Real Madrid-Bayern Monaco 2-1. A brace from Josulu in three minutes beats the Germans in the second leg semi-final.
Epic comeback at the Bernabeuheart-pounding conclusion with the Germans’ last goal annulled due to an offside whistled an instant before scoring.
Great spectacle and competitive spirit in the first 45 minutes at the Bernabeu. The hosts were more aggressive, especially in the first 30′. The best opportunity came in the 13th minute for Real, when Neuer, in collaboration with the post, said no to Vinicius, then also overtook Rodrygo. The Germans showed more danger towards the end of the first half with Kane. Still 0-0 in the first half of the match.
It all happens in the second half. The Blancos accelerate at the start of the second half and collect chances in series. Bayern resists and strikes on the first real chance of the second half. Davies flies to the left, passes Rudiger and hits the far post with a perfect right-footed shot: 0-1 in the 68th minute. Real poured forward and scored in the 73rd minute: an own goal, but the equalizer was canceled out by VAR due to an obvious foul by Caravajal on Kimmich. Bayern would have the space to attack on the counterattack but it doesn’t sting. Real pressed and equalized in the 88th minute, then in the 90th +1′ again with Champions League quarter-final first leg”>Joselu. The rest, 14 minutes of injury time, is history. Real in the final.
We started again from the first leg, a draw and a spectacle, 2-2 achieved in Munich: a place in the final is up for grabs, the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League will conclude in London at the prestigious Wembley Stadium on Saturday 1 June.
The formations
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Lunin – Carvajal, Nacho, Rudiger, Mendy – Kroos, Tchouameni – Valverde, Bellingham, Rodrygo – Vinicius Junior.
Bayern Monaco (4-2-3-1): Neuer – Kimmich, De Ligt, Dier, Mazraoui – Laimer, Pavlovic – Sané, Musiala, Gnabry – Kane.
The refereeing team was almost entirely Polish: directed by Szymon Marciniak, assisted by assistant referees Tomasz Listkiewicz and Adam Kupsik. Fourth official was the Slovakian Ivan Kruzliak, with Tomasz Kwiatkowski and Bartosz Frankowsk at VAR.
The Spaniards did not have a positive memory of the Polish whistleblower, considering that he was the referee of last year’s semi-final second leg which handed the final to Manchester City, thanks to the 4-0 success achieved in England. For Bayern Munich there are three previous matches, with two successes and one defeat.
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Real Madrid in FC Bayern München – Joselu’s goal
The match
Decisive start for the Spaniards for the first 5′. Germans closed in their own half of the pitch.
At 6′ the first dangerous action of the people of Madrid. Carvajal sinks to the right: very insidious low cross, with Rodrygo who almost misses the winning deflection.
Bayern’s response arrives in the 8th minute. Collective action from the Germans with Gnabry who puts it in the center from the left, but the ball is not precise for Kane.
Ancelotti’s men insist. Al 13’ Vinicius enters the area perfectly from the right and catches the pole: Rodrygo arrives on the ball and finishes with a sure shot, finding the great response from Neuer.
Very high pace and a lot of competitive spirit on the pitch.
In the 28th minute the first shiver for the goal Blancos. After a block from Nacho, Kane unleashes a spectacular right hand volley. The ball, close to the post, perhaps seemed destined to go out, but Lunin wisely deflected it.
After the first half hour of play Real Madrid constructed 5 dangerous actions against Bayern’s 2, one for each of the goals. Ball possession at 56% for the home team.
New great intervention by Neuer in the 40th minute: the German goalkeeper did well to deny Vinicius the goal again, who had actually crossed from the left, but the ball, not touched by anyone, had taken on a treacherous trajectory.
The last gasp came in the first minute of injury time of the first half of the game which belongs to Bayern: plenty of space for Laimer, who throws Kane deep. The suggestion is not precise and Lunin arrives ahead of the Englishman.
The first half ends. Real and Bayern go to half-time at 0-0. 45’+1′
The first offensive action of the second half is signed from Vinicius in the 46th minute who accelerates and crosses for Valverde, who anticipated the winning deflection from a few steps, but was anticipated by Dier.
Bayern responded immediately a minute later, with Davies close to scoring. The visiting winger receives from Kane and concludes with a left foot which, deflected by Carvajal, ends up just over.
Vinicius again in the 52nd minute. The Brazilian reaches the back, but his low cross does not reach any teammate.
In the 53rd minute he tries to sting Bayern. Long ball for Kane, who shoots with the right from the edge: Lunin stretches out and deflects.
Al 55′ i Blancos they come close to scoring with Rodrygo. The action starts once again from an amazing Vinicius in the left lane. The ball reaches Rodrygo who, despite being pressured by Dier, narrowly manages to finish wide.
Great free kick from Rodrygo at 59′. After a foul by Laimer on Bellingham, the Brazilian takes charge and shoots but Neuer performs the miracle by blocking.
At 60′ Vinicius again. Real’s number 7 enters the area again from the left and unleashes a right-footed shot, with Neuer once again making a great opposition.
The Germans take the lead in the 68th minute. Great delivery from Kane on the left to Davies. The Canadian is exceptional at taking the ball to the right and beating Lunin with a great shot to the far post. A goal with the flavor of mockery for Ancelotti’s men.
The Spaniards react and score in the 71st minute the equalizer which however was cancelled. Following the development of a corner, Valverde goes for a cross shot, with Nacho touching it, but it is De Ligt’s subsequent deflection that is decisive, it would be an own goal. But in the melee in the area Nacho put his hand in Kimmich’s face sending him to the ground. The arbitration decision is inevitable.
The opportunity for an immediate equalizer vanished Real struggled to counterattack and only in the 83rd minute did they build a new offensive move but Vinicius sent it high over the crossbar.
In the 88th minute Real Madrid made it 1-1. Vinicius shoots from 18 metres, a pass from Neuer who doesn’t hold back the shot and Joselu slings in on the rebound to convert the equaliser.
In the 90th minute there are 9 minutes of injury time established by the referee.
The ending is all about Real.
In the 92nd minute Rudiger, on the edge of offside, serves a golden ball to Joselu: just push it towards goal, and it’s 2-1.
There are 14 minutes of injury time, Bayern protested for a dubious offside that denied DeLigt the potential 2-2. Real in the final.
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Real Madrid in FC Bayern München – Joselu’s goal
Ancelotti: “Reaching the final is a great motivation”
“It could be another magical night, but we are aware of the difficulties. Today is a day worth living. Preparing for this match with the aim of another final is a wonderful motivation.”
The coach then talks about Bayern: “My 14 months there? An old story. The coaches must have the support of the club, otherwise you won’t be able to work well. And when this support is missing it’s better to part ways like we did” .
In closing, a few words on the choices: “Lunin will play, Courtois is fine but must return to his best condition. One of Kroos or Modric must always be on the pitch in the Champions League, then we’ll think about the future.”
“Bayern is a team that showed great quality in the first leg. They are very strong up front, very fast and dangerous. Characteristics of a team that like us, with merit, is playing in the semi-final.”
“One of the best days of the season because we are close to another final. You see the team well and you are happy. Tomorrow is another day, different.”
Tuchel: “We will give everything to get to Wembley”
Tuchel charged his team in the press conference the day before: “The Champions League final has been a dream since we were children, we must want to go to Wembley”.
“We are playing in Madrid, we want to give everything to get to Wembley. We need to play this match with concentration, we need to stay focused on what Real Madrid is, not on the myth it represents” declared the German coach.
(GettyImages)
Santiago Bernabeu stadium, Madrid, Spain