Real Madrid showed class in the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, defeating the Germans 2-1 on Wednesday night at the Bernabeu.
Madrid dominated the second semi-final game, but both managers’ tactical substitutions shaped the momentum of the tie.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who recently celebrated becoming Spanish champions, displayed unwavering resolve to come back from a goal down after Bayern substitute Alphonso Davies fired home a stunning strike from a counterattack in the 68th minute.
But Joselu climbed off the bench to equalize following a calamitous error from Manuel Neuer in the 88th minute, and, two minutes later, he shinned a second into the Bayern goal from a cross by Antonio Rüdiger.
Owen Hargreaves criticized Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel for substituting Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala at a crucial moment in the game.
The decision backfired, with Real Madrid equalizing shortly afterwards through a substitute of their own in Joselu, courtesy of a howler from Manuel Neuer.
At stoppage time, Joselu found the net again as Real Madrid made it through to the final.
Speaking on TNT Sports, Hargreaves said: “I’ll tell you what was unexpected: Harry Kane going off the pitch. That’s one of the biggest subs I’ve ever seen in a game of football of that magnitude.
“To take off a guy who scored 44 goals, who is the most durable player pretty much anywhere, and you bring on another striker in Choupo-Moting, Maybe he wanted height for corners; I don’t know.
“You cannot take him off. There’s five minutes left in the game; there’s ten minutes of extra time—15 minutes. I said to Scholesy straight away, They’re going to score.”
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 £88.5 million move in June 2023 and has a chance to complete a double, having already helped Real win La Liga.
Bellingham said: “At Wembley, against Dortmund, it’s a weird one; I can’t believe it. When I was seven years old in Birmingham, I was dreaming of nights like this.”
The odds for title number 15 are looking good, as Real have won four matches despite conceding the first goal in the Champions League this season, the most by a side in a single campaign since themselves in 2016–17, when they went on to lift the trophy.
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