardly been struggling for depth in the wide positions. Another year of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben (fitness permitting for both) would have been enviable by almost any team's standards.

The German champions are not resting on their laurels, though. Costa will bring extra competition for those places, and if he carries on at this rate, he may be regarded as a first-choice option there sooner rather than later.

Bayern's Stars Look Re-Energised by New Recruits and New Drive

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Arturo Vidal is another to have joined the ranks of an already strong Bayern side.

So much as you can read into pre-season friendlies, Bayern Munich's performances in the wins over AC Milan and Real Madrid suggest they are regrouping well after last season petered out.

That last term is used loosely for a side who comfortably won their league's title. But after being dispatched by eventual winners Barcelona in the Champions League and being knocked out at the same stage of the German Cup by Borussia Dortmund, the demanding Guardiola was never going to let things stagnate.

Arturo Vidal looks like he will provide drive and top-level experience that should help ensure Bastian Schweinsteiger is not missed too much (besides sentimentally). Against Real, he eagerly put himself about, helping to disturb the visitors' attempts to break forward.

As noted, Costa appears to be an excellent signing, while Bleacher Report's Stefan Bienkowski talked up Joshua Kimmich's qualities in possession following the win over Milan.

While the Supercup defeat to Wolfsburg last weekend was a reminder Bayern still has work to do, their players seem to be re-energised by the new recruits.

They know Guardiola will not let them coast by on past glories. So why not get with the plan, whatever it is going to look like moving forward.

Navas Deserves His Chance

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Keylor Navas may not have too much to smile about at Real Madrid.

It was far from pretty, but Keylor Navas was a big reason Real Madrid went away disappointed rather than embarrassed from the Audi Cup.

The goalkeeper denied Thomas Muller from close range early in the second half. He also reacted well to a number of long-range shots and barely defended efforts he would have had trouble seeing clearly on some occasions.

The only moment Navas was really caught out by was when Sergio Ramos' block on Muller late in the first half only succeeded in diverting it back across the goal and away off the post. There was nothing he could do about the goal after his defence gave Lewandowski an inexcusable amount of space in the six-yard box.

It is a shame, then, that Navas may not get a real opportunity to prove his worth for the Spanish giants.

Manchester United's David de Gea continues to be linked with a move to the Bernabeu, with the latest story coming from El Mundo (h/t ESPN FC). Inside Spanish Football's Tom Conn cites a story in Mundo Deportivo suggesting the Costa Rican will indeed make way if that transfer does occur.

Navas does not have the star status or big-club pedigree of a De Gea or his predecessor, Iker Casillas. But against Bayern, he again showed he is as dogged a goalkeeper as they come. He deserves his chance to show what he can do over the course of a season with Real.

It Remains Unclear Where the Leadership Will Come From in Benitez's Real

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Sergio Ramos is set to take on even more leadership at Real Madrid this season with Iker Casillas gone.

It always feels a little strange to watch a Real Madrid team without Cristiano Ronaldo. They look a bit less assured and—for better or worse—not so cocky.

Without Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale against Bayern, too—the latter wasn't called upon after his goal against Tottenham in the semi-final—they unsurprisingly looked light up top. That paucity of threat was a big factor in their inability to fight back against the Germans' pushing on in the second half, an onslaught the arrivals of others like Luka Modric and James Rodriguez could not stop, either.

Ronaldo's absence was particularly intriguing, however, because it allowed us an early look at where else the leadership in Rafa Benitez's team may come from this season.

Casillas' departure has left them short of one of the side's long-term cornerstones. Be it Navas or by signing De Gea, Real should be fine from a goalkeeping perspective. But the presence of such a big figure in the changing room and on the pitch will not be easily replaced.

Sergio Ramos taking on the captaincy will mean he naturally assumes new responsibilities. Yet his poor disciplinary record—he was booked in both games of the Audi Cup—may mean he is not always best suited to keeping things going as they should in the team.

For a club as notoriously volatile as Real, calm and reliable points throughout the team can be of great benefit. More often than not, the brilliance of players like Ronaldo and Rodriguez and Real's general superiority will mask issues threatening to affect the team. It is not always as simple as leading by example, though.

For now, it remains unclear just how Benitez's Real Madrid will handle things in those moments when the going gets tough.