Real rallies to reach final
Davies gives Bayern the lead, then Joselu replies with two late goals
After yet another magical night at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Real Madrid is back in the Champions League final.
The 14-time European champion pulled off another thrilling comeback Wednesday, rallying to defeat Bayern Munich 2-1 and reach the final for the second time in three seasons.
Like so many times in 2022, Madrid needed some late drama to advance.
Joselu scored in the 88th minute, then again in stoppage time and Madrid advanced 4-3 on aggregate to set a date with Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in London.
“Well, it has happened again what has happened so many times before,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “It’s inexplicable. Fans who push us on, a fantastic stadium, players who never stop believing — it’s simply something magical.”
Bayern had taken the lead on a goal by Alphonso Davies in the 68th minute — and then thought it had equalized deep in stoppage time before an offside call that a furious Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel called “disastrous” and “against the rules.”
Joselu’s first goal was a tap in after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer spilled an easy save. The second was initially called offside, then allowed after video review.
“You always dream of being part of moments like this,” the 34-yearold Joselu said. “Not even my best dreams were as good as this.”
It will be Madrid’s record-extending 18th European Cup final and
ninth in the Champions League era, also a record. Madrid beat Liverpool when it last made it to the final in 2022, a season marked by several late comebacks like that one on Wednesday.
At that time, Madrid pulled off thrilling comebacks at Bernabeu against Manchester City in the semifinals, Chelsea in the quarterfinals and Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
Six-time European champion Bayern was looking to return to the final for the first time since winning in 2019 and 2020. The loss means there will be no rematch of the allGerman final in 2013, when Bayern beat Dortmund to win its fifth European title.
“It hurts. It’ll take a while to recover, but on the one hand it’s a loss where we left it all out on the pitch,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said. “Of course, it’s tough to accept. It’s part of reality. No regrets.”
Dortmund, the 1997 European champion, eliminated Paris SaintGermain 2-0 on aggregate on Tuesday.
It was a mostly even match, but Madrid had the most significant scoring chances. Neuer made a series of difficult saves to keep Bayern in the match. But the German international faltered in the final minutes, dropping an easy ball after a shot by Vinícius Júnior and allowing Joselu — who came off the bench in the 81st — to equalize from in front of the goal.
“Manu, who had been exceptional in saving us all night, made a mistake he wouldn’t make in another 100 years,” Tuchel said.
Neuer said “anyone who’s ever played football knows how I’m feeling right now.”
“That we’ve been knocked out in the closing stages, having led 1-0 until the 85th minute, it’s extremely bitter. We’d taken one step to London, we saw ourselves in the final and now I’m lost for words.”
Joselu, a German-born striker, then gave Madrid the lead a minute into stoppage time after a cross by Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger off the left side. The linesman initially raised the flag for offside, and it took a few moments before Madrid players and the crowd could celebrate the winner.