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UCL Rewind: Bayern Munich shocks Real Madrid in PKs to reach final

Schweinsteiger (Getty Images)

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Two days of breathtaking UEFA Champions League semifinal play are complete, and with the dust settled, neither of the two Spanish favorites will be playing for Europe's greatest prize.

Bayern Munich defeated Real Madrid on penalty kicks and will play for the UEFA Champions League trophy in their home stadium after their semifinal tie ended in a 3-3 aggregate draw. Awful misses by both teams finished with Bastian Schweinsteiger scoring the clinching penalty to give Munich a 3-1 shootout win.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace within the first 15 minutes, but he'll be remembered most for missing Madrid's opening kick in the penalty shootout. Arjen Robben's penalty kick drew Munich level on aggregate and away goals during regulation, and neither team was able to capitalize on a multitude of chances throughout the rest of the game. Both Iker Casillas and Manuel Neuer played magnificently, with each making several key saves including two apiece in the penalty round.

Bayern Munich got revenge against Jose Mourinho after losing to his Inter Milan side in the 2010 Champions League final, and they move on to face Chelsea — which stunned Barcelona on Tuesday — on May 19 at Allianz Arena, where neither team will be at full strength as both will miss multiple players due to suspension.

Here is a look back at today's thrilling Champions League battle:

The action started early in the first half as Real Madrid took the lead before the six-minute mark. David Alaba was whistled for a handball inside the box and Ronaldo stepped up and sent Neuer the wrong way. Bayern Munich should have been level inside two minutes when Alaba's cross found Robben but the Dutch winger put his shot from inside eight yards over the crossbar.

Things went from bad to worse for Bayern when a defensive lapse allowed Ronaldo to find space between their two central defenders. Ozil found Ronaldo, and he slotted a neat finish past Neuer to put Madrid in the driver's seat. Despite being down two goals on the day, Bayern continued to surge forward and ask serious questions of Madrid's defense.

Pepe brought down Mario Gomez inside the box leading to Robben's 27th-minute penalty kick. Casillas got a hand to Robben's penalty but only succeeded in deflecting it inside the post to get Bayern on the board. Minutes later, Madrid had a chance to retake the aggregate lead, but Karim Benzema's curling shot whistled inches wide of the far post.

It was then Bayern's turn to threaten as Gomez's shot from long range was saved by Casillas, and Xabi Alonso dove in dangerously but prevented Franck Ribery from poking home the rebound and the half ended 2-1 in Madrid's favor.

The second half opened with the same frenetic pace from the first half but didn't produce as many clear-cut chances. Benzima forced a decent save from Neuer from 15 yards out but it was a difficult angle for the striker. Robben cut past two defenders and dinked the ball past Pepe to put himself through on goal, but Casillas came out of his goal to smother it. 

Five minutes from time, Gomez wasted a golden opportunity to put Munich into the final. Robben broke down the left flank and found Ribery on the left corner of the penalty area. Ribery crossed to a wide-open Gomez, who instead of sweeping the ball in first time, was closed down and the rebound bounced harmlessly to Casillas. 

The frenetic pace in the opening 90 minutes certainly had an effect to the slow start of extra time. Neither team was able to carve out any real chances until the second half of extra time. Kaka found himself on the edge of the 6-yard box but was unable to pick out Sami Khedira on the far post and the game went to penalties.

Madrid missed their first two penalties, as both Ronaldo and Kaka's low, similar shots were saved by Neuer while Alaba and Gomez converted to give Bayern a 2-0 lead. However, Casillas stoned Toni Kroos and Phillip Lahm to give Madrid a lifeline, and Xabi Alonso scored Madrid's first penalty to get the hosts on the board.

Sergio Ramos could have brought the scores level but he skied his spot kick, leaving Schweinsteiger to finish off a stunned Madrid side and send Munich to the final.

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What did you think of today's game? Stunned at the result? Who do you think will win the UCL final?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I agree the Bayern game was far easier to watch than the Tiki-taka game. Chelsea found a winning formula with “Park the Bus in front of goal” Anti-football but that was what it was going to take to have a chance being a man down.

    I hope to see a far more entertaining Chelsea side against Bayern Munich. But if they play “Park the Bus”, I expect Bayern to be able to break it down better than Barca was able to manage.

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  2. lolol settle down there pal. I just hate divy players and want to Deuce go to a German side that’s CL bound instead of an EPL side–totally a personal opinion. I actually think he’d be a better fit in Dortmund or Shalke. I get that BM is stacked and he’d be in a long line for playing time and lacks a certain pedigree to be taken seriously at BM, but his recent form and steady rise over the past few years is far from an overly rosy assessment.

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  3. How many high level penalty shootouts have you seen?

    At this level they can make all time great players, like Messi, Roberto Baggio and so on look like high school players.

    Nothing you see at them should surprise you.

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  4. oh your so silly! Arjen Robben >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dempsey in every sense of the game, take off your rose colored US fan glasses, Dempsey wouldnt break the starting lineup of Bayern. Whos he gonna Bench? Robben? Ribbery? Schwensteiger? every single one of those players is leagues above what Dempsey is. Gomez is a better Striker than Dempsey is as well

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  5. as long as Arjen Robben is on that team I can’t bring myself to call them “class”. But once they deal him for Dempsey I’m right there with you! 😉

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  6. the best team won, however, they’re gonna have their hands full playing Santos of Brazil in Dec. Does Bayern M even have a brazilian player?

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  7. Given how close the simifinals were, the exist of both Spanish teams makes me question La Liga’s decision to schedule El Classico between the two semifinal legs. One has to wonder if Real and Barcelona would have gotten over the hump if they did not have to play each other. Given the magnitude of their rivalry and the championship at stake, Barcelona and Real had to play their top players against each other. Barcelona in particular had to play Chelsea on a two day rest, while Chelsea rested eight of its starters in their EPL game.

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  8. Spain is good for nothing and now their beloved football clubs have fallen from grace. I’m glad to see a class act like Bayern take it to the Spaniards. The Spaniards are a bunch of wankers who think they’re better than everyone else. It serves them well to lose.

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  9. “It was then Bayern’s turn to threaten as Gomez’s shot from long range was saved by Casillas, and Xabi Alonso dove in dangerously but prevented Franck Ribery from poking home the rebound and the half ended 2-1 in Madrid’s favor.”

    I think that tackle to dispossess Ribery was by Sami Khedira, not Xabi Alonso. Regardless, that was an absolutely breathtaking spectacle which should be celebrated as such. Bayern have looked like it was their year since the group stages, knowing the final is at the Allianz. Chelsea will need another massive effort to pull it out in Munich. The final can’t come soon enough!!

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  10. Well, if you go by past success alone (which, as I’m sure you know is not much of a measure of current strength — see Liverpool or Ajax), Real Madrid (for which I have a strong dislike) has won twice as many CLs as Bayern.

    Or, to use your terms, they’ve won more CLs than ManU, the City of London and Bayern combined. 🙂

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  11. Ramos’ penalty was one of the worst I’ve ever seen at any level in more than 2 decades of watching soccer.

    What in the world was he doing?!

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  12. I’ll give you the positive stuff from a Real Madrid fan. I thought both games were amazing to watch. Barcelona had the better game overall but couldn’t close it out. Bayern played exceptional football, especially coming from behind and earned the win. And the article says it well Breathtaking.

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  13. I agree with you on Gomez. He’s a frustrating player to watch. He could have easily had a hattrick in this game, but I guess he doesn’t like his balls served on a platter.

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  14. BAAAAYYYYEEERRRNNNN!!!!! I am still shaking! I was yelling in my office!

    Man oh man oh man I cannot wait to don my Schweinsteiger jersey, find the biggest German pub in NYC and yell until I am hoarse. Speaking of which, I am new to the city, suggestions? I don’t want a neutral bar, I want to yell with the Germans!

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  15. Just my luck. I’m finally allowed a fleet car and a business trip to Scottsdale and Ramos’ penalty dents the hood the first day. This will be difficult to explain to higher.

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  16. Still surprised that two German internationals missed penalties. After Madrid’s miss I assumed it was over.But, overall Bayern were the better side for most of the two legs and deserved(If Gomez wasn’t panicking in front of goal all game they wouldn’t have been penalty kicks).

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  17. I think most reasonable people realize that playing attractively is not synonymous with playing well. If you want to enjoy the beauty of motion and choreographed interplay, go to the ballet. If you want to watch hard fought competition where at the end of the day all that matters is winning, you watch sports.

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  18. thats whar everyone was saying when Barcelona was going to face Chelsea and look at how that ended.

    Its going to be a close final.

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  19. I was surprised by yesterday’s result, but not today’s. (Although how it unfolded is another story.) Bayern Munich is a damn good team. They will win the final, handily

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  20. Seriously though, I was watching the BBC feed and every commentator said after the match that while it was not what they expected, the “better” teams (over the course of the two legs) made it through to the final. In each case the losing team was out-thought, out played and out scored.

    Perhaps it wasn’t the story many of us were hoping for, but I don’t think anyone can honestly say these matches weren’t exciting and nervy and full of great drama and yes good football and both sides will certainly give it their all.

    This final is anyone’s guess… Bayern certainly has the edge on paper but clearly that means nothing against a Chelsea side which almost seems to be fated.

    Crazy to think Ronaldo AND Messi will be watching the dance instead of being in it. I don’t think anyone would have predicted that.

    Last thought: For the first time ever I actually feel a little bad for Jose Mourinho. That bridesmaid dress must be starting to chafe something fierce. At least he’ll have the la Liga title to console him.

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  21. As an avid follower of the BL, it grates my cheddar when a team (that I usually don’t support) like Bayern, one of the all time greats (one that has won more CLs than ManU and the City of London combined) winning on penalties after winning the first leg gets treated like an underdog.

    That isn’t meant as a rant, I’m not THAT annoyed.

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  22. I’m so tired of all the negativity surrounding soccer-the team that won played ‘anti-football’, the ref ‘gave the game’, the better team lost, ‘god what a snoozefest’ etc. I’m just tired of it. Guess what, all those things are byproducts of the fact soccer matches are decided by a handful of moments. If you don’t like it, go watch another sport where there are more scoring plays. You know refs are going to screw up and that more so than other sports have a deciding effect on the game, you know replay won’t happen in the foreseeable future, you know unlike in other sports a team could play worse and still win, you know there is always a chance that a sport where there are an average of 4 scoring plays in the game could be boring. Just enjoy the game, and stop complaining about everything.

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