Late strikes by Luis Díaz and Michael Olise sealed Bayern’s place in the semi-finals after they beat Real Madrid 4-3 in an epic Champions League quarterfinal second leg.
Arda Güler bagged a brace in the first half, with Aleksandar Pavlović and Harry Kane levelling twice. Kylian Mbappé made it 4-4 on aggregate just before half-time, but Díaz and Olise struck in the closing minutes after Eduardo Camavinga was sent off, giving Bayern victory on the night and sending them into the last four with a 6-4 aggregate win.
Bayern will meet Paris Saint-Germain in the final four, with the first leg of the semifinal scheduled for April 28.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg against opponents who had won all five of their previous Champions League home matches this season, Madrid made a lightning start to a daunting task when Arda Güler intercepted goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s attempted pass and finished first-time from distance after just 34 seconds.
That set the tone for a blisteringly entertaining first half. Aleksandar Pavlović swiftly headed in Joshua Kimmich’s corner to restore Bayern’s aggregate lead, before Andriy Lunin denied Kimmich and Güler levelled the tie again with a sublime free-kick.
Kane was always likely to play a part in a flurry of goals, and a splendid touch and clinical finish from Bayern’s talismanic top scorer restored his side’s advantage.
Mbappé quickly put the visitors back in front on the night from a pass by Vinícius Júnior, who had earlier hit the woodwork.
Both sides could be forgiven for easing the tempo after the break, although the action proved no less compelling as chances continued to flow at both ends.
After substitute Eduardo Camavinga was dismissed for the visitors four minutes from time, Díaz’s curling effort from outside the box beat Lunin via a deflection off defender Éder Militão. With Madrid pushing men forward, Michael Olise added a ruthless finish with the final kick of a remarkable contest.
“It was a very emotional game. We had lots of possession and always felt we could score. But Real Madrid are Real Madrid; they are always a threat. The boys were mentally strong to recover from setbacks. The fans helped us as well. We stayed calm and always believed our moment would come. The next game is the biggest. We keep going,” said Vincent Kompany, Bayern head coach.
–IANS
