Real Madrid-Bayern Munich (2-1): immortal, the Madrilenians validate their ticket to Wembley thanks to Joselu

This semi-final has long told the story of a closed match, but of crazy technical quality, between two European behemoths eager to subdue the other under the weight of its history. We have long seen the attackers of some collide with the defenses of others, a tactical battle played out in the incessant choreography of the blocks. And then, everything came to a head, and Real and Bayern reminded us what the Champions League was: goals, emotions and twists and turns. Until a crazy finish and two goals which once again crowned Real Madrid as the immortal team of the continent.

The light first came from Alphonso Davies. The one who is said to be able to join his evening opponent this summer did not start at kick-off but entered the half-hour mark following the injury to Gnabry (27th). He was obviously determined to show Real Madrid the extent of his palette: upon receiving a long ball on the left, he overflowed, fixed Rüdiger with an inside hook then sent a praline from the right to lodge in the small net from Lunin (0-1, 68th). Not too bad, for a first career goal in the Champions League.

Neuer, from perfect match to nightmare

Immediately, Real could only respond, and thought they would do it quickly: on a corner, played short, Valverde found Nacho in the area who diverted the ball, which found its way into Neuer’s goal (71st). The Bavarians, furious, demanded that the goal be canceled. The images are clear: before striking, Nacho is guilty of a nasty and gross foul on Kimmich, whom he pushes in the neck. Real thought they would have a crazy semi-final, so they will have to wait.

Especially since he pushed for a long time in this match only to see the ball cross the line from a simply disgusting Manuel Neuer. He who has dealt so much with injuries in recent years, who forced Bayern to have to deal without him, reminded all of Europe who he was: a goalkeeper who certainly revolutionized his position but who above all has always been the one of the best, period.

Initially perfect, Neuer was guilty of a big mistake to put Madrid back in the match. DeFodi Images/Icon Sport

Rodrygo and Vinicius were at it all evening. A first time when the first recovered a shot from the second on the post (14th), again just before the break with a beautiful strike on the left (40th), then on return from the locker room when he diverted in quick succession a superb free kick from Rodrygo (59th) then a powerful strike from Vinicius after a dribbling show on the left (60th).

Joselu, two cannon shots in the night

It took the most harmless, or almost, of the strikes he had to face to make him break. Vinicius’ final attempt, from afar, on the German goalkeeper… the ball bounces off his hands, hits his chin, escapes him. Joselu, a surface fox, followed and crucified him on his only mistake of the match, the hardest, the cruelest (1-1, 88th). In the Champions League, Real never dies.

Two minutes later, the Bernabeu exploded again when the Spaniard pushed a cross from Rüdiger into the goal on the left. Off-side ? The suspense in Szymon Marciniak’s earpiece is unbearable… the Madrid striker, unexpected hero of the evening, is well behind the ball, and Madrid is in the final (1-2, 90th + 1).

After fifteen minutes of endless added time, Bayern Munich will therefore have failed to repeat history and recreate, eleven years later, the 2013 Champions League final at Wembley against Borussia Dortmund. The BVB, defeaters of PSG, will face the Madrid golgoth, in search of its 15th big-eared cup. And who once again wrote, this Wednesday evening, his inevitable legend on the European continent. Some things never die, Real Madrid is one of them.