Joselu the unlikely hero as Real Madrid stun Bayern Munich to reach Champions League final
Joselu scored two late goals to send Real Madrid into yet another European Cup final – Reuters/Susana Vera
An epic Champions League semi-final fought over by some of the great talents of the era was decided by two goals in the dying minutes from that former Stoke City striker of Spanish nationality – and born in Stuttgart – the remarkable Joselu.
It was never quite like this in Stoke-on-Trent. With two minutes of the regulation 90 to play and Real Madrid heading out of the Champions League by virtue of a great counter-attacking Bayern Munich goal, the game erupted. Vinicius Junior may have been the game’s outstanding player. Jude Bellingham might ordinarily be the man for these late matchwinners. Alphonso Davies had scored for Bayern one of finest goals ever from a full-back. But this was Joselu’s moment.
At 34 years old, he does not even belong to Real – he is still on loan from second tier Espanyol. He only came onto the pitch on 81 minutes as a substitute for Federico Valverde as Carlo Ancelotti threw everything at Bayern. It took him less than 10 minutes to turn the course of the game.
Joselu has played for eight clubs since he first left Real, the club of his academy years, and as well as Stoke there had been stops at Hannover 96, Newcastle United and Alavés. Even a bountiful late goalscoring season with Espanyol last time around should not have been enough for a move back to Real.
But a tight transfer budget meant that he was brought in on loan, ostensibly as the replacement for Karim Benzema, a superstar made for nights such as these. Joselu claimed his first when the great Manuel Neuer inexplicably dropped a Vinicius shot and the substitute pounced. His second came just three minutes later, a cross turned in then ruled offside originally until the VAR review reversed the on-field call and the place went berserk.
It will be Bellingham and not Harry Kane and his Bayern English team-mate Eric Dier who faces Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1. The 20-year-old Bellingham is on the brink of winning the second major trophy of his first season in Spain after the league title. This was not his best game but it has undoubtedly been a fabulous year.
There was no doubt that Real had the better of the first half. Indeed, there were times when it seemed that they might engulf Bayern and perhaps they would have done were it not for the interventions of Manuel Neuer who made three saves in the first half that kept his side in touch.
Real’s formation was much more fluid than that of Bayern, and for all the familiarity that Tuchel’s players might now have with this opposition it does take some getting used to. Real only had marginally more of the ball in the first half but they certainly committed more to the attack and had more attempts on the goal to show for it.
They pushed their full-backs Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy high at some points in the game, which allowed Bellingham and Federico Valverde to move inside and form an attacking line of four with Vinicius and Rodrygo. Sometimes it was Bellingham himself out wide and other times the front two Vinicius and Rodrygo would split and do the same. Vinicius looked the most dangerous of the four and it was he who forced Neuer’s two best saves.
Even so, one suspected Bayern could live with that. They had lost Serge Gnabry to injury in the first half and he was replaced by Davies, playing in a more advanced position. There was not much for Kane and Jamal Musiala to feed off for much of the half but there was enough to suggest that as the game opened up then so would the space in Real’s defence. Kane had a great first half volley on the spin pushed wide by Andriy Lunin.
Bayern were solid otherwise, with Eric Dier alongside the Dutch centre-half Matthijs De Ligt and both well-screened by Aleksandar Pavlovic and Konrad Laimer. The first save from Neuer from a Vinicius shot was followed up by him stopping the second attempt from Rodrygo. Later the old German would get a glove on Vinicius shot for the far corner of his goal. In all Bayern held up well to the break.
After the break, it took everything Bayern had to control Vinicius and there were times when they were simply unable to do so. Yet for all the occasions when it seemed like the Brazilian had unlocked the right side of Bayern, and left Joshua Kimmich spinning behind him, Real never scored the goal that would change the game. That left them vulnerable to the precision of Bayern’s counterattack.
But before that there was some glorious stuff from Vinicius. For some time it looked like the left wing was all his. There was a chance created for Valverde and another for Rodrygo. Both times when it required only a finish after Real’s Brazilian winger had cracked Bayern open. He was giving Kimmich the kind of night that can ruin a good player’s confidence.
Neuer had saved again from Vinicius when the time came for Bayern to chance a quick transition. It was Musiala who brought it clear and from there Kane held back, standing in a pocket of space so his team-mate could find him. From there a right-foot cross-field hit into Davies’ run down the left and the chance was on. It required a finish of exceptional quality and Davies found it. He ran Antonio Rudiger and hit a right foot shot across Lunin.
It set up a spectacular ending and only in the 88th minute did Real at last find a way having earlier had a goal disallowed for a foul by Nacho on Kimmich. Neuer, rock solid until then, dropped the easiest of Vinicius’ shots on goal and the substitute Joselu tucked in the rebound and then took the second chance for the night of his life.
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich: As it happened . . .
10:53 PM BST
Tuchel: It feels like a betrayal
We were almost through, almost there. It was a very unusual mistake from our very best player. For the equaliser. We conceded [the second] in a very narrow decision then we scored one. It was a disastrous decision from the linesman and the referee so it feels almost like a betrayal because of that decision.
The linesman said sorry but that does not help. The referee does not have to whistle. He sees we get a shot away. It is against the rules and it is a very bad decision from both of them, a disaster.
It is tough to swallow. We left everything on the pitch. It is sport and you have to respect the result in the end. We have to say congratulations to Real Madrid.
10:47 PM BST
Here’s Don Fabio
I think we played well. We had opportunities and good control of the game. And the strength to go [again] when they scored. It happened again here. It’s quite usual with the help of our supporters that we can do something that is unexpected.
I am going to enjoy it. We are going to celebrate [winning] the league and [making] the final. You should stay in Madrid with us. It’s going to be fantastic.
The mentality is unbelievable. They work so hard, they are really humble and really generous, so talented. It’s the best squad I’ve had in my career
10:42 PM BST
It transpires that the linesman admitted his error
10:33 PM BST
Rio Ferdinand on the England captain
Harry Kane has done his job, scored the goals and the others have let him down.
Harry Kane after the final whistle – Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
10:27 PM BST
Celebration shirts
Real Madrid players are gunning for their 15th European Cup – Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
10:19 PM BST
Bayern are still fuming about the linesman’s decsion
I think it was irresponsible of him to put his flag up given how tight it was. It looked offside but it must be better to stick to the new protocols and wait. If they had had to chalk off De Ligt’s equaliser, so be it. Don’t stop the game before the phase was finished.
Why Tuchel took Kane off at 1-0 up is also a mystery.
10:15 PM BST
Jude Bellingham talks to TNT Sports
We’ve seen it a lot of times this season when it looked as though were dead and buried. It doesn’t matter who scores the goals but someone always manages it. We have this mentality of ‘never say die’. I doubt Lu [Joselu] will be sleeping much tonight, he’ll be useless in training tomorrow/ He deserves it all, he’s been an amazing member of the squad all season and it’s his night. There’s a reason we turn so many games, why we always manage to come back in the second leg. It’s because of these lot [the fans]. They give you an energy you can’t get from anything else.
10:13 PM BST
An 18th final
Real Madrid were the better team, ultimately more ruthless and had the best player, Vinicius Junior. And they were carried to Wembley on a wave of emotion in a spine-tingling atmosphere. It’s their 18th European Cup final and sixth from 2014 onwards. Yes, they haven’t been as dominant as the team that won the first five but they have dominated this competition for the last decade in remarkable fashion. They have won their last eight finals, too, giving Borussia Dortmund a formidable challenge at Wembley on June 1.
10:08 PM BST
The man of the moment
From this … – EPA/TIM KEETON
… to this … – Stu Forster/Getty Images
… to this! – THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images
10:03 PM BST
Full-time: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 4-3)
They’ve done it again. They’re into their 18th European Cup final. What an extraordinary club. And yet Bayern had almost pulled off a smash and grab until Manuel Neuer, who had kept them in it a couple of times, played dropsie.
Both Kane and Neuer are having words with the referee.
10:01 PM BST
90+15 min: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 4-3)
On we go, after a lecture for Tuchel.
10:00 PM BST
90+13 min: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 4-3)
The air is pierced by whistles but Bayern are still piling forward. De Ligt buries a right-foot half volley past Luninbut the flag had already gone up, prematurely, because it was very tight. The linesman should have let play continue.
Tuchel is rightly incensed.
09:58 PM BST
90+11 min: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 4-3)
Diaz heads for the corner flag after a huge tackle from Camavinga.
09:57 PM BST
90+10 min: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 4-3)
Bayern have switched to 3-4-3 but they have a free-kick on halfway that Kimmich floats straight down Lunin’s throat.
09:56 PM BST
90+9 min: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 4-3)
Eder Militao ⇢ Bellingham.
09:55 PM BST
90+7 min: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 4-3)
Tuchel is booked for complaining about the referee over the award of a foul. Kimmich sells Mazraoui short with a dinked pass as the full-back cut in off the right, forcing him to snatch at a shot that he slices wildly out to the left corner flag.
09:53 PM BST
90+6 min: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 4-3)
Laimer chases a ball down the right but fouls Nacho instead of hounding him.
09:52 PM BST
90+4 min: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 4-3)
The world/game turned upside down. There were initially nine minutes of stoppage time but since Real’s second goal went in, there have been so many players down with cramp it’s bound to be much more. But Bayern have taken Kane and Musiala, Sane and Gnabry off.
09:49 PM BST
GOOOOOOOOOOAL!
Joselu has scored two in two minutes. Amazing scenes at the Bernabeu. The ball broke to Rudiger on the left of the box from a corner and Joselu had managed to go back out before making a second run towards goal to turn in the cross.
Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1 (Joselu; agg: 4-3)
09:47 PM BST
VAR check for an ‘offside Real ‘winner’
Joselu turning in Rudiger’s cross.
09:45 PM BST
GOAL!
Real Madrid 1 Bayern Munich 1 (Joselu; agg: 3-3) Good grief. An assist for Neuer with a howler when he drops Vinicius’s speculative shot at his feet and Joselu pounces to prod it into goal from a couple of yards.
09:44 PM BST
87 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 2-3)
Bayern defend the corner stoutly and then Muller holds off a challenge at the edge of the box and initiates a 3v2 break but puts the pass behind Davies who loses vital time when doubling back to gather. Eventually he slips Pavlovic down the middle but he runs out of gas and Midric blindsides him.
09:41 PM BST
85 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 2-3)
Carvajal and Nacho go potty when Musiala goes down to waste some time before a Real Madrid corner.
Choupo-Moting ⇢ Kane
Muller ⇢ Musiala
09:40 PM BST
83 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 2-3)
Rudiger pushes up and arcs a dipping cross from right to left to Vinicius who takes it on the half-volley with his right foot and scoops it wide. Hard one to finish first-time that but he only had time for one bite at it.
09:38 PM BST
82 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 2-3)
Pavlovich fouls Lunin at the corner before Kim heads on to the bar.
09:38 PM BST
80 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 2-3)
Joselu ⇢ Rodrygo
Diaz ⇢ Valverde
Bayern take the free-kick and Rodrygo heads it behind for a corner.
09:36 PM BST
77 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 2-3)
European refs tend to save all the stoppage time from both halves to add on at the end of the second. So there’s still a long way to go. Kane is barrelled over by Camavinga and after Bayern rightly take their time, Modric bulldozes Laimer when he is given the ball to feet.
09:33 PM BST
75 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 1 (agg: 2-3)
Kane hits the side-netting having been sent down the left of the penalty area by a lovely Musiala pass. Should have done better. Hardly a moment to breathe but here are some changes that have taken place since the goal:
Modric ⇢ Kroos
Camavinga ⇢ Tchouameni
Kim ⇢ Sane
09:29 PM BST
No goal
Nacho, the captain, grabbed his opposite number round the throat and applied pressure. It was a stonebonker of a foul. VAR was right to disallow it.
09:28 PM BST
GOAL!?
VAR check.
Real Madrid 1 Bayern Munich 1 Nacho pushed Kimmich over with two hands on his neck before his flick hit De Ligt and went in.
09:24 PM BST
GOAL!!!
Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 1 (Davies) [agg 2-3] Tuchel goes spare because the corner is hooked straight out for a goal-kick but 30 seconds later they’re in the lead when Kane plays a cross-field pass into Davies’ stride. He darts inside, Rudiger shows him on to his right so he RSVPs the invitation and prove that he’s more than a unidexter, thumping a right-foot shot unstoppably into the top right.
Hey! NostraWallace!
09:24 PM BST
67 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Bayern break down the left with Davies who picks out Musiala to accelerate on to the pass and face up Carvajal who sensibly shows him on to his left. Musiala lets fly with a rising shot that takes a deflection and goes behind for a corner.
Vincius Junior the focal point for Real’s best attacks now. He has been pushed wide on the left wing and so effective coming in on his right foot, or reaching the byline and cutting in. Looks like the most dangerous player on the pitch, but the longer it goes without a goal for Real the more one suspects they could be surprised at the other end.
09:22 PM BST
66 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
From the free-kick, the ball breaks to Carvajal who blazes his shot over the bar. How much more of this can Kimmich take.
09:21 PM BST
64 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Kimmich is taken to the byline again, Vinicius Junior knocks the ball past him and he slips, on to the ball, knocking it away from the Brazil forward with his hand. Free kick.
09:19 PM BST
62 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Brilliance from Neuer again when Vinicius makes another unstoppable run from the left and cuts in on his right to thump a top-right corner-bound right-foot shot. Neuer soars like a man half his age to claw it behind. They can’t live with his pace and close control. A moment earlier Bayern had the chance to trigger a 4v3 counter but flubbed the pass that would have released the forwards. Musiala messed it up.
09:16 PM BST
59 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Real Madrid free-kick 25 yards out after a shimmy and repertoire of Bellingham’s tricks. Rodrygo takes, left of centre and aims for the top left. Neuer gets over to bat it away.
09:14 PM BST
57 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Vinicius is roasting Kimmich for the umpteenth time, races past him, the ball mesmerising defenders as it flicks between his dazzling feet. When he enters the box, he picks up his head and beats De Ligt with a pass to six-yards. Rodrygo tries to flick it under pressure from Dier and just steers it wide of the far post.
09:12 PM BST
55 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Kane cushions a ball down the inside-right channel after a back-header from Tchouameni goes astray. Kane forces Mendy off the ball and unerringly shoots low at the near post. Lunin gets down to parry and Mendy recovers to beat Kane to the rebound. doing to him what the England captain had started. He appeals for a penalty but without much conviction.
09:09 PM BST
53 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Kimmich is beaten again by Vinicius, beating the right-back on his right side time and again. The cross is defended at the near post. Kimmich, never a natural right-back, needs help.
09:08 PM BST
50 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Bayern certainly enjoying more possession this half … until Pavlovic sprays a pas straight into touch, cursed by the commentator’s praise. Darren Fletcher is ragged by his companions, McManaman and Ferdinand.
09:06 PM BST
48 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
The corner is defended easily at the near post, giving Real a chance to counter. Vinicius skins Kimmich again and gets to the byline to pull a pass back to the penalty spot, bypassing the two near post runners and Pavlovic pumps a clearance away.
09:04 PM BST
46 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Rio Ferdinand greets the start of the second half by riffing on the nature of the match, stadium, atmosphere, stakes, players. All are, he concludes, ‘big’.
Fast start as Vini glides down the left, gets to the byline and pulls the ball back for Valverde but De Ligt thumps it away and Bayern counter, Kane sending Davies flying down the inside left to shoot from an angle and the ball cannons into Carvajal’s lunge and loops over the angle of cross bar and right post.
08:49 PM BST
Half-time: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Lots of interesting play and a couple of exciting moments but it hasn’t really sparked yet. Vinicius and Rodrygo have come closest to breaking the deadlock tonight and in the tie but Neuer just keeps rolling along.
Bayern, the punditry consensus agrees, will be the happier. Yes, but Real have been the more menacing and are moving the ball quicker.
08:48 PM BST
45+1 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Nearly for Kane when played onside by Mendy and Laimer clips a pass down the inside right that eludes him as he failed to read it and get off the mark quicker. The ball harmlessly skips through to Lunin.
08:46 PM BST
45 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Just the one minute of stoppage time goes up on the board. Refs in Europe take a contrasting approach to the English contingent.
08:45 PM BST
44 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Alphonso Davies flies down the left and feeds the ball infield. Real hack it away but only as far as Mazraoui who steps in on to his right and rifles a right-foot shot, looking for the top right. Lunin had plenty of time to see it and steps across to gobble it up.
08:43 PM BST
42 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Sane delays a pass that would have put Kimmich in down the right on a buccaneering overlap and then overhits it when he finally deigns to release it.
08:42 PM BST
40 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Good defending from a pair of corners allow Bayern to launch their own attack. Real defend with two banks of four, forcing them all the way back to Neuer as the home fans jeer and whistle.
08:41 PM BST
38 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
De Ligt has had enough of Vinicius’ tricks and legs him up after being beaten. Real free-kick on the left. Bayern see off the initial cross from Kroos but Neuer has to turn Vinicius’ past the left post as it whistled through the six-yard box and threatened to curl in.
08:38 PM BST
36 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
The difference between the two sides is the pace of their counter-attacks. Real go like the clappers with Rodrygo and Vini. Bayern favour more patient probing.
08:37 PM BST
34 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Vinicius diddles Lainer and Kimmich but then tries to put the cherry on the cake by jinking between the again and Lainer makes the interception in the box.
08:35 PM BST
Fluid shape, engrossing game
High quality first 30 minutes, with Real dominating the game. Albeit with Bayern dangerous on the counterattack. Right-back Dani Carvajal occasionally stepping into midfield to create the extra man for Real. The shape is very fluid. Real play a 4-2-2-2 system with Tchouameni and Kroos as the defensive midfielders behind Bellingham and Valverde. That second pair can go wide or come into more narrow positions when the full-backs push high and wide. It means there can be a lot of white shirts in attacking positions.
08:33 PM BST
32 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Another good block from De Ligt when Rodrygo was set up to shoot from the left of the D by another Kroos cute pass. Kroos is doing the bulk of his best work from a far more advanced position than last week.
08:31 PM BST
30 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Gnabry cannot continue. Davies ⇢ Gnabry. The Canadian flying left-back is going to play as an out and out winger.
Good effort from Kane, from 20 yards, the ball dipping and swerving after Kimmich’s cross is deflected, making the technique he used to hit it all but immaculate. Nacho gets down to cover the bottom right corner and blocks it behind for a corner that Real defend well.
Kane goes close – Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
08:27 PM BST
27 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
De Ligt comes over to help Kimmich deal with Vinicius sprinting down the left and bundles the ball out for a throw.
Off the ball, Gnabry goes down. He has twanged his dodgy hamstring and looks like it’s curtains for him.
08:26 PM BST
25 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Sane goes over while trying to shield a pass up the right from Kimmich, back to goal. But the referee waves play on.
08:25 PM BST
23 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Valverde angles a pass out to Rodrygo striding down the right. Mazraoui dives in foolishly, misses the ball and Rodrygo chips a cross to Vinicius Jr who takes a touch but fails to control it properly and De Ligt hoofs it away on the half-volley.
08:22 PM BST
21 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Valverde runs across Laimer to barge him over in midfield and Bayer have another free-kick and start probing around Real’s press, which is far more intense than last week.
08:20 PM BST
18 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Mendy comes through Sane from behind and is penalised. Laimer has a word with him to which he objects and the referee tells both to back off. Bayern send the free-kick, on halfway, backwards.
08:18 PM BST
16 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Bayern break and Sane strides down the left, taking a difficult chance on with his left in a tight area rather than taking an easier option with his right. Real soak up the ball and counter themselves, feeding Bellingham who toys with De Ligt, stands still, teasing him then accelerates to shoot, straight into a defender’s shins.
08:16 PM BST
14 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Blimey! That was close. There are two balls on the pitch and Bayern were trying to point it out to the referee and lost focus. Carvajal shifts the ball into the box to Vinicius Jr who scuds a right-foot shot on to the foot of the left post and then Rodrygo has another pop from the rebound and Neuer saves the day with a concrete-wristed block that spins up which he then smothers at the second attempt.
Bayern are having to weather a storm here.
Neuer saves the day – PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty Images
08:13 PM BST
12 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Lainer has made two crisp tackles, the latest on Vinicius, to stop Real Madrid attacks. The Austrian has been a very good signing.
08:12 PM BST
10 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Now Bayern have a chance when Pavlovic plays a cute pass, inside-out from the inside-left channel to Gnabry stepping in off the wing. He races into the box and then bends a cross through the six-yard box, hoping Kane will slide in at the back post but he was always behind play. Steve McManaman saus Gnabry had to shoot there. I think he had a reasonable expectation that a centre-forward would be there.
Rodrygo takes on Gnabry – REUTERS/Juan Medina
08:09 PM BST
7 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Kane almost frees Sane after jumping in quick on Tchouameni, catching him a little by surprise. But they win the ball back when Kroos intercepts the pass and Bayern break, shifting the ball to Carvajal rampaging down the right. He fizzes over almost the perfect cross through the six-yard box but Rodrygo and Bellingham are on their toes.
When Real recycle the ball in from the left, Kimmich steps across Bellingham who goes down like a bag of hammers. he barely grazed him and the referee tells him to get up.
08:05 PM BST
5 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Kane is hanging deep, as is his wont, allowing Musiala to do the pressing of the centre-backs and keeper. Dier is closed down in the left-back position quicker than he thought by Rodrygo but he was helped out by Laimer who snapped into a tackle to stop a counter.
08:03 PM BST
3 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
It’s a very attacking line-up from Bayern and Sane cuts in off the right to chest down a long, clipped pass. Mendy has his arms wrapped round him and he demands a free-kick 25 yards out but the referee shakes his head.
08:02 PM BST
1 min: Real Madrid 0 Bayern Munich 0 (agg: 2-2)
Bayern kick off, attacking from right to left and immediately lose the ball to Vinicius who hares down the left, dances round Kimmich’s attempt at a sliding tackle and takes the corner. Kroos whips it in from the left, sending it a touch too deep and Bayern defend solidly to a chorus of disapproval from the home fans who whistle their every touch.
08:00 PM BST
In the stands
Bayern Munich’s fans are waving their scarves above their heads in the top two tiers, an inlet of red in an ocean of white and imperial purple. The Bernabeu, now fully revamped, looks like a marvellous stadium now. Felt a bit echoey last time I was there many tears ago.
07:56 PM BST
Five minutes to go and the teams are leaving the dressing rooms
Cue Handel:
Ils sont les meilleurs
Sie sind die Besten
These are the champions
Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions
07:49 PM BST
Kane’s habit
07:46 PM BST
Thomas Tuchel on his changes
I think Pavlo gets his confidence from the way he plays. Today we need a lot of courage in finding the pockets. That’s exactly his characteristic. The two central midfielders today will be very important so that we can also use the ball possession phases in midfield, we want to be more secure on the ball.
We want to be more aggressive on the wings and we will do that with Serge. Jamal can also get into the half-space better this way
07:41 PM BST
Bayern will be playing in their black and pink away strip today
Bayern warm up for the second leg of their semi-final – OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images
07:22 PM BST
Leroy Sane update
He scored a screamer last week but is still suffering from a pelvic injury that limits his stamina and explosiveness at times. Last week he had to miss the half-time team talk and stay on the pitch, jogging gently for 15 minutes to stop his hips seizing up. Serge Gnabry comes in on the left with Jamal Musiala moving infield to replace Thomas Müller in the middle.
07:12 PM BST
Real fans greet the team bus in the usual fashion
07:03 PM BST
Your teams in black and white
Real Madrid Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Nacho, Mendy; Tchouameni, Kroos; Valverde, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior.
Substitutes Courtois, Arrizabalaga, Eder Militao, Modric, Camavinga, Joselu, Lucas, Ceballos, Garcia, Diaz, Guler.
Bayern Munich Neuer; Kimmich, De Ligt, Dier, Mazraoui; Laimer, Pavlovic; Sane, Musiala, Gnabry; Kane.
Substitutes Ulreich, Upamecano, Kim, Goretzka, Choupo-Moting, Zaragoza, Peretz, Davies, Muller, Tel.
Referee Szymon Marciniak (Poland).
06:56 PM BST
Bayern make three changes
Out go Kim, Goretzka and Muller for De Ligt, Pavlovic and Gnabry.
06:46 PM BST
Above us only… roof
The Bernabeu stadium roof is closed and the big wraparound screens that hang down are in place. They are currently broadcasting the arrival of the team bus which is emerging from a cloud of smoke flares on the streets outside.
Real Madrid have closed the new roof at the Bernabeu – Sam Wallace
06:31 PM BST
Turning the town red
06:23 PM BST
Real Madrid go early again in another case of premature announce-selection
Just the one change as anticipated: Carvajal replaces Lucas Vázquez.
06:05 PM BST
Having a bet?
Having a bet on tonight’s match? First take a look at the offers on these best betting sites.
06:04 PM BST
Preview: The Derby of Europe part II
Good evening and welcome to live coverage of the Champions League semi-final, second leg tie between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich from the Bernabéu, which starts at 2-2, more all-square than ever in this vacuous, post away goals era. The home side, winners on 14 occasions, two of them under Carlo Ancelotti in 2014 and 2022, take on Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich, champions on six occasions, none of them under the current manager who did, nonetheless, take PSG to their only final in 2020 and won it with Chelsea the season after, neither of them in front of a full house because of the pandemic.
Victory for Bayern tonight would give Tuchel the opportunity of facing a packed Wembley, the scene of triumphs for him in two FA Cup semis but defeat in both finals and a League Cup final as FC Hollywood bid to move above Liverpool and level with AC Milan on seven European Cups. For Ancelotti, an unprecedented fifth European Cup/ Champions League as a manager, taking him two ahead of Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola, should end up, as I advocated last week, with him keeping at least a personal replica, much as clubs used to get to keep the current trophy after a fifth win or third in succession.
The odds tonight are with Real Madrid, who have lost only one of 15 knockout ties in this competition when they have drawn the first leg away from home, and lead the head-to-head 12-11 with five draws though Bayern have won through in four of their seven semi-final meetings. More ominous still for the Bavarians, of Real Madrid’s 31 home semi-final legs, they have won 19, drawn nine and lost only three – to Ajax in 1973, Bayern Munich in 2001 (by virtue of Brazilian goal machine Giovane Elber) and Barcelona in 2011. That victory 23 years ago ought to give Bayern hope as should their defeat in 2012 when, the scoreline after 120 minutes tied the match at 3-3 with both clubs recording 2-1 home wins, Jupp Henyckes’ side proceeded to win the shootout, Manuel Neuer saving penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka while Sergio Ramos blazed his over the bar.
Manuel Neuer saves Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty in the shootout at the Bernabeu during Bayern Munich’s semi-final victory in 2012 – JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)
As for team news, Real Madrid gave Thibaut Courtois his first start of the season against Cádiz at the weekend after eight months out following his ACL injury but Ancelotti says he will stick with Andriy Lunin in goal tonight. Dani Carvajal has served his suspension and should replace Lucas Vázquez at right-back leaving the only real selection dilemma in central midfield where Aurelién Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are vying to start alongside Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde.
Bayern ought to have Matthijs de Light fit to partner Eric Dier at the back and his coming in for Kim Min-jae, at fault for both Real goals and duly criticised by Tuchel afterwards, should be the only change because Raphaël Guerreiro was injured at the weekend and Kingsley Coman is still out.
Play The Telegraph’s brilliant range of Puzzles – and feel brighter every day. Train your brain and boost your mood with PlusWord, the Mini Crossword, the fearsome Killer Sudoku and even the classic Cryptic Crossword.