UCL: Madrid, Bayern battle way to last four
Cristiano Ronaldo showed nerves of steel to score an injury-time penalty and send holders Real Madrid into the semi-finals of the Champions League in dramatic circumstances.
The Spanish side progressed to the last four despite losing 3-1 to Juventus on Wednesday but won a thrilling tie 4-3 on aggregate.
Juventus looked to have staged a stunning revival at the Santiago Bernabeu to force extra time after Mario Mandzukic scored twice in the first half.
Blaise Matuidi added a third on the hour mark after a goalkeeping clanger from Real’s Keylor Navas.
The goals cancelled out Real’s resounding 3-0 win in Turin a week earlier but Lucas Vazquez won a disputed injury-time penalty.
Juventus goalkeeper and Captain Gianluigi Buffon was given a straight red card for pushing English referee Michael Oliver as he vented his fury at the decision.
The Italian veteran was given a standing ovation from the home fans as he walked off the pitch in what is likely to be his last act in a long and eventful career in the Champions League.
Buffon is set to leave Juventus at the end of the season.
Juve’s substitute goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny came on but Ronaldo blasted into the top corner in the eighth minute of stoppage time to score for the 10th game running in this season’s competition.
The goal sent Real into the semi-finals for a record-extending eighth year in a row.
In the second match, a goalless draw against Sevilla was enough to send Bayern Munich into the Champions League last four with a 2-1 aggregate victory.
The slim win keeps the Bavarians’ hopes of a treble-winning season alive.
Bayern, playing in their seventh straight Champions League quarter-final, never needed to hit top form but were in control throughout with the largely toothless Spaniards only rarely venturing into their opponents’ box.
The Germans, who last won the treble in 2013 again under coach Jupp Heynckes, had secured a 2-1 advantage from last week’s first leg in Spain.