SAN FRANCISCO, May 02, (THEWILL) – Title-holders Real Madrid reached the UEFA Champions League final for a third year in a row after drawing 2-2 in their semi-final second leg match on Tuesday.
Real Madrid took advantage of Bayern Munich’s carelessness in attack and defence, winning 4-3 on aggregate.
Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich put them in front in the third minute at the Santiago Bernabeu but Karim Benzema levelled with a free header in the 11th minute.
A goalkeeping howler from Bayern Munich’s Sven Ulreich then allowed Benzema to tap in Madrid’s second at the start of the second half.
James Rodriguez, on loan from Real Madrid, hit a deserved equaliser for Bayern in the 63rd minute to set up a gripping finale.
However, the Spaniards clung on in spite of waves of pressure from the visitors.
It enabled them to become the first team since Juventus in 1998 to reach the final for three years in succession.
They will meet either Liverpool or AS Roma in the final match in Kiev on May 26.
There, they will bid to become the first side since Bayern Munich in 1976 to win the competition three years in a row.
Real Madrid had ridden their luck to win the first leg in Munich 2-1.
This was after Bayern Munich had missed a slew of chances and Zinedine Zidane’s side made the most of their few opportunities.
