Real Madrid scored early and often on their way to a 4-0 drubbing of Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday. Sergio Ramos scored a brace, while Cristiano Ronaldo added two of his own, and Los Blancos will return to the Champions League final for the first time since 2002.
Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid: Final score 0-4 (0-5 aggregate), Blancos overwhelm Bayern, advance to the final
Real Madrid will play for their 10th European Cup after demolishing Bayern Munich.
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Madrid were the better side in the first leg, and they were definitely the better side in the second leg. Their defense overwhelmed the Bayern attack and limited the Germans to just three shots on goal, the first one not even coming until the 60th minute.
Meanwhile, Madrid’s lethal counterattack and set piece play shredded Pep Guardiola’s back line, ending Bayern’s hopes of defending their Champions League title.
Gareth Bale had the match's first good chance in the 9th minute when Manuel Neuer went on one of his patented adventures way outside the box. Neuer was well past the penalty arc when he made contact with the ball, but his headed clearance attempt was mis-hit right to Bale. The Madrid winger tried a one-touch shot, but his effort soared well over the crossbar.
In the 16th minute, Madrid made Bayern pay on a corner kick as Sergio Ramos headed his side into the lead. Luka Modrić's corner was well placed at the far post, finding the Madrid defender wide open between David Alaba and Dante. Ramos was able to go up unmarked, and headed the ball down off the ground and past Neuer.
Less than four minutes later, it was Ramos again using his head to double Madrid’s lead. This time it was a set piece from 20-yards out to the right of goal, given after Bale was brought down trying to squeeze between two Bayern players. Ángel di María’s free kick curled into the box, where Ramos fought threw two defenders, hitting a diving header past Neuer to make it 2-0.
With Bayern pressing forward, desperate for goals, it was probably inevitable that Madrid would find a way to pick them apart on the counterattack.
In the 34th minute, it happened, as Bale and Ronaldo broke loose on a two-on-one. Bale waited for Boateng to commit to covering his run before feeding the ball across the box to Ronaldo, whose shot went off Neuer’s hand and into the back of the next.
It was 3-0 Madrid, and it wasn’t even halftime.
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The goal was Ronaldo’s 15th in the Champions League this season, which is a new record.
Xabi Alonso was shown a yellow card after needlessly bringing down Bastian Schweinsteiger with a late tackle on the edge of the 18-yard box. While the ensuing free kick didn't lead to a goal -- Arjen Robben's shot was nowhere close -- the card means that Alonso is suspended for the final in Lisbon.
Franck Ribéry managed to force Iker Casillas to make his first save of the match in the 60th minute. That's right, the 60th minute. The French winger accelerated past Fabio Coentrão into space, but his shot lacked much power and was easily collected by the Madrid goalkeeper.
Ronaldo scored his second goal of the match in the 89th minute, slipping a low free kick underneath the Bayern wall, and past a helpless Neuer to make it 4-0.
Madrid will face the winner of Wednesday’s Chelsea vs. Atlético Madrid match in Lisbon, Portugal on May 24th. Either matchup would provide an interesting storyline, with Madrid either facing their city rivals Atlético, or Chelsea, led by their former head coach Jose Mourinho.
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Alaba, Boateng, Dante, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Robben, Müller (Pizarro 72’), Ribéry (Götze 72’), Mandžukić (Martinez 45’)
Goals: None
Real Madrid: Casillas, Coentrão, Ramos (Varana 75’), Pepe, Carvajal, Di María (Casemiro 84’), Alonso, Modrić, Ronaldo, Benzema (Isco 80’), Bale
Goals: Ramos (16’, 20’), Ronaldo (34’, 89’)
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