Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich live reaction (2024)

• A brilliant Alphonso Davies strike (68') gave Bayern the lead
• Madrid thought they had equalised quickly (73') but VAR ruled it out
• Madrid did level when Joselu scored after a Manuel Neuer mistake (88')
• Joselu scored again three minutes later to send Madrid into the final

Real Madrid's La Liga and Supercopa de Espana triumphs will never compare to the Champions League.

Lifting the league title was an impressive achievement for a group who lost their first-choice goalkeeper and centre-back pairing to anterior cruciate ligament injuries this campaign, but there is a reason the celebrations for that trophy were postponed. Madrid measure themselves by nights like these and knew they would require all of their focus for this season-defining match against Bayern.

Alphonso Davies’ curling effort came as a shock to Carlo Ancelotti’s side and it appeared as if their luck had run out when Nacho’s goal — via Matthijs de Ligt — was ruled out for a push on Joshua Kimmich. But Madrid always seem to find a way.

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How cruel. Neuer’s performance deserved better luck. No doubt this will provoke a debate around his age and longevity, but football is football and the game can be very unkind.

Neuer’s impact on this Champions League run might not have been as dramatic, but for 87 minutes in the Bernabeu he was absolutely exceptional, returning to something close to his very best. His double save in the first half was as good as any he has made in years, certainly since he returned from the broken leg he suffered while skiing 18 months ago.

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Kroos has enjoyed one of his finest seasons in a Real Madrid shirt. The Germany midfielder’s contract is up this summer — but his performances this term have suggested he has plenty of years left in him.

The 34-year-old was Madrid’s conductor at the Allianz Arena in the first leg, playing a glorious inch-perfect pass to set Vinicius Junior away for his opener and completing 80 of his 86 passes with a 93 per cent success rate. It was a similar story in the first half at the Bernabeu as Kroos pinged passes out wide to Rodrygo and Federico Valverde and recorded a 96 per cent completion rate, although he enjoyed less influence than a week ago with Bayern tighter in defence.

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In the first leg of this semi-final clash, it was Leroy Sane’s switch to the right wing that sparked Bayern’s most dangerous attack. Joshua Kimmich’s overlapping run afforded Sane the space to cut inside and score at the near post at the start of the second half, and Thomas Tuchel stuck with the German winger on the right flank for the return leg.

Tonight, however, Bayern failed to make the most of the opportunities they had on the right side of the pitch. The runs were often the right ones, but the pass was frequently overhit, blocked, or not chosen at the crucial moment when a cool head was required. It was clear what Bayern wanted to do, but their execution just wasn’t up to scratch on the right.

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This was a night when Aleksandar Pavlovic confirmed what everybody already knew. He is decadently talented.

Conveniently, Pavlovic is also Bavarian. He was born in Munich and raised within Bayern’s academy system. On match days, his popularity shows in the dozens of replica shirts that already bear his name, despite him having made fewer than 20 Bundesliga appearances in his nascent career.

But being homegrown only takes a player so far. Pavlovic has a rare ability to move the ball forward and his selection in the Bernabeu changed what Bayern were able to do in possession.

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Manuel Neuer broke the record for the most career Champions League clean sheets with his shutout against Arsenal in the second leg of the quarter-finals, but his failure to keep another one tonight, caused by his rare mistake, cost his team a spot in the final.

Speaking to DAZN after the match, he said: "Anyone who’s ever played football knows how I’m feeling right now.

"That we’ve been knocked out in the closing stages, having led 1-0 until the 88th minute, it’s extremely bitter.

"We’d taken one step to London, we saw ourselves in the final and now I’m lost for words."

Given his career trajectory, Joselu must have to pinch himself when he pops up on nights like tonight with goals that could turn out to be huge in the illustrious history of Real Madrid.

"You dream of nights like this, of course," he said. "But it's about being ready. For the first goal, Bayern were just a little worn-out. They were in a low-block defence and you take note because that conditions the movement you can make.

"Not even my best dreams are as good as this!"

Jude Bellingham made his 31st career Champions League start tonight, moving him level with Iker Casillas for the most by any player before the age of 21.

As Bellingham will turn 21 four weeks after next month's final, he's set to surpass Casillas in this regard at Wembley.

Joselu brought his goal tally for the season (in all competitions) up to 16 today with probably the two most important goals he has ever scored.

Still, the Spaniard remained humble when he spoke after the game.

"I'm the hero? Well, I really don't know about that," said the match winner. "All I can definitely tell you is that I'm a very happy man!

"This was incredible. Spectacular. This team simply never gives in. Fighting until the final whistle is in our blood."

Most readers on our discussion page seem to agree with Thomas Tuchel and Matthijs de Ligt that the linesman's early offside call was a brutal error...

• Besar D: That's a colossal error from the ref
• Gerrit J: Unbelievable mistake by the ref
• Adam C: One of the all-time refereeing blunders
• Alberto F: The amount of plays we have seen that have been ridiculously allowed to play on when it was an obvious offside and the one that they don’t let go is this one??

Toni Kroos has appeared in five Champions League-winning campaigns but only four finals.

Here are all the passes that booked his shot at a fifth final and a sixth title come the final at Wembley.

You are welcome to 'hang it in the Louvre' if you wish, or your wall if easier.

The Champions League final will take place on Saturday June 1 at Wembley Stadium in London. The two finalists, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, will be facing one another for the 15th time.

Madrid hold the upper hand historically, taking six wins against three defeats alongside five draws.

The Spanish club also hold the advantage in UCL knockout meetings, advancing past Dortmund twice in 1998 and 2014 while being eliminated by them in 2013.

Here you go, dashboard fans. Here's the action from tonight and it's worth noting:

• The similar pass networks show just how even this game was in terms of using the ball, and given the possession share.
• However, Real's influence really shows up with the field tilt - showing how much of the game was played in each final third.
• Although Bayern were looking to counter, the sides were pretty even in terms of fast breaks.
• The shot map & XG are clear indicators Real did more than enough to earn a one-goal victory...

And with that, their place in the Champions League final.

Canadian Alphonso Davies had become the third player from CONCACAF to score in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, joining Dwight Yorke (Trinidad & Tobago, 1999) and Christian Pulisic (United States, 2021).

With his assist on that goal, Harry Kane reached 12 goal involvements in the UCL this season (8 goals, 4 assists), setting a new record by an Englishman in a single edition of the tournament.

High praise indeed from Carlo Ancelotti - a man who has managed some of the greatest teams of all time. He told TNT Sports:

💬 "I'm going to enjoy (today's win), of course. From now until the final, we have fantastic days with our supporters to celebrate the league and this final.

"I'm really grateful to (the players) because they work really hard. They make a fantastic atmosphere, they are really humble and really generous.

"I think it's the best squad that I have ever had in my career."

Thomas Tuchel has already had to deal with a fair amount of criticism for taking off Harry Kane late in the game - although in speaking to DAZN, the Bayern Munich boss has stated those players had to come off:

💬 "It hurts. It’ll take a while to recover, but on the one hand it’s a loss where we left it all out on the pitch. Of course, it’s tough to accept. It’s part of reality. No regrets.

"But on the other there were too many injuries, a few too many substitutions, too many cramps. We started with a front four and by the end they were all off the pitch. And then Manu (Neuer) who had been exceptional in saving us all night, made a mistake he wouldn’t make in another 100 years."

Tuchel then goes on to call that late disallowed goal due to an early offside flag a "disastrous decision" that felt "almost like a betrayal".

The only shocking thing about Real Madrid's comeback win is that they didn't leave it later to score the winning goal. Carlo Ancelotti's side have quite the reputation for late drama and he was happy with his side's performance.

"I think we played well, to be honest," he told TNT Sports. "We had opportunities and good control of the game. We had the strength to keep going when they scored and it happened again here!

"It's quite usual that, at the Bernabeu, we can something unexpected with our supporters."