Tuesday, 29 April 2014
Champions elect: Magnificent Madrid maul Bayern to march towards La Decima
The Spanish giants comprehensively outplayed holders Bayern Munich to edge ever nearer to a 10th European Cup success
Not since the days of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and Raul have Real Madrid been in a Champions League final, but they will finally get a dig at La Decima in Lisbon next month after a scintillating first-half performance blasted Bayern Munich out of sight on Wednesday.
The second leg of their semi-final clash at the Allianz Arena was poised to be a tight affair, but Madrid had very different ideas. The 4-0 win which rounded off a 5-0 aggregate triumph was completely and utterly deserved, and served as a warning that this is a side primed for the grandest of successes come May 24.
All of the pre-match talk suggested that the Blancos only needed one goal to make it mission impossible for Bayern. They got it in the 16th minute, when Luka Modric’s right-wing corner was headed precisely home by the unmarked Sergio Ramos.
source: goal.com
Madrid exposed Bayern's limitations, admits Rummenigge
The Bayern supremo admitted his side were second-best on the night as the Spanish giants marched into the final with a 5-0 aggregate win
Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge felt his side’s limitations were exposed by Real Madrid as Pep Guardiola’s men were hammered 4-0 at Allianz Arena on Tuesday night.
Title holders Bayern came into the Champions League semi-final second leg attempting to erase a 1-0 deficit but were ruthlessly caught out at the other end as two Sergio Ramos headers and a double from Cristiano Ronaldo saw Madrid ease to victory.
The nature of the loss will again raise questions about Guardiola’s philosophy and Rummenigge admitted some of Bayern's weaknesses were highlighted by Carlo Ancelotti's attacking approach.
He told Sky: “We showed too little passion to cause problems for the opponent.
“We were unlucky to concede from two set pieces. After that it was clear that Real would probably go to the final.
“You have to state it clearly: Real Madrid is a great team at the moment. And they have shown us some of our limitations today. Real Madrid has limited our offense. And they have regularly caused trouble for our defence with their quick players.
“This was one of those matches. We must keep our nerve."
source: goal.com
Bayern Munich 0-4 Real Madrid (Agg 0-5)
The Spain international scored two first-half headers before the Portuguese star broke Lionel Messi's goalscoring record as Pep Guardiola's side crashed out
Real Madrid roared into the Champions League final as Sergio Ramos scored twice in a 3-0 win over holders Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
The Spain international buried two first-half headers to put Carlo Ancelotti's side 3-0 up on aggregate before Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 15th goal in this season's tournament to wrap up the win and break Lionel Messi's record for strikes in one campaign.
Ronaldo then drilled a free kick under the wall in the dying minutes of the match to cap a perfect night for the Spanish giants, who will now face Chelsea or Atletico Madrid in their first Champions League final since 2002.
The only disappointment from a wonderful evening for Real came in the 38th minute, as playmaker Xabi Alonso was booked for a rash tackle on Bastian Schweinsteiger, meaning he will miss the final.
Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer presented Real with an early opportunity as his clearance from a ball over the top went straight into the path of Gareth Bale - restored to the starting XI after illness - however, the Welshman could only fire high over the crossbar.
But it did not take long for Ancelotti's men to make the crucial breakthrough, which came in the 16th minute when the unmarked Ramos met Luka Modric's perfectly placed corner with a bullet header.
And just four minutes later, Real doubled that advantage to take control of the tie as Pepe flicked Angel Di Maria's right-wing free kick towards Ramos, who netted his second goal of the game with a diving header.
Bayern did finally threaten the Real goal midway through the first half, Franck Ribery flashing an effort across the face of goal, but the visitors’ threat on the counter was perfectly illustrated shortly after by a fine break from Ronaldo, although the Portuguese could only fire wide from the edge of the area.
The hosts failed to heed the warning offered by Ronaldo, though, and he duly netted his milestone goal by coolly finishing off a scintillating team move that saw Bale charge through the heart of the Bayern defence before laying the ball off for the 29-year-old.
Ronaldo then went close with an audacious effort from 40 yards following another botched Neuer clearance.
Bayern were allowed more of the ball following the restart but struggled to break down a determined and organised Real defence. Arjen Robben curled an effort narrowly wide from the edge of the area, before Toni Kross lashed a decent effort just over the bar.
However, a miserable night for Bayern coach Pep Guardiola was capped off in the 90th minute, as Ronaldo drove a low 20-yard free kick under the wall for his 16th Champions League goal of the campaign that ends Bayern's chances of winning a second straight treble.
source: goal.com
Monday, 28 April 2014
Sassuolo 1-3 Juventus: Tevez and Llorente fire Conte's side to the brink of the title
Juventus moved a step closer to retaining their Serie A title after coming from behind to beat Sassuolo 3-1 on Monday.
Simone Zaza handed the relegation-threatened hosts a shock lead after just nine minutes but Carlos Tevez rifled home an effort 10 minutes before the break to restore parity.
Claudio Marchisio's clever close-range finish put Juve in front just after half-time and Fernando Llorente's brilliant backheeled finish 15 minutes from time sealed victory for Antonio Conte's side at a rain-soaked Citta del Tricolore.
With three games now remaining, the champions now hold an eight-point lead over Roma, while Sassuolo remain above the drop zone only due to their superior head-to-head record with Bologna.
Victory for Juve is another step towards a third consecutive Scudetto and Conte's men will finish the job if they beat Atalanta at home in seven days' time, or if Roma fail to win at Catania 24 hours earlier.
Juve made an uncharacteristically slow start to the game and Nicola Sansone flashed a shot narrowly wide in the second minute before setting up the opening goal seven minutes later.
Sansone supplied strike partner Zaza, whose shot took a deflection off the foot of Angelo Ogbonna and skidded off the wet surface before creeping under the body of Gianluigi Buffon at the near post.
It took until the 22nd minute for Juve to muster a meaningful effort, Tevez firing a volley wide of the left-hand post after being teed up by Giorgio Chiellini.
It was Argentine Tevez who levelled matters 10 minutes before the break, finding a pocket of space on the edge of the box and unleashing a shot that whistled beyond Gianluca Pegolo via a slight deflection off Alessandro Longhi.
The hosts responded strongly, Zaza forcing a fine save out of Buffon at the near post as Sassuolo ended the first half with a flourish.
The home side's positivity was punctured 13 minutes after the interval, however, as Marchisio caressed a low finish beyond Pegolo after being picked out by Pirlo's deft chip over the Sassuolo backline.
Marchisio stung the palms of the goalkeeper 10 minutes later from Paul Pogba's lay-off, while Tevez struck the crossbar with a curling effort 13 minutes from time.
Juve did claim the third goal that their second-half dominance merited when Llorente turned home substitute Stephan Lichtsteiner's cross in the 76th minute with a delightful backheel.
Conte's focus will now shift to overturning a 2-1 deficit in Juve's Europa League semi-final second leg at home to Benfica on Thursday.
source: goal.com
