Joselu’s dramatic late double fires them to 2-1 comeback win over Bayern Munich
Madrid: Joselu was Real Madrid’s hero as the former Stoke City striker’s stunning late double completed a 2-1 comeback win over Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League final via a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern thought they were heading into the Wembley final as they led until 88 minutes through Alphonso Davies’ second-half stunner, but then Manuel Neuer, who had produced four amazing stops earlier in the game, shockingly spilled Vinicius Junior’s shot into substitute Joselu’s path to equalise.
As the Santiago Bernabeu pressure rose – and after Harry Kane had been taken off by Tuchel with the score at 1-0 to Bayern – Joselu then turned in Antonio Rudiger’s cross from close range in the 91st minute, a winner eventually given after a VAR review of a tight offside call on the forward.
The astonishing yet vintage Real Madrid comeback means they will meet Borussia Dortmund in the Wembley final on June 1, a result which also leaves England captain Kane trophyless from his first season at Bayern.
KEY INFO
Real Madrid reached their 18th European Cup/Champions League final
They have won the trophy a record 14 times (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022)
They have been three-time runners-up (1962, 1964, 1981)
Notably, Real have won each of their last eight Champions League finals
Bayern have lost 11 Champions League matches against Real. The highest number of games a side has lost against another in the competition’s history
Real are unbeaten in their last nine Champions League games against the Bavarians
German midfield maestro Toni Kroos made his 150th Champions League appearance. Kroos joined Cristiano Ronaldo (183), Iker Casillas (177), Lionel Messi (163), Karim Benzema (152), Xavi Hernandez (151), and Thomas Muller (151)
Carlo Ancelotti has reached his sixth Champions League final (W4 L1)
Neuer spilled a rebound right to a hard-charging Joselu for a goal to knot the game at 1-1
OFFSIDE CONTROVERSY
There was late controversy as Bayern were denied what looked like a clear equaliser deep into stoppage time when Matthijs De Ligt scored on the half-volley
But with the linesman already flagging for offside, referee Szymon Marciniak had also already blown for offside despite replays appearing to show that Bayern’s attackers may have been onside
“It’s a disastrous decision from the linesman and from the referee. It feels almost like a betrayal in the end because of that decision,” said Bayern coach Tuchel.
“The linesman said sorry, that does not help at this level. To raise the flag in a decision like this, and a close decision in the last minute
“The referee as well, he does not have to whistle. He sees that we win the second ball and get the shot away to whistle. It’s a very, very bad decision and it’s against the rules. It’s a disaster. Tough to swallow. But it’s away,” Tuchel said