Real Madrid snatched an incredible semi-final victory as two late goals defeated Bayern Munich and set up a Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern looked to be heading to the final when Alphonso Davies cut in and blasted past Andriy Lunin after England captain Harry Kane had found him with a superb pass.
But Joselu grabbed an 88th-minute equaliser when he reacted quickest after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who had been excellent up until then, fumbled Vinicius Jr’s effort.
There was even more drama to come two minutes later when Joselu, a former Stoke City striker, swept home from six yards after Antonio Rudiger’s square pass.
The goal was initially ruled offside, only for a video assistant referee (VAR) decision to show that Joselu was onside, sparking incredible scenes of celebration in the Bernabeu, with Real hanging on to win 4-3 on aggregate.
Real, 14-time European champions, will face Dortmund on Saturday, 1 June at Wembley.
There was controversy in the 13th minute of injury time at the end of the second half as Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt thought he had taken the game to extra time.
A ball was played up to Noussair Mazraoui and the assistant referee’s flag was raised for offside, with a number of Real defenders stopping before Bayern’s De Ligt fired into the net.
Television replays suggested the original decision may not have been correct and that had the flag not been raised it would have needed to be checked by VAR, with Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel and a number of players including Kane and fellow Englishman Eric Dier strongly protesting against the decision.
Delight for Bellingham but heartbreak for Kane and Dier
For England midfielder Jude Bellingham, the outcome continues an incredible first season at the Bernabeu and he will face his former side Dortmund in the final in London.
Bellingham left the German team for Real in an £88.5m move in June 2023 and has a chance to complete a double, having already helped Real win La Liga.
“At Wembley, against Dortmund… It’s a weird one, I can’t believe it,” Bellingham told TNT Sports. “When I was seven years old in Birmingham, I was dreaming of nights like this.”
While it was a dream come true for Bellingham, there was heartbreak for his fellow England players Kane and Dier.
Kane has scored 44 times for Bayern since moving in an £86m transfer from Tottenham last summer, but this loss ends his hopes of winning a first major title in his career.
Both Kane and Dier played in the 2019 Champions League final as Tottenham lost 2-0 to Liverpool.
Kane had put Bayern 2-1 ahead in the first leg against Madrid, only for Vinicius Jr to grab his second to leave it at 2-2 after the opening match in Germany.
The second leg was played in a fantastic atmosphere at the Bernabeu. The hosts almost scored early on, only for Neuer to make an excellent double save – pushing Vinicius Jr’s effort against the post and then stopping Rodrygo’s follow-up effort.
Vinicius Jr was a constant threat for Real down their left but again saw Neuer twice make excellent saves.
But Bayern, against the run of play, took the lead in the 68th minute.
Kane, in the centre circle, sprayed a superb pass to Davies on the left flank, and the Canadian ran at Rudiger, cut inside on to his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable strike for what looked to be the winner.
Boss Tuchel, who is leaving Bayern at the end of the season, took Kane off with five minutes to go, before Joselu swung the game in Real’s favour.
The striker took advantage of a rare Neuer error and then scored again three minutes later as Real clinched an incredible victory.
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, who has reached his sixth Champions League final as a manager, said he is going to “enjoy this week”.
“[My players are] unbelievable. I’m really grateful to them,” Ancelotti added. “They work really hard and I think this is the best squad I have ever had in my career.”
Player of the match
JoseluJoselu
Real Madrid
Squad number14Player nameJoselu
Squad number7Player nameVinícius Júnior
Squad number10Player nameModric
Squad number22Player nameRüdiger
Squad number8Player nameKroos
Squad number11Player nameRodrygo
Squad number15Player nameValverde
Squad number12Player nameCamavinga
Squad number21Player nameDíaz
Squad number2Player nameCarvajal
Squad number5Player nameBellingham
Squad number13Player nameLunin
Squad number23Player nameMendy
Squad number18Player nameTchouaméni
Squad number6Player nameNacho
Squad number3Player nameÉder Militão
Bayern Munich
Squad number9Player nameKane
Squad number19Player nameDavies
Squad number15Player nameDier
Squad number42Player nameMusiala
Squad number4Player namede Ligt
Squad number1Player nameNeuer
Squad number6Player nameKimmich
Squad number10Player nameSané
Squad number7Player nameGnabry
Squad number27Player nameLaimer
Squad number45Player namePavlovic
Squad number40Player nameMazraoui
Squad number3Player nameKim Min-jae
Squad number25Player nameMüller
Squad number13Player nameChoupo-Moting
Line-ups
Real Madrid
Formation 4-4-2
13Lunin
2Carvajal22Rüdiger6Nacho23Mendy
15Valverde18Tchouaméni8Kroos5Bellingham
11Rodrygo7Vinícius Júnior
13Lunin
2Carvajal
22Rüdiger
6Nacho
23Mendy
15ValverdeSubstituted forJoseluat 81′minutes
18TchouaméniSubstituted forCamavingaat 70′minutesBooked at 90mins
8KroosSubstituted forModricat 69′minutes
5BellinghamSubstituted forMilitãoat 90+10′minutes
11RodrygoSubstituted forDíazat 81′minutes
7Vinícius Júnior
Substitutes
1Courtois
3Militão
10Modric
12Camavinga
14Joselu
17Vázquez
19Ceballos
20García
21Díaz
24Güler
25Arrizabalaga Revuelta
Bayern Munich
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Neuer
6Kimmich4de Ligt15Dier40Mazraoui
27Laimer45Pavlovic
10Sané42Musiala7Gnabry
9Kane
1Neuer
6Kimmich
4de Ligt
15Dier
40Mazraoui
27Laimer
45Pavlovic
10SanéSubstituted forKim Min-jaeat 76′minutes
42MusialaSubstituted forMüllerat 84′minutes
7GnabrySubstituted forDaviesat 27′minutes
9KaneSubstituted forChoupo-Motingat 85′minutes
Substitutes
2Upamecano
3Kim Min-jae
8Goretzka
13Choupo-Moting
17Zaragoza
18Peretz
19Davies
25Müller
26Ulreich
39Tel
Referee:
Szymon Marciniak
Attendance:
76,579
Live Text
Match ends, Real Madrid 2, FC Bayern München 1.
Second Half ends, Real Madrid 2, FC Bayern München 1.
Foul by Luka Modric (Real Madrid).
Joshua Kimmich (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, FC Bayern München. Noussair Mazraoui is caught offside.
Foul by Éder Militão (Real Madrid).
Matthijs de Ligt (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid).
Eric Choupo-Moting (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Real Madrid. Éder Militão replaces Jude Bellingham.
Offside, FC Bayern München. Alphonso Davies is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Noussair Mazraoui (FC Bayern München) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Joshua Kimmich.
Nacho (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Konrad Laimer (FC Bayern München).
Joselu (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Konrad Laimer (FC Bayern München).
VAR Decision: Goal Real Madrid 2-1 FC Bayern München (Joselu).
Goal! Real Madrid 2, FC Bayern München 1. Joselu (Real Madrid) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Antonio Rüdiger with a cross following a corner.Goal awarded following VAR Review.
Joel Matip's own goal deep into stoppage time gave Tottenham victory over nine-man title hopefuls Liverpool in a match packed full of video assistant referee dr
A well-known TV sports presenter has allegedly been arrested on suspicion of raping a child, it has been reported. The presenter, who along with the victim cann