After another thrilling match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Real Madrid secured a spot in the Champions League final.
The 14-time European champion staged yet another comeback on Wednesday, defeating Bayern Munich 2-1 to reach the final for the second time in three seasons.
In typical fashion, Madrid left it late to secure the win.
Joselu scored in the 88th minute and then again in stoppage time as Madrid advanced 4-3 on aggregate, setting up a final clash against Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in London.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed his amazement, saying, “It’s happened again, as it has so many times before. It’s something magical – fans cheering us on, an amazing stadium, and players who never lose hope.”
Bayern had taken the lead with an Alphonso Davies goal in the 68th minute, but a late offside call denied them what they thought was an equalizer, described by coach Thomas Tuchel as “disastrous” and “against the rules.”
Joselu’s first goal came from a rebound after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s mistake. The second goal was initially disallowed for offside but later allowed after a video review.
Reflecting on the moment, Joselu said, “You always dream of being part of moments like this. Not even my best dreams were as good as this.”
This will be Madrid’s 18th European Cup final, extending their record, and ninth in the Champions League era, also a record. Their last appearance in the final was in 2022, where they defeated Liverpool, capping off a season marked by several late comebacks, similar to the one witnessed on Wednesday.
