Juventus are the team that will take on Barcelona in Berlin in next month's Champions League final, after they drew 1-1 away to Real Madrid to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory. It is a great achievement for the Italian champions, who reach their first final in this tournament since they were defeated by AC Milan 12 years ago.
Real Madrid vs. Juventus: Final score 1-1, Bianconeri join Barcelona in Champions League final
A draw at the Bernabéu was enough for the Italian champions to progress.
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Madrid headed into the game needing to score, and their attacking intentions were clear from the first minute when a deep cross by Marcelo was headed narrowly over by Gareth Bale. They went even closer five minutes later, when Karim Benzema brought down a good Dani Carvajal cross in the box, only to lash it high over the bar from point-blank range.
Iker Casillas had to stay on his toes, and was tested for the first time by a long-range Arturo Vidal shot after 13 minutes, though the hosts were undoubtedly on top. Juventus struggled to push out of their own third, and after 20 minutes a venomous Gareth Bale shot was beaten away by Gianluigi Buffon.
It took until the 23rd minute until the hosts' pressure finally told, when Giorgio Chiellini's clumsy barge sent James Rodríguez tumbling in the box. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to score the subsequent penalty, and suddenly Madrid had the away-goals advantage. Juve had to score.
However, they didn’t look at all like doing so, and would’ve been relieved at halftime to only be a goal own on the night. Shortly before the whistle Ronaldo lashed a good effort just over the crossbar, before Buffon got down to make a brilliant save on a Benzema drive at the near post.
Juve looked better early in the second half, and Claudio Marchisio's close drilled effort soon after the restart was a sign of things to come. It took them until shortly before the hour to net an equalizing goal, with former Madrid man Álvaro Morata stabbing a shot against the ground and into the back of the net from inside the area. Most importantly, it meant they had the aggregate lead.
It also meant the visitors had to brace themselves for a Madrid surge. Within minutes Gareth Bale volleyed a Marcelo cross just wide, before Rodríguez drove a swerving long-range effort just over the crossbar. But with their increased urgency in attack, the hosts were leaving themselves exposed at the back. Claudio Marchisio should’ve killed the game off when slipped through by Arturo Vidal, though Casillas made a crucial save.
It looked like a costly miss when Ronaldo floated a cross into the area for Bale with less than 20 minutes left, though fortunately for Juve, the Welshman headed over. The Merengues were surprisingly impotent in the last few minutes of the game, and that proved to be their last great chance; a thankful Juve held on to book their place in Berlin.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Marcelo, Ramos, Varane, Carvajal; Rodríguez, Kroos, Isco; Ronaldo, Benzema (Hernández 67’), Bale.
Goals: Ronaldo (pen. 23’)
Juventus: Buffon; Evra, Chiellini, Bonucci, Lichtsteiner; Pogba (Pereyra 89’), Pirlo (Barzagli 79’), Marchisio; Vidal; Tevez, Morata (Llorente 84’).
Goals: Morata (57’).
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