UEFA Champions League: Bayern
Munich 0 Real Madrid 4 (0-5 agg)
Champions League final since 2002 in stunning fashion
with a 4-0 win at holders Bayern Munich.
The Spanish side produced a magnificent display at the
Allianz Arena on Tuesday to bring Bayern's title defence
to an emphatic end with a 5-0 aggregate victory.
Real - who beat Bayer Leverkusen in their last final
appearance 12 years ago - took a giant step towards a
long-awaited 10th success in Europe's premier club
competition courtesy of braces from Sergio Ramos and
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Leading 1-0 from last week's first leg, Ramos' early
double put Real in control of the tie, before Ronaldo
settled the tie in the 34th minute with a strike that broke
the record for most Champions League goals in a season.
Ronaldo made it 15 goals in 10 Champions League
appearances this term by rounding off an excellent Real
counter-attack, and then added the finishing touch with a
fine free-kick in the closing stages.
Real will now face Chelsea or city rivals Atletico Madrid in
next month's final in Lisbon, and their hopes of a treble in
Carlo Ancelotti's first season at the Bernabeu remain very
much alive.
The only disappointment from a wonderful evening for
Real came in the 38th minute, as playmaker Xabi Alonso
was booked for a rash tackle on Bastian Schweinsteiger,
meaning he will miss the final.
Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer presented Real with an
early opportunity as his clearance from a ball over the top
went straight into the path of Gareth Bale - restored to the
starting XI after illness - however, the Welshman could
only fire high over the crossbar.
But it did not take long for Ancelotti's men to make the
crucial breakthrough, which came in the 16th minute
when the unmarked Ramos met Luka Modric's perfectly
placed corner with a bullet header.
And just four minutes later, Real doubled that advantage
to take control of the tie as Pepe flicked Angel di Maria's
right-wing free-kick towards Ramos, who netted his
second goal of the game with a diving header.
Bayern did finally threaten the Real goal midway through
the first half, Franck Ribery flashing an effort across the
face of goal, but the visitors’ threat on the counter was
perfectly illustrated shortly after by a fine break from
Ronaldo, although the Portuguese could only fire wide
from the edge of the area.
The hosts failed to heed the warning offered by Ronaldo,
though, and he duly netted his milestone goal by coolly
finishing off a scintillating move that saw Bale charge
through the heart of the Bayern defence before laying the
ball off for the 29-year-old.
Ronaldo then went close with an audacious effort from 40
yards following another botched Neuer clearance.
Bayern were allowed more of the ball following the restart
but struggled to break down a determined and organised
Real defence.
Arjen Robben curled an effort narrowly wide from the
edge of the area, before Toni Kross lashed a decent effort
just over the bar.
However, a miserable night for Bayern coach Pep
Guardiola was capped off in the 90th minute, as Ronaldo
drove a low 20-yard free-kick under the wall for his 16th
Champions League goal of the campaign that ends
Bayern's chances of winning a second straight treble.
SOURCE: OPERA.COM
