Lucky Real Madrid enter third straight final Handled ball inside box, says Marcelo
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMIFINAL Costly blunder by Bayern keeper keeps Spanish giants on course for hattrick of titles
MADRID: Real Madrid scrapped their way into a third consecutive Champions League final on Tuesday and coach Zinedine Zidane said he would not have wanted it any other way.
After their last-gasp win over Juventus in the quarterfinals, Real were left hanging on against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu as Karim Benzema’s double secured a 2-2 draw and 4-3 win on aggregate.
When Joshua Kimmich gave Bayern an early lead and James Rodriguez levelled with 27 minutes remaining, Real looked in danger of surrendering their 2-1 advantage from the first leg.
By the end, Real’s fans were begging for the full-time whistle and if it is to be Liverpool in the final in Kiev, Jurgen Klopp’s men will take heart.
Zidane, however, insists the grit his team have shown to overcome Paris Saint-germain, Juve, and now Bayern, should not be underestimated.
“In football, you have to suffer,” Zidane said. “You cannot be in the final without suffering, it’s even better, more beautiful when you win like that.
“Madrid never gives up. It is the same in adversity, we believe in what we do and we get things done by believing in ourselves and fighting.”
“We are only in the final,” Zidane said. “You can be happy, you have to be, it is not normal to be in the final for the third consecutive time. “But now that we are, what we have to do is try to win. We will fight to defend our title.”
Benzema’s two goals were also credit to Zidane, who had picked the striker despite a poor run of form that had included only one goal in 12 games.
“He never gave up and I’m happy for him,” Zidane said. “I defended Karim as I defend all my players, I defend them until the end.”
Bayern, meanwhile, are left wondering what might have been after dominating large spells of the two legs but paying a heavy price for individual mistakes.
“If you look at both games it is quite apparent we were the best team,” Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said. 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.