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Joselu’s brace sent Real Madrid to final after Neuer blunder and VAR drama – Dagsavisen

Joselu’s brace sent Real Madrid to final after Neuer blunder and VAR drama – Dagsavisen

Manuel Neuer played big and looked set to be Bayern’s big hero alongside goalscorer Alphonso Davies, but then he let Real Madrid into the match with a huge mistake.

In the 88th minute, the goalkeeper made a completely unnecessary return from a simple Vinicius Junior shot, and Joselu made the return from close range.

Seconds into extra time, Joselu threw the ball into the goal again, after a corner that Bayern failed to clear. The referee ruled out Antonio Rüdiger’s pass for offside, but the VAR room told him to wait to start the match, and after a minute he was told the goal was correct.

Bayern Munich thus received a coup that can only be compared to the Champions League final 25 years ago, when Manchester United returned to victory with two goals in extra time and Ole Gunnar Solskjær became the match winner.

This time, it is Joselu, 34, born in Stuttgart and recruited by Espanyol, who becomes Bayern’s midfielder.

– We have seemed dead and buried many times, but our mentality is that we never give up. Our fans give us the energy we need, Jude Bellingham told TNT Sports.

– Joselu deserves this. He is a fantastic asset to the team.

Neuers mareritt

Neuer experienced the same nightmare as one of his predecessors in goal for Bayern, Oliver Kahn. He was the great player of the 2002 World Cup until his big mistake in the final made Brazil the champions.

– Manu had saved us all evening, then he made a mistake that he won’t make again for the next 100 years, Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel told DAZN.

– It hurts to lose like that, and it will take time to get over it, but we gave absolutely everything. There were a few too many injuries, too many cramps, he added.

Davies’ goal appeared to be the only one at the Estádio Bernabeu, thanks to some superb play from Neuer. Bayern’s goal was peppered with shots from Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, but the 38-year-old goalkeeper made everything impossible.

Some saves were world class, particularly the double save in the 13th minute when he first palmed a Vinicius Junior shot off the post and then stopped Rodrygo’s rebound.

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Nice goal

Davies came on when Serge Gnabry suffered an injury in the first half. In the 68th minute, he chased down a long Harry Kane striker on the left, cut towards the 16-yard corner and sent the ball between Rüdiger and Dani Carvajal into the far corner. The Canadian did it with the “bad” leg, the right.

Four minutes later, Davies was the last to collect the ball when he found himself in the Bayern goal, but after reviewing the VAR, referee Szymon Marciniak correctly overturned it.

Luka Modric sent a corner to Federico Valverde, who fired it flat into the box. There, Nacho headed it towards goal, but it hit Davies and beat Neuer.

Next, Joshua Kimmich was lying on the ground, after Nacho placed both hands on his face and pushed him. It was a clear free kick.

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Kane still without a trophy

Then Real Madrid seemed to have to say goodbye to the dream of crowning the season with the club’s 15th title in the most prestigious European Cup.

Joselu’s goal turned everything around. After 15 minutes of extra time, Matthijs de Ligt placed the ball in the Bayern goal right on the edge of the field, but the ball was already missed for a fine offside.

Bayern were on their way to the final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, as in 2013, and were seeking their seventh title. It will instead be Real Madrid who will meet Julian Ryerson and his teammates. Dortmund have only won the Champions League once, in 1997.

So there was no trophy for Harry Kane this season either.

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