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The Financial Express

Champions League: Benzema brace sends Real Madrid into third straight final

| Updated: May 04, 2018 15:03:43


Karim Benzema heads the ball home against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu - Reuters photo Karim Benzema heads the ball home against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu - Reuters photo

Reigning European champions Real Madrid moved into their third successive Champions League final as they edged out Bayern Munich in a thrilling semi-final second leg.

Trailing 2-1 after the first leg in Germany, Bayern needed a win at the Bernabeu on Tuesday to reach the final but it finished 2-2 as Real clinched a 4-3 aggregate victory, reports BBC.

Joshua Kimmich scored early on for the German champions from six yards out, before Karim Benzema headed in for Real from Marcelo's fine left-wing cross eight minutes later.

A second for Benzema, after a horrendous mistake from Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, put Real in control, although Bayern's on-loan James Rodriguez then scored against his parent club to set up a dramatic finale.

Bayern had chances to win it, but Corentin Tolisso and Thomas Muller's efforts were saved by Keylor Navas and Mats Hummels headed wide as the Spanish side held on.

“We feel extremely bitter,” said Bayern defender Hummels. “We had chances in the first leg, we were more dangerous today (than Madrid) but in the end Real made fewer big mistakes.”

It was Bayern’s fifth consecutive Champions League exit to a Spanish side, and their third to Madrid in that time, according to a Reuters report.

Real will face either Liverpool or Roma in the final in Kiev, Ukraine, on 26 May with Jurgen Klopp's side leading 5-2 before Wednesday's second leg in Rome.

 

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