Marcelo admits to his handball
MADRID : Real Madrid left back Marcelo admitted he was fortunate not to concede a penalty during their 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu, a let-off that helped the holders reach the Champions League final 4-3 on aggregate on Tuesday.
The Brazilian defender blocked a shot from Joshua Kimmich in the penalty area at the end of the first half with the score at 1-1 but Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir gave a corner.
Kimmich had given Bayern the lead but Karim Benzema soon cancelled the goal out and the Frenchman put Madrid 2-1 up just after the break following a clanger from keeper Sven Ulreich.
The goal meant Bayern had to score two more goals to knock Real out and they only managed one, from James Rodriguez.
“It’s a handball, it hit me on the hand and I think it’s a penalty,” Marcelo told reporters. “If I say it didn’t hit me I’d be lying, but football is like that.
“I don’t talk about referees, but it’s clear that sometimes they go in your favour and other times against you, but whatever happens, you have to play football.”
As well as cashing in on Ulreich’s error, Real benefitted from some wayward shooting from Bayern and a handful of outstanding saves by their goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Bayern had also been wasteful in the 2-1 first-leg defeat by Real in the first leg at the Allianz Arena.
“We are very disappointed because we made an outstanding game,” said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes. “I told the boys just now that I have not seen Bayern play like tonight in the past few years. But at this high level you cannot make the mistakes we made in the first game and tonight after the break.
“We played better than in Munich. Then we gifted a goal and in the end you cannot let that happen twice in a semifinal like this,” said Bayern forward Thomas Mueller.
ULREICH ‘SORRY’ FOR BLUNDER IN MADRID
BERLIN: Bayern Munich goalkeeper Sven Ulreich apologised on Wednesday after his costly mistake led to the Germans bowing out of the Champions League’s semifinals at Real Madrid.
With the scores level just after the break in Tuesday’s secondleg, Ulreich’s blunder gifted Karim Benzema his second goal and Real the lead.
Bayern fought back from the blow but fell short. James Rodriguez equalised, but the game finished 2-2 and Real Madrid advanced 4-3 on aggregate.
“Words can not describe how disappointed I am about exiting the Champions League,” wrote Ulreich on his Instagram page.
“We really wanted to go to the final, we did our best and then this unnecessary mistake happened - I cannot explain it.
“I’m sorry... for my team and for you fans.”
Ulreich has been Bayern’s first-choice goalkeeper since Germany’s captain Manuel Neuer was injured last September.
After his social media post, team-mates quickly offered support and comfort.
“You saved our ass many times, Ulle” replied Spanish international Javi Martinez.
“Head up! We win together, we lose together,” said defender Jerome Boateng, who missed the game injured.
“Heads up. We are a team,” wrote Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez.