Real Madrid have booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Champions League after recording a 4-2 victory over Bayern Munich in the second leg of their quarter-final at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night.
Ten-man Bayern led 2-1 after 90 minutes to force extra-time after Real Madrid’s success by the same scoreline at the Allianz Arena last week, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s second of the night in the 105th minute effectively decided the tie.
Ronaldo then completed his hat-trick in the second period of extra-time as the Portugal international registered his 100th goal in the Champions League, before substitute Marco Asensio made it 4-2 on the night late on.
A calf problem kept Gareth Bale on the sidelines, meaning that Isco joined Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the final third for Real Madrid, while it was again Nacho alongside Sergio Ramos in central defence.
As for Bayern, Robert Lewandowski was back in the team after recovering from a shoulder problem, while Mats Hummels’s return from an ankle injury came at the perfect time due to Javi Martinez’s suspension.
It was the visitors that had the first serious chance of the match in the ninth minute, but Arjen Robben, after being given the freedom of the Real Madrid penalty box, could only bounce his effort over the crossbar from close range in an early warning for Zinedine Zidane’s side.
Bayern continued to dominate as the first period gathered pace, and Arturo Vidal sent a long-range effort over the Real Madrid crossbar in the 13th minute as the home side struggled for possession of the ball against the German champions.
Real Madrid’s first opportunity of the match did not arrive until the 24th minute when Marcelo broke down the left before picking out the head of Benzema with a smart cross, but the Frenchman’s effort was wide of the post.
Spanish full-back Dani Carvajal then came close for the home side after striking a powerful effort towards the bottom corner, but Manuel Neuer was on hand to make a wonderful save in the Bayern goal.
Moments later, the Madrid outfit had another opportunity when Ramos pounced on a loose ball inside the Bayern box, but Jerome Boateng cleared his fellow centre-back’s effort off the line as it somehow remained goalless at the Bernabeu.
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