MADRID, 8 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid has qualified for the final of the 2023-2024 Champions League after winning 2-1 this Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium against German Bayern Munich, thanks to a double from Spanish striker Joselu Mato in the final stages of a exciting second leg match of the semi-finals.
The Germans had the ticket for the Wembley final on June 1 in their hand, taking the lead with a goal from Davies with only 20 minutes remaining. But Real Madrid, superior overall, and the magic of the Bernabéu pushed until the end to invoke the Madrid epic in the Champions League. And the 14-time European champion’s prize came close to 90, with the first of the two goals scored by Joselu, who finished the job in stoppage time.
Before, Nacho Fernández equalized with a goal disallowed due to a foul on Kimmich, much protested by the locals. And the Germans also reproached the referee for calling an offside just before a shot that would have been 2-2, although with Lunin already standing still. Borussia Dortmund will be the Merengues’ rival in their sixth continental final in the last eleven years and the eighteenth in the club’s entire history.
In response to a dedicated fan even before the opening whistle, Real Madrid started with more energy and control of the ball. His best option came from the right, after a good combination and a low shot with music from Carvajal that no one finished off. In a similar play, although from the left, to Bayern’s reply, although the ball did not find a finisher either.
Equality, with offensive phases for each team, again on the right, the Spanish full-back filtered a pass for ‘Vini’, who shot hard and crossed, meeting the post. Fortunately, the rebound reached Rodrygo who, with everything on goal, missed with his shot at will, very focused and into the hands of a Neuer who seemed outmatched. Ancelotti’s men missed a great opportunity to break the 0-0 lead.
Bayern’s plan changed around half an hour into the game due to Gnabry’s injury, who was replaced by Davies to double up at left back. And immediately, Kane woke Bayern up from their lethargy with a volley from the front with a ball that seemed harmless but made Lunin use a good stretch.
From there, a non-aggression pact between the two teams, perhaps aware of the valuable loot at stake. The Germans only found danger between the lines, causing a certain lack of control in the center of the Madrid field. Meanwhile, Real Madrid stretched with some flash of Vinícius, like a lateral center that turned into a dangerous shot that Neuer saved by tapping with a good stretch.
As at the beginning, the first to attack after the break was Madrid, with the umpteenth attempt from the left by ‘Vini’ reaching the baseline and putting it into the six-yard box, again without a finisher. The Brazilian was a headache for Kimmich, although he did not take advantage of any of his starts. Not even in the clearest, again with Rodrygo as the protagonist and finishing off target, licking the post.
The whites were close to the desired 1-0 without luck, while Bayern, although without precision in the final third, continued their plan of looking for a Harry Kane who gave the Madrid defense a lot of work. But Real Madrid began the siege, with a good free kick from Rodrygo and a good play from ‘Vini’ with a powerful shot included inside the area; and both met a sensational Neuer. Sensation in the Bernabéu that his team forgave the Germans.
Real Madrid enjoyed its best minutes but not the effectiveness to which it is accustomed. In fact, he saw how Bayern stretched with a promising arrival from Musiala who shot with his left foot that repelled an attentive Lunin. It was a warning, because in the next approach Davies, the most active in the second half in the German team, took advantage of a very contemplative Real Madrid to strike down the Ukrainian goalkeeper with a cross shot with his right foot, with 20 minutes remaining.
Ancelotti did not waste any more time and introduced Modric and Camavinga onto the field, trying to shake up the rhythm and spirit. And he did it, responding with the 1-1 in a corner with a shot from Nacho Fernández, but through VAR, Marciniak considered that the defender pushed the German ‘6’, who was left lying on the grass. The public and the Real Madrid players threw themselves on top of the referee, but the goal did not go up on the scoreboard.
Taking advantage of the lack of control, Kane was able to score the second, but he sent his shot into the side of the net. And Tuchel considered it appropriate to introduce Kim Min-jae, one of those named at the Allianz Arena, to change formation to three centre-backs, also to protect himself from Vinícius. The Germans began to feel comfortable and managed to hit the crossbar from a corner, although it was offside.
Only the Brazilian ‘7’ created danger, but the powder was wet, when the last ten minutes entered. For this reason, Real Madrid undertook, with the support of the fans, the open grave plan, with Bayern only going against it. And in this territory, as usual in the Champions League, the 14-time European champion resorted to the magic of the Bernabéu, tying two minutes from time with a goal from Joselu. The Madrid ‘nine’ hooked a loose ball after a previously imperial Neuer failed to receive it.
The Madrid fiefdom went crazy and took their team to the second without needing to go to extra time with Joselu, once again, as the protagonist. The forward confirmed that he was inspired and, in a play with several rebounds, he finished off a ‘death’ pass from Rüdiger – whose position was fair but the VAR confirmed it -. After the uncertainty with the video refereeing, the Bernabéu and the Madrid players exploded with joy. They had done it again, to get their ticket to Wembley.
The Germans protested one last play, with time already up, when the referee whistled for offside before a goal that would have been a 2-2 tie, although with the Madrid goalkeeper standing still without following the play.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: REAL MADRID, 2 – BAYERN MUNICH, 1 (0-0, at halftime).
–ALIGNMENTS:
REAL MADRID: Lunin; Carvajal, Nacho, Rüdiger, Mendy; Tchouameni (Camavinga, min.70), Valverde (Brahim, min.81), Kroos (Modric, min.70), Bellingham (Militao, min.90 10); Rodrygo ((Joselu, min.81) and Vinícius.
BAYERN DE MÚNICH: Newer; Kimmich, De Ligt, Dier, Mazraoui; Pavlovic, Laimer; Sané (Kim Min-Jae, min.76), Musiala (Choupo-Moting, min.85), Gnabry (Davies, min.27); Kane (Müller, min.85).
–GOALS:
0 – 1, min. 68: Davies.
1 – 1, min.88: Joselu.
2 – 1, min.90 1: Joselu.
–REFEREE: Szymon Marciniak (POL). Camavinga was cautioned (min.90 11) by Real Madrid.
–Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
