Real Madrid reached their third consecutive Champions League final with a 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich — but what hope they gave Liverpool.
If Jurgen Klopp’s team can finish the job in Rome tonight they can go to Kiev without fear. Madrid owe their place in the final to Bayern Munich keeper Sven Ulreich’s second half slip in his six-yard box, to several favourable penalty decisions, and to their own keeper Keylor Navas.
Sure they showed all the true grit that makes them serial winners but they defended at times like a team who will struggle to cope with Mo Salah and company.
Karim Benzema celebrates in front of the Real Madrid fans after scoring the first of his two goals against Bayern Munich
Real Madrid players celebrate as a group after Benzema fires them into the lead on the night and two ahead of aggregate
Benzema scored the first of his two goals with a close-range header from Marcelo’s excellent cross after 11 minutes
The French striker was gifted a second goal after a disastrous defensive mix-up between the Bayern Munich defenders
Sven Ulreich of Bayern Munich looks dejected after his disastrous mistake gifts Real Madrid their second goal of the game
Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich comforts team-mate David Alaba following their narrow defeat by Real Madrid
If Madrid do triumph in Ukraine it will be four European Cups in five years. Three for Zidane and four for Cristiano Ronaldo.
The hosts led 2-1 from the first leg, but Bayern were ahead inside three minutes here. Madrid were sluggish and Thomas Muller was allowed to cross from the right.
Sergio Ramos should have dealt with the danger at the near post but his fumbled clearance hit Robert Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich shot past Navas.
Zinedine Zidane had said before the game that he did not want any ‘strange things’ happening. Ramos’s clearance had been odd but then Karim Benzema’s critics will argue what came next was strange too — the Frenchman scored. Marcelo crossed from the left and Benzema was unmarked to rise and head Madrid 3-2 ahead on aggregate.
Both sides were defending woefully. Bayern had allowed Madrid to play from one side of the pitch to the other ahead of Benzema’s equalizer. Madrid were suffering without their holding midfielder Casemiro, who was surprisingly dropped by Zidane.
There was chaos in the Madrid area and chaos in their dug-out too. Raphael Varane indicated that he was struggling with his knee and Nacho Fernandez, who had been out for three weeks with a hamstring injury, stripped to come on.
Then Varane signalled that he wanted to carry on and Nacho had to put his top back on and continue his warm up.
Joshua Kimmich fires home the opening goal of the game from close range after pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty box
Kimmich celebrates his goal with Bayern Munich team-mate Thomas Muller with just three minutes of the second leg played
Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema heads the ball into Bayern Munich net to put his side back in front on aggregate
The France international celebrates in front of a packed Santiago Bernabeu stadium after scoring the equalising goal
Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich goes down under the challenge of Sergio Ramos (left) but is denied a penalty kick
Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski attempts a shot (saved) as Real Madrid captain Ramos dives in an attempt to block it
James Rodriguez (No 11) misses a golden opportunity to score against his parent club and put Bayern Munich back in the lead
Real Madrid broke and should have extended their advantage just before the half-hour mark when Marcelo got the byline but could not find Cristiano Ronaldo with the pull-back.
Madrid were still wide open and Navas had to get down well to save from Muller. With 10 minutes left of the first half James Rodriguez almost had his moment of revenge against the club who decided he was surplus to requirements last summer. It was a big miss — from two yards out.
Mats Hummels started the move gliding out of defence and feeding Lewandowski, who drew a save from Navas. The ball looped up at the back post and when Marcelo attempted his clearance the ball hit Muller and dropped to Rodriguez. He blazed over, falling in a heap in the six-yard box. It was another huge let-off.
Madrid needed respite and Ronaldo provided some with a shot to Ulreich’s near post, where the Bayern keeper pushed out for a corner.
The reigning European champions still had the advantage at half-time but Zidane’s masterplan had been unpicked by Bayern and it was in urgent need of repair at the interval.
Madrid’s supporters were whistling desperately for the break to come at the Bernabeu when the Germans forced a late corner. That said everything about how shaky Madrid had been.
Madrid made no changes at half-time but far from paying for his inaction, Zidane watched his team make it 4-2 on aggregate. It was Ulreich who made the mistake. Niklas Sule played the ball back to him and registering late that he could not pick it up, he inexplicably let it run past him.
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Ulreich can only watch as Benzema latches onto the loose ball after he failed to clear it
Benzema fires Real Madrid into the lead and two clear on aggregate with a tap in after a mix up in the Bayern Munich defence
Luka Modric gestures to the Real Madrid fans in the stands as the home side celebrate Benzema’s second goal of the game
Rodriguez, on loan from Real Madrid at Bayern Munich, fires past goalkeeper Keylor Navas to make it 2-2 on the night
Rodriguez apologises to the Real Madrid fans as he refuses to celebrate the goal that puts Bayern Munich back on terms
Benzema was loitering with intent and could not believe his good fortune, running in his second goal of the night.
And in front of the massed ranks of the white-shirted Real Madrid supporters the poor Bayern keeper will have wanted the pitch to swallow him up.
Bayern responded and when Ramos barged into Lewandowski from behind, referee Cuneyt Cakir could easily have given a penalty.
Madrid had earlier been fortunate in the first half when a hand in the area by Marcelo had gone unnoticed.
Ronaldo could have settled it from five yards out but from Marcelo’s cross he blasted over. The game was broken with spaces everywhere. It was set-up for Gareth Bale but he continued his warm-up down by the right-hand corner of the half Bayern were attacking. He had a good view of the next goal.
Rodriguez did not celebrate against his old team it but the damage was done. Navas was slow off his line and the Colombian finished brilliantly with his left foot. Bayern now needed just one goal to go through.
It didn’t matter because Madrid managed to hang on. Rodriguez was taken off to Madrid’s huge relief. The ‘ex’ has put them out before with Alvaro Morata doing it three years ago with Juventus.
Rodriguez was applauded off by Madrid fans. It’s easier to be generous when you just can’t stop reaching European Cup finals.
But Bayern pushed until the very end, the final whistle coming only after Muller swiped at fresh air in the box for one final missed opportunity for Bayern.
Referee Cuneyt Cakir speaks to Real Madrid star Ramos as he argues his case after giving a free kick away to Bayern Munich
Real Madrid striker Benzema attempts to evade the challenge of three Bayern Munich players during the first half on Tuesday
Cristiano Ronaldo looks frustrated after his Real Madrid team-mate fails to pass the ball to him during an attacking move
Bayern Munich winger Franck RIbery looks dejected as his Bayern Munich side fall at the Champions League semi-final stage
Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski struggles to hold back the tears as they crash out of the Champions League semi-finals