MX23RW : Saturday, November 23 15:03:24| >> :60:1437:1437:
[monks data]
Bayern logo
Champions League | Semi-Finals
Apr 29, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Real Madrid logo

0-4

FT(HT: 0-3)
Ramos (16', 20'), Ronaldo (34', 90')

Live Commentary: Bayern Munich 0-4 Real Madrid - as it happened

Relive Real Madrid's remarkable 4-0 win over Bayern Munich as Carlo Ancelotti's side booked their place in the Champions League final in style at the Allianz Arena.
2

Real Madrid booked their place in the Champions League final by thrashing defending champions Bayern Munich 4-0 at the Allianz Arena this evening, sealing a 5-0 victory on aggregate.

Sergio Ramos gave the visitors the lead in the 16th minute with a powerful header from a corner before doubling his own personal tally just four minutes later to put his side in complete control.

Cristiano Ronaldo added a third before the break before putting the icing on the cake at the end of the second half with a clever low free kick under the Bayern wall.

You can read how a truly remarkable match unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage below.


Sort:
Newest
Oldest
Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for one of the biggest occasions in the football calendar as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid face off in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final. The tie is finely poised following last week's first leg at the Bernabeu, and with two of the world's biggest clubs going head to head we should be in for a memorable night tonight. We've got plenty to get through before kickoff, so let's start with a look at the hosts...

Things were all going so well for Bayern Munich and Pep Guardiola, who looked to have done the seemingly impossible and improved upon Jupp Heynckes unprecedented success from his final season in charge. The German giants cruised to the Bundesliga title without having lost a game and are also in the German Cup final. Coupled with their display in this tournament, it has certainly not been a bad season for them, but there have been signs that all is not well in the Bayern camp recently.

Whether it is simply a case of taking their foot off the pedal or something more is unclear, but Bayern have certainly gone off the boil since clinching the Bundesliga title. Having lost just twice all season before their success, they have lost three of the nine matches since, drawing two and winning just four. Their performances in the Champions League have also come under scrutiny having failed to produce the predicted rout against Manchester United and being beaten by Madrid in the first leg of this tie.

All of that will be forgotten if they can return to their best and progress to the final tonight, however, and the fact remains that they are still on course for another historic treble this season. With one trophy already wrapped up and another just needing a win over Borussia Dortmund, their eyes will be set firmly on becoming the first team in the Champions League era to retain the trophy.

It says a lot for the high standards that we have come to expect of Bayern that they have managed to score 10 goals in their last two home games while going through their worst form of the season. They needed to come from behind to beat Werder Bremen on Saturday, eventually running out comfortable 5-2 winners as Franck Ribery stole the show. More of a concern for Guardiola would be that his side have not kept a clean sheet at home since February 15 - a run of eight matches. An away goal for Madrid today could be decisive, so the hosts will have to strike a good balance between defence and attack.

The Allianz Arena remains a stronghold for the Bundesliga champions, having only lost here twice in their last 32 home games in all competitions. However, Madrid will take comfort from the fact that Dortmund beat Bayern 3-0 here not so long ago, particularly as the Spanish giants knocked Dortmund out of this competition in the last round. However, Bayern have not lost to a non-English side at home in the Champions League since March 2011, a run that stretches back 19 games.

They also have a formidable history against Real Madrid - the best of any other side in Europe. In their 15 Champions League meetings, Bayern have emerged victorious eight times, drawing once and losing six. No team has ever beaten Madrid more often in this competition, and they are regarded as the Spanish giants' bogey team on the continent. Indeed, on trips to Munich to face Bayern, Madrid have not won a single game, losing eight and drawing one of their nine meetings.

They have a good recent record against La Liga sides at this stage of the competition too. Not only did they dismantle the mighty Barcelona in the semi-finals last year, cruising to a remarkable 7-0 aggregate victory, but they also eliminated Madrid themselves in the final four in 2012. They needed penalties on that occasion after both legs finished 2-1 to the home side.

An away goal for Madrid tonight would rule out the possibility of this match going all the way to penalties, and the visitors will certainly fancy their chances of getting one after last week's first leg. Bayern dominated possession in a way that few teams have ever managed to do against Madrid at the Bernabeu, but Ancelotti's tactical masterclass enabled his side to hit Bayern quickly on the break. With the likes of Ronaldo, Bale, Di Maria and Benzema in attack, Madrid are arguably the best counter-attacking side in world football, and they will look to exploit that tactic tonight in a match that will surely see them on the ball even less than they were six days ago.

Indeed, while a 1-0 lead to take into the second leg is by no means a bad result, Madrid may feel unhappy that it is just the one. Both Ronaldo and Di Maria spurned very presentable chances to add to their, and they could have realistically come away with a 3-0 aggregate advantage which would have almost made it tie over before the second leg kicked off. Still, they will certainly fancy their chances of scoring again tonight, and any way goal for Madrid would leave Bayern needing three to go through.

After a recent wobble Madrid are back in fine form going into this match having won their last four matches in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and conceding just one. In addition to the first leg of this tie, that run includes victory over Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, a result that means Madrid are also still chasing a treble of their own. They have work to do in the league as they trail city rivals Atletico by six points with a game in hand, but with Diego Simeone's side facing a trip to the Camp Nou to take on Barcelona on the final day there is every possibility that Madrid could overhaul that gap - although the head-to-head record also counts against Carlo Ancelotti's men.

If Madrid can keep a clean sheet tonight then they will go through, and Ancelotti is something of an expert at defending leads. It is not in Madrid's DNA to park the bus, but they are likely to employ very similar tactics to the first leg as they look to strike on the break. They have good form in terms of not conceding going into tonight's encounter having kept six clean sheets in their last eight matches - a run that has yielded seven victories.

They have not won back-to-back away matches since February, but Ancelotti will be well aware that his side do not need to win tonight. Even a 2-1 defeat would be enough to send them through on away goals, and Madrid have only failed to score in two away matches since February of last year. Any away goal tonight could be a killer blow for Bayern, who really struggled to break through the Madrid defence last week.

It should be noted that Madrid did fail to score on their last trip to Germany as they hung on for a 3-2 aggregate win over Dortmund in the quarters, winning the first leg 3-0 before holding out for a 2-0 defeat in the return. However, in the last 16 they came up against another Bundesliga side and had no such trouble as they thrashed Schalke 6-1 in Gelsenkirchen and 9-2 on aggregate. That first leg victory is one of only two wins for Madrid on German soil in European fixtures, a poor record considering that this will be their 28th away meeting with Bundesliga opposition.

The bad news keeps on coming for Madrid in terms of German opposition, having been eliminated at this stage of the competition by both Bayern and Dortmund in the last two years. No club is more synonymous with the European Cup/Champions League than Real Madrid, and 'La Decima' - their 10th title - has become something of an obsession in the Spanish capital. Three straight exits in the semi-finals have been hard to them to take, and a fourth in a row tonight is almost unthinkable for a club that has not reached the final since 2002.

TEAM NEWS: Right, the teams are in for both sides and the standout news comes from the Real Madrid camp as both Ronaldo and Bale start having recently returned to full fitness. Bale missed the match at the weekend with the flu but was expected to return in time for this game. Pepe is back in the side too, while Benzema leads the line, For Bayern, Mandzukic starts up front in a full-strength side that includes Robben and Ribery as expected. Lahm also returns to right-back having played the first leg in midfield. Full team news coming right up...

BAYERN STARTING XI: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Boateng, Alaba; Kroos, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Muller, Ribery; Mandzukic

BAYERN SUBS: Van Buyten, Martinez, Rafinha, Pizarro, Gotze, Raeder, Hojbjerg

REAL MADRID STARTING XI: Casillas; Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Coentrao; Alonso, Modric, Di Maria; Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale

REAL MADRID SUBS: Varane, Marcelo, Casemiro, Morata, Isco, Illarramendi, Lopez

So, what can we make of those two teams? Well, starting with Bayern, it is no surprise to see Lahm return to right-back after Guardiola received criticism for playing him in the middle last week. While the skipper has moved seamlessly into defensive midfield this season he is still arguably the best full-back in world football and, with a player like Cristiano Ronaldo on the left wing for the opposition, it makes sense to have him there. Often Guardiola has employed a tactics where his full-backs move into defensive midfield when Bayern have the ball, so it will be interesting to see whether Lahm stays out wide tonight.

Despite having an array of stars in the defence, including one of the world's best goalkeepers in Neuer, that is still considered the weak link for Bayern. They do boast the best defensive record in the Bundesliga this season, but Madrid and even Manchester United showed that they can be susceptible to the counter-attack if they keep the ball for long periods - which they invariably do. The the full-backs expected to join the attack tonight, Dante and Boateng have a very important role to play in stopping such quick breaks.

The midfield Guardiola has named must be the strongest in club football at the moment, with a player like Gotze only making the bench. Kroos and Schweinsteiger will play in more of a sitting role, while certainly suits the latter a bit better than being an attacking midfielder. They will undoubtedly still get forward, however, and both pack a vicious shot so Madrid will have to be wary of them even if it isn't Bayern's style to go for goal from range.

While Madrid dealt with Bayern's attacking force admirably last week, it really is hard to see them keeping the hosts at bay for another 90 minutes, particularly with the talent at Guardiola's disposal. Ribery wasn't at his best last week but returned to form on Saturday, while Robben is always a danger on the opposite wing. In Mandzukic they have an out-and-out striker who can be targeted with aerial balls as well as passes along the ground, while Muller can also play as a striker and will get up to support the Croat.

The visiting defence has a tough task ahead of them dealing with that attack, then, but they will be pleased to have Pepe back after he missed the win over Osasuna at the weekend. Marcelo is still not fit enough to start, but Coentrao was impressive against Robben last week and will look to deal with the dangerous Dutch winger in a similar way tonight. They back four will face a barrage of pressure throughout this match, so they will need help from their midfield if they are to keep another clean sheet.

In Alonso and Modric, Madrid don't exactly have typical combative defensive midfielders, but they are adept in getting more bodies in front of the back four and protecting the defence. They also have the added benefit of being creative players who will be able to release the ball quickly and accurately to launch the counter-attacks that Madrid will look to thrive off tonight.

There may not be a trio in the world more capable of capitalising on counter-attacks than Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale either. Ronaldo and Bale both have electric pace and phenomenal dribbling skills, so they are certainly capable of hurting Bayern if they are given space on the break tonight. Benzema, meanwhile, will act as the focal point of the attack and should be on hand to connect with any crosses that come into the box, as he did for the only goal of the tie so far in last week's first leg.

PREDICTION: My first prediction will be that this is going to be a cracking match between two genuine European heavyweights, but calling the score is a lot more difficult. I can't see either team keeping a clean sheet tonight as Bayern will have too much pressure not to score and Madrid are too dangerous on the break. The away goal will certainly suit the visitors, but then it will be about whether they can stop Bayern from scoring enough. I'll go for a 2-1 home win on the night, with Madrid opening the scoring and then hanging on to go through on away goals.

Incredibly, this is the fifth time that these two teams have met in the semi-finals of the Champions League, and Bayern boast by far the better record so far. The only time that Madrid have progressed to the final having come up against Bayern was 14 years ago in 2000. They will need to improve that record tonight if they want to run out in Lisbon on May 24.

Carlo Ancelotti does boast a proud record of never having lost to Bayern Munich as a manager, winning five and drawing two of his meetings with the German giants. Incidentally, the Madrid boss was also part of the AC Milan side that was the last team to successfully defend this trophy - a feat that Bayern are attempted to replicate this season. Should they progress tonight, Bayern would be the first team since Juventus in 1996-98 to reach three consecutive finals.

It is fair to say that Bayern have not been fast starters in the knockout stages of this competition. They have not scored before the 54th minute in any of the matches since the group stages, and they may well need to net quicker than that this evening. An early goal could be just what the hosts need tonight.

There is, of course, still potential for an all-Madrid derby in the final with Atletico taking on Chelsea in the second leg of their semi tomorrow night. The final will be played on May 24 in Lisbon, and as things stand at the start of this match, Real Madrid are on course to finally break their 14-year duck in this competition.

All 22 players on show tonight will, of course, be doing their best to help their side reach the final, but they not all make it there themselves. He are the players who are one yellow card away from being ruled out of the showpiece:



Before the match we will have a minute of silence for both former Real Madrid manager Vujadin Boskov and former Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova, both of whom sadly died over the weekend.

KICKOFF: Madrid get us underway in a raucous atmosphere in the Allianz Arena ahead of what should be a thrilling encounter. This one is all set up to be one for the ages.

Quick start from both teams as Bayern race forward before being dispossessed, giving Madrid a chance to come forward themselves. Di Maria sends a cross into the area, but Neuer is there to intercept it before it can reach Benzema.

Interestingly, Madrid have started this match with a 4-4-2 formation rather than the 4-3-3 we expected. Bale and Di Maria and acting as the wide men in midfield, while Ronaldo is staying up front alongside Benzema.

I said that a quick Bayern start could be important tonight, and they are certainly looking to provide just that. There is a lot more purpose and urgency about them than there was in the first leg as they look to make an early breakthrough. No chances so far, though.

Cool play from Bayern as they turn what looked like nervy defensive moment into playing it out from the back and launching an attack of their own. That eventually fizzles out when Robben is penalised for the slightest push on Coentrao.

CHANCE! Huge chance for Bale to give Madrid a vital away goal! Neuer comes a long way off his line to clear the ball and his header is a poor one, gifting it straight to Bale. The Welshman is a long way from goal but he has time to pick his spot in an open goal and should convert. However, he puts the volley a long way over the top and Neuer escapes.

Fiery moment as Ribery comes in with a heavy challenge on Carvajal, who was shepherding the ball out of play. Pepe comes over and he exchanges words with the French winger, but the referee gets in there to calm things down without resorting to flashing his cards.

SHOT! Another shot from Madrid as they look to counter through Ronaldo. The defence can only half clear the ball as it falls to Di Maria, but his volley from the corner of the area is never troubling the keeper.

Madrid again look to hit Bayern on the break as the ball is floated over to Benzema from Di Maria. The French striker has the chance to hit it first time on the volley for what would have been a spectacular goal, but instead to takes a touch and Dante can make the tackle.

GOAL! Bayern Munich 0-1 Real Madrid (Sergio Ramos)

First blood to Real Madrid! It is a huge goal for the visitors, and it is the unlikely source of Sergio Ramos who has got it. Modric played the corner into the area and Ramos attacked it really well, planting a fine header into the back of the net. Bayern now need three goals to progress!

YELLOW CARD! The first card of the night goes to Dante for a poor late sliding challenge on Ronaldo, who just nicked the ball away from the defender before being caught. No complaints with that card.

Ronaldo looked in some pain after that challenge, but he should be able to continue here. He isn't moving completely freely right now, but it appears to be one that he will be able to run off.

GOAL! Bayern Munich 0-2 Real Madrid (Sergio Ramos)

Incredible scenes in Munich as Madrid double their lead! Again it comes from a set piece as Di Maria sends a free kick into the middle that Pepe flicks on for his defensive partner Ramos to convert with a diving header. That is his second of the game and leaves Bayern noe needing four goals. Unbelievable.

Well, I expected Madrid to score tonight, but I thought any goal would come from a counter-attack. Instead, two set pieces have yielded two goals in the space of four minutes and the hosts are no shell-shocked. They have little option but to go all-out attack now.

Better from Bayern as Robben slides the ball to the overlapping Lahm, who stands the ball up into the middle for Mandzukic. The Croat can't get enough on his header to test Casillas, however, as the keeper comes out to claim it ahead of Ribery.

SHOT! Bayern have their first decent opening of the game as Lahm stabs the ball through for Ribery, whose first touch isn't great but works out well for him. His second touch is an effort on goal, but he drags his effort a couple of yards wide of the far post.

CHANCE! Real hit Bayern on the break again and Ronaldo has Dante one-on-one as he looks to strike a third and a killer blow. For once, however, the Ballon d'Or winner doesn't connect with his effort too well, dragging is a couple of yards past the post from 25 yards.

Bayern are in a really tricky position now. They simply have to attack Madrid with everything they have if they are to stand any chance of getting the required four goals, but Ronaldo, Bale et al will hurt them on the break. There have already been a couple of warning signs of how quickly the visitors can counter, and they look more than capable of getting a third here.

Ramos is no doubt the hero of Madrid right now following his two goals, but his main priority for the remainder of the game will be to avoid a yellow card. He is one away from missing the final, which is a very real possibility considering his disciplinary record.

You'd think that Bayern need a goal before half time if they are to stand any chance of getting back into this one. They beat Barcelona 4-0 here in last year's semi-final, of course, but they are having a much harder job breaking this Madrid side down right now.

GOAL! Bayern Munich 0-3 Real Madrid (Cristiano Ronaldo)

Oh my word, Madrid have another! That is surely game over now as the visitors get a third, and it is Ronaldo's 15th Champions League goal of the season. It is a magnificent counter-attacking goal as Di Maria and Benzema linked up to send Bale through, and he showed good awareness to knock the ball to Ronaldo, who fired it past Neuer. Incredible scenes.

Ramos dives into a challenge on the Bayern wing, and it causes the fans in that section to scream for a yellow. The ref refuses to show one, however, and it is a good decision as Ramos got the ball, despite it being a heavy tackle. He does need to be careful if he wants to avoid suspension, however.

CLOSE! Ronaldo has nearly just scored from 40 yards to cap a remarkable first 37 minutes for Madrid! Neuer again came racing out of his goal and sliced his clearance, and Ronaldo went for the open goal, but his effort just bounced over the crossbar. That was so close to be a spectacular strike.

YELLOW CARD! The referee produces a card and it is a significant one as Alonso dives into an unnecessary challenge on Schweinsteiger. He is rightly booked for the tackle, which means that he will miss the final, assuming now that Madrid make it there.

So, just to remind you, Bayern Munich now need five goals to make it into the Champions League final this season. That in itself seems highly unlikely the way this match is going, and it would also require them to avoid conceding again tonight - something that is by no means certain.

Bayern are getting very restless now as they believe Pepe is making the most of a head injury after the ball struck him and went out for a corner. To be fair to the hosts, it is time wasting from the Madrid man, but Robben, the main voice in the complaints, has done enough of that himself over his career.

The replays have just shown an incident from inside the area while Pepe was receiving treatment in which Ribery slapped Carvajal across the face. The officials didn't see it, and Ribery is a very lucky boy as that would have been a certain red card had he been caught.

There will be two added minutes at the end of what as already been an incredible first half at the Allianz Arena.

Ronaldo lines up a free kick from a highly ambitious angle, but he has never been one to turn down the spectacular. He gets plenty of power behind the ball but it is still rising as it flies high over the crossbar.

HALF TIME: Bayern Munich 0-3 Real Madrid

Wow, what an incredible 45 minutes of football that was! Bayern Munich have been taken apart by Madrid in their own back yard and find themselves three goals behind and with a four-goal aggregate deficit to make up in the remaining 45 minutes. They need five goals without conceding to go through now, but if the second half is anything like the first then it is more likely that Madrid will only go and extend their lead.

The first two goals came within four minutes of each other and both from an unlikely source as Sergio Ramos scored with two headers. Madrid were expected to cause Bayern problems on the counter today, but it was set pieces that really handed the initiative to Madrid, with Ramos taking full advantage of the slack marking to send the visitors into dreamland.

Things only got better for the visitors too as they began doing what was expected of them and causing Bayern problems on the break. At 2-0 there were a few warning signs of the blistering Madrid counter, and that was how they got their third goal, with Ronaldo finishing off a slick move that included Di Maria, Benzema and Bale.

Bayern have been poor defensively so far, it must be said. Their high line has been caught out by the pace of Bale and Ronaldo on numerous occasions, while the marking from the set pieces that led to Ramos's two goals was shoddy. Neuer has been forced to come a long way out of goal in a couple of instances as the Bayern defence continued to push up. Twice the keeper sliced his clearances and that almost led to goals for Bale and Ronaldo as well.

It could have been worse for a Bayern side that has looked short of ideas in attack, failing to really carve out a single good chance i that opening 45 minutes. They began the game with more urgency and intent than they showed at the Bernabeu, but in their attempts to get the all-important goal they left too much space at the back for Madrid to pick off. I would not be at all surprised to see Madrid go on and win this match by four or five goals unless something changes at the break.

This is, of course, a remarkable turnaround from the situation last season, when the Bundesliga sides Bayern and Dortmund humiliated Spain's top two. Bayern thrashed Barcelona 4-0 at the Allianz Arena on that occasion, and they could well find themselves on the wrong end of a similar scoreline a year on. Madrid have one and half feet in the Champions League final, and surely they can't blow it now.

Perhaps the only negative moment of the half for Madrid was a moment of madness from Alonso, who slid in on a silly challenge on Schweinsteiger. That earned him a yellow card that will see him suspended for the final.

BAYERN MUNICH SUB: Is this damage limitation mode for Guardiola? Mandzukic departs at half time for the hosts to be replaced by Javi Martinez, who should stop the Madrid counter-attacks.

KICKOFF: The downtrodden hosts get us back underway for the second half, Surely there is no way back for Guardiola's side in this second half, is there? They need five goals, remember.

A mistake could be something to hand Bayern a glimmer of hope in this match, and Pepe almost provides it with a sliced clearance inside the box. However, Schweinsteiger can't react in time to take advantage and Ramos hacks the loose ball clear.

The hosts are enjoying plenty of possession in these opening stages, although 'enjoying' may not be the right word on this occasion. They aren't making any headway into the Madrid third and the visitors are happy to let them have the ball in unthreatening positions.

Still no way through for Bayern, who are having plenty of possession without the penetration at the moment. That was the criticism of them in the first leg and the same is happening here. Another tactical triumph for Ancelotti.

CHANCE! Bayern patiently probe for a way through and Lahm eventually squeezes a cross in that finds Alava at the back post. He opts against hitting it first time, instead, cutting inside and seeing his bouncing effort nodded behind for a corner.

The good news from this opening 10 minutes of the second half for Bayern is that they are no longer being cut to shreds every time Madrid get the ball. Martinez has brought a calming influence to what was a poor defensive performance in the first half, while Madrid are not exactly fully intent on pouring forward themselves at the moment.

CLOSE! That is the closest Bayern have come, and it is no surprise that Robben provides the moment. He picks the ball up a good 25 yards from goal before bending a lovely effort towards goal that flies narrowly wide with Casillas at full stretch.

Bayern are just knocking the ball from side to side and back again, patiently dragging the Madrid defence this way and that. If they were winning this game then you'd say they were controlling it brilliantly, but they need to come up with something different to change things here.

SAVE! Better from Ribery as he injects some pace into the attack, skipping away from two men before driving into the box and drilling a low effort towards the near post that Casillas gets down comfortably to save.

The hosts almost catch Madrid out with a quick throw as Muller makes a good run behind the defence. The Bayern man is presented with an impossible angle, but he powers it at Casillas to win a corner.

Madrid are more than happy for Bayern to dominate possession now, holding their shape well and challenging the hosts to play through them.

SAVE! In attempt to provide something different, Kroos goes for goal from range, but it is a comfortable stop for Casillas. It was a bad strike from the Bayern midfielder, but it would have to be really special to beat Casillas from there.

CHANCE! Huge chance for a fourth goal for the visitors! It is poor defending from Bayern once again as they fail to deal with a routine ball into the box and Coentrao produces a snapshot as the ball falls to him in the area. He is denied by a really good stop from Neuer, however.

This second-half display from Bayern is very much one of a team who knew they were beaten the moment that third goal went in. They have been better in the second half, but they have not had the urgency of a team that believes they can get back into this tie.

Madrid come forward with another slick attack that eventually ends with Di Maria sending a cross towards Ronaldo into the box. The Portuguese striker rises high and hangs in the air for what seems like an age before putting his header wide.

This has almost got the feel of a training ground match at the moment as Madrid are almost toying with Bayern. They look so comfortable in defence, with Bayern unable to pass their way through the backline.

BAYERN MUNICH SUBS: Double change for the hosts as Ribery and Muller are replaced by Mario Gotze and Claudio Pizarro. Can they change anything in the final 18 minutes?

Neuer again comes racing out of his goal, but this time he has more success as he beats Di Maria to the ball, takes it past the Madrid winger and gives it to a teammate. Good goalkeeping on that occasion from the German.

REAL MADRID SUB: A wise move from Ancelotti as he brings off two-goal hero Sergio Ramos, who was one yellow card away from a suspension. On comes Raphael Varane.

CHANCE! Almost a spectacular consolation goal for the hosts as Robben dinks the ball through to Gotze in the air, and he flicks it over the defender's challenge and into a shooting position. However, he can;t keep his effort down, blazing it over Casillas's bar when he probably should have done better.

CLOSE! Another decent sight of goal for Bayern as Kroos works space to shoot on the edge of the area, moving the ball onto his left before drilling his effort narrowly over the bar.

REAL MADRID SUB: The visitors make another change as Isco comes on for the final 10 minutes, replacing Benzema, whose goal got Madrid on the way in the first leg.

Di Maria whips the ball into the box and Bale is completely unmarked in the area, but it is just too high for the winger. It almost falls for Varane behind Bale, but Bayern just about deal with the danger.

REAL MADRID SUB: The visitors' third and final change of the night sees Di Maria replaced by Casemiro.

Bayern will want these final four minutes to go as quickly as possible now. They have been humiliated tonight, although they have improved since that terrible performance in the first half. Madrid, meanwhile, have been dominant.

It is Madrid who are calling the shots in the closing stages here and they look more likely to get another goal rather than Bayern getting a consolation. They now have a free kick in a very promising position.

GOAL! Bayern Munich 0-4 Real Madrid (Cristiano Ronaldo)

Wow. What a way to end a historic night for Real Madrid as Ronaldo lines up the free kick and fires it under the wall and into the back of the night. Superb play from the striker, who outwitted the Bayern defence there with a piece of genius. That is 5-0 on aggregate now, incredible.

Bayern will have two more minutes of this to endure before Madrid's passage to the final is confirmed.

FULL TIME: Bayern Munich 0-4 Real Madrid (Real Madrid win 5-0 on aggregate)

REAL MADRID REACH THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL!

What an incredible night of Champions League action as Real Madrid move one step closer to the elusive 'La Decima' with an emphatic and sensational victory over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. The Spanish giants cruised to a 4-0 victory on the night to complete a 5-0 aggregate success, knocking out the holders in the process. Unbelievable, very few people would have seen this coming!

Sergio Ramos got Madrid on their way with two goals in the space of four minutes in the first half, and it was three before half time as Ronaldo finished off a slick counter-attack to all but kill off the tie as a contest. Things got even better for the hosts late on as Ronaldo added his second of the match, tricking the defensive wall to fire a low free kick into the back of the net and cap off a remarkable night for Carlo Ancelotti's side. They will face either Chelsea or Atletico Madrid in the final in Lisbon on May 24 as they look to win the trophy for the first time since 2002.

Right, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole on what has been a momentous night of European football as Madrid final reach the Champions League final again courtesy of a stunning 5-0 aggregate victory over holders Bayern Munich. They won't forget this match in a hurry, and neither will I. Real's final opponents will be decided when Chelsea take on Atletico Madrid tomorrow night, and you can follow that game live with us from 6.45pm onwards. I will leave you with our match report and be sure to stick around for reaction and analysis. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!

ID:152499: cacheID:152499:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:53856:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti looks on during a press conference at Valdebebas training ground in Madrid on October 29, 2013
Read Next:
Ancelotti has no Ramos, Alonso fears
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Liverpool440012
2Sporting Lisbon431010
3Brest431010
4Inter Milan431010
5Monaco431010
6Barcelona43019
7Dortmund43019
8Aston Villa43019
9Atalanta42208
10Juventus42117
11Lille42117
12Man City42117
13Arsenal42117
14B. Leverkusen42117
15Celtic42117
16Dinamo Zagreb42117
17AC Milan42026
18Bayern42026
19Benfica42026
20Feyenoord42026
21Real Madrid42026
22Brugge42026
23Atletico42026
24PSV41215
25Sparta Prague41124
26Stuttgart41124
27PSG41124
28Shakhtar41124
29Girona41033
30Salzburg41033
31Bologna40131
32RB Leipzig40040
33Sturm Graz40040
34Young Boys40040
35Red Star40040
36Slovan Bratislava40040


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!