Real Madrid reach Champions League final after beating Bayern Munich in thriller
Champions League semi-final second leg: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (4-3 aggregate)
WITH three minutes remaining it appeared as though Harry Kane’s hopes of ending his first season at Bayern Munich as a Champions League winner were still alive. A dramatic turnaround though meant it was Real Madrid who will meet Borussia Dortmund in the final after two late goals from Joselu.
Alphonso Davies had fired Bayern ahead and they appeared set to visit Wembley on June 1st until Manuel Neuer spilled Vinicius Junior’s shot and Joselu followed up to score from close range. If that felt like agony for Kane and his teammates, worse was to come in the first minute of added time when Joselu steered home from Antonio Rudiger’s cross and the goal was given after VAR overturned the onfield offside decision.
Real - and Kane’s international teammate Jude Bellingham - will now attempt to win the trophy for a 15th time while a disappointing season for Bayern ended in yet more frustration.
Vinicius Junior’s late penalty meant the tie was perfectly balanced coming into the second leg although there was a lingering sense Bayern had missed out on the chance to establish a significant advantage. Yet while the Bundesliga side had cause to feel a degree of regret, Real’s performance in the Allianz Arena provided another reminder of the resilience they have demonstrated so often in this competition.
They were helped in Munich by two glaring mistakes by Min-jae Kim, the Bayern centre-back who was at fault for both Real goals. The return to fitness of Matthijs de Ligt meant the Netherlands international returned to partner Eric Dier in central defence with Kim dropping to the bench. The home backline also had a stronger look with Dani Carvajal
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