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It was always going to take something special to settle this titanic battle, and Bayern Munich produced it with two stunning late goals from Luis Diaz and Michael Olise at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night.
We were heading for extra-time after a mesmeric game that had seen Real Madrid lead three times, and Bayern fight back with Harry Kane netting his 50th goal of a magnificent season.
Over the last four knockout meetings and 12 years, Madrid had lorded it over the Germans and threatened to do it again here as Bayern feared their missed chances in a 2-1 first-leg victory in Spain might come back to haunt them.
But the contest swung in Bayern’s favour as first Eduardo Camavinga was sent off for a second bookable offence just 24 minutes after coming off the bench, and then the home side finally got clear to set up a semi-final against holders Paris Saint-Germain as Luis Diaz and Mihael Olise struck late on.
Diaz’s strike from the edge of the box took a nick off Eder Militao as it flew in, and then Olise smashed home the seventh goal of the night with the last kick of the game.
Arda Guler, who had scored two great goals for Madrid, became the second player to be sent off as a quite superb tie ended in angry scenes.
Luis Diaz (left) was Bayern Munich’s hero by scoring this winning goal against Real Madrid
Michael Olise completed the 6-4 agg scoreline with a stunning solo strike to help Bayern win
The game tipped in Bayern’s favour when Eduardo Camavinga was sent off before Diaz’s goal
Despite Madrid’s incredible pedigree in Europe, they faced a daunting challenge in Bavaria. Bayern had lost only one of their last 28 Champions League games at the Allianz, and two of 44 matches at home in all competitions.
The Germans have been formidable in the Bundesliga and the form team in Europe.
Vincent Kompany was able to name the same line-up from the first leg, while Alvaro Arbeloa made four changes for a game that was pivotal to Real Madrid’s season and his own, dwindling prospects of staying in charge after losing ground in the LaLiga title race with Barcelona.
Jude Bellingham was restored to the starting line-up after coming off the bench in Madrid, and the England midfielder immediately brought more presence and physicality to Real’s midfield.
While much of the talk had been about the shootout between the competition’s two top scorers, Kane and Kylian Mbappe, the opening exchanges of a pulsating first half brought two extraordinary goalkeeping errors.
Manuel Neuer, so good in the first leg, committed the first blunder after just 45 seconds when he received a back-pass and tried to play the ball out.
It was a horrible attempt and rolled straight to Arda Guler. The young Turk met it first time and curled his effort into the empty net with just centimetres to spare between the post and bar.
If Neuer’s error was totally out of character, Andriy Lunin had look shaky enough on set-pieces at the Bernabeu that what happened next was no great surprise.
Arda Guler scored the opening goal in the opening minute with this long-range effort
Aleksandar Pavlovic (right) scored Bayern’s first goal of a topsy-turvy evening in Bavaria
Joshua Kimmich swung over a corner from the left and the Ukraine keeper, deputising for the injured Thibaut Courtois, collapsed into the back of his net for no apparent reason and left Aleksandar Pavlovic with the simple task of nodding in.
It was by no means the only time Lunin had trouble keeping his balance at set-pieces, Bayalthough he did make two smart saves from Kimmich before half-time.
Madrid regained the lead just before the half-hour mark, and once again there was a question mark over Neuer.
Konrad Laimer’s foul on Brahim Diaz on the edge of the box gave Guler another chance and again he found the top corner with a majestic left-footed free kick over the Bayern wall. Neuer got across his goal line, but was too casual with a weak left hand that failed to keep the ball out.
Back came Bayern again. No-one expected the burst of pace that took Dayot Upamecano past Vinicius Jr or the defence-splitting pass that picked out Kane.
The England captain was coolness personified, controlling the ball with one touch and then waiting for two Real defenders to throw themselves in front it before sweeping home his 12th Champions League goal of the season.
He still trailed Mbappe and Madrid’s danger man – sporting a plaster over the eye injury he suffered against Girona at the weekend – wasn’t to be denied his 15th.
Vinicius Jr had just rattled the bar when he received a pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 32nd minute and took on Jonathan Tah down the left. His pass inside was perfectly timed for Mbappe, who came galloping through to slide a shot past Neuer from close range.
It capped off an incredible five-goal first half, and there was little let-up after the interval. Neuer produced a point-blank save to deny Mbappe another from a brilliant pass by Trent Alexander-Arnold who then nicked the ball away from his former Liverpool teammate Luis Diaz in front of goal.
Vini Jr couldn’t convert in front of goal from Mbappe’s assist, and at the other end Olise twice fired inches over.
But Camavinga’s second booking for kicking the ball away was a stupid thing to do, and Bayern took advantage with two late goals.
