Real come from behind to send Bayern out of the Champions League
Manuel Neuer. |
Real Madrid are through to the Champions League final after a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening that saw the Spanish capital club advance 4-3 on aggregate.
Key saves from Manuel Neuer and a stunning strike from Alphonso Davies gave Bayern a 1-0 lead. But Real Madrid came back late in the game to level after a mistake from the Bayern goalkeeper before claiming a 2-1 victory in stoppage time.
Real Madrid started the game on the front foot, with Bayern happy to sit back and wait for an opportunity to threaten on the counter.
One of the visitors' most threatening moments of the first half came on seven minutes when Serge Gnabry was released on the left side of the box, but he couldn't find Harry Kane in the middle.
At the other end of the pitch, only the post and some superb goalkeeping by Manuel Neuer prevented Real Madrid from taking the lead in the 13th minute. The Bayern captain first tipped Vinicius Junior's shot onto the post before saving Rodrygo's rebound.
The double chance came at a time when Real Madrid were putting Bayern under real pressure, but the Bavarians were able to weather the storm and take the sting out of the hosts' early intensity.
On the half-hour mark, Harry Kane almost scored out of nowhere, as a reflex save from Andriy Lunin kept the Bayern striker's volley out for a corner.
Manuel Neuer was called into action again on 40 minutes when he tipped a dangerous cross from Vinicius Junior into the bottom corner as the teams went into the break level.
Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior both tested Manuel Neuer with powerful efforts, but the veteran goalkeeper kept denying the hosts.
Then, out of nowhere, Bayern took the lead through a fantastic individual effort by Alphonso Davies. In the 68th minute, the Canada international cut inside and fired home with his supposedly weaker right foot.
Real thought they had levelled a few minutes later when Matthijs de Ligt turned Nacho's low shot into the net. However, the goal was disallowed after a VAR review, with replays showing the Real captain had fouled Joshua Kimmich in the build-up.
As the game wore on, Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel took off several attacking stars and replaced them with defensive players to give his team the best chance of maintaining their lead.
Unfortunately for Tuchel and Bayern, Real found the equaliser in the 88th minute following a big mistake by Manuel Neuer. The 38-year-old, who had kept Bayern in the game all night, allowed Vinicius Junior's tame shot to fall to Joselu, who made it 1-1.
The goal was a major morale killer for the Bavarians, and things went from bad to worse for them a few minutes later when Joselu headed in Antonio Rüdiger's cross to put Real Madrid 2-1 up.
Bayern were unable to respond, meaning it will be Real Madrid who take on Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley on June 1.
It also means that Bayern Munich will finish a season without a trophy for the first time since 2011/12.