Real Madrid’s magical run in the Champions League continued on Wednesday as they staged another thrilling comeback to defeat Bayern Munich 2-1 and reach the final for the second time in three seasons.
After trailing 1-0 for much of the second half, Madrid rallied late with goals from Joselu in the 88th minute and stoppage time. The victory gave Madrid a 4-3 aggregate triumph and set up a final clash against Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in London.
Madrid’s victory was reminiscent of their remarkable run in 2022, when they pulled off several late comebacks at the Bernabeu. This time, they needed some late drama once again.
Bayern had taken the lead through Alphonso Davies in the 68th minute, but Madrid refused to give up. Joselu’s first goal came after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer spilled an easy save, while his second was initially ruled offside but later allowed after video review.
“It’s inexplicable,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. “Fans who push us on, a fantastic stadium, players who never stop believing — it’s simply something magical.”
Madrid’s victory extended their record to 18 European Cup finals, nine of which have come in the Champions League era. They will be looking to add to their record-breaking tally when they face Dortmund in the final.
Bayern, meanwhile, were left to rue their missed opportunities. They had dominated much of the match but failed to capitalize on their chances. Coach Thomas Tuchel described the offside call that ruled out their late equalizer as “disastrous” and “against the rules.”
“It hurts,” said Tuchel. “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.”
Dortmund, who eliminated Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals, will be looking to upset Madrid in the final and claim their first European Cup since 1997.
