However, the main news is in Madrid in the "Santiago Bernabeu Stadium" with JUVENTUS winning 3 - 1 but being eliminated through the 4 - 3 overall aggregate result in favour of Real Madrid. A last play, last minute penalty on Lucas Vazquez allowed CRISTIANO RONALDO to score in the 93rd min to put REAL MADRID INTO SEMI-FINALS.
A disputed penalty which saw Buffon receive a direct RED CARD for protesting & the Italians claiming foul play. However, the replay shows that the Juventus defender made a foul when Vazquez was in a goal occasion & thus a correctly given penalty. This will obviously be debated & heavily disputed by Juventus, by Italian media & fans, but the Italians sinned with too many fouls the last 15 minutes & the Ronaldo header to the path of Vazquez was "majestic" creating the goal opportunity from nowhere. Real Madrid was facing extra time needing 3 goals to win (or penalties), while Juventus only needed a solitary goal...the balance tipped Real Madrid´s way.
The game started badly for REAL MADRID with 2nd minute goal by MANDZUKIC. This opened up the possibility of a comeback in the style of AC Roma yesterday against FC BARCELONA. The Italians utilized the some tactics, choke with intense pressure the Real Madrid play makers & it worked. Real Madrid never felt comfortable all night & Juventus grew in moral as the match when on. The second Juventus goal came in the 37th min in the exact style as the first, a header by MANDZUKIC in the far post. A nightmare was beginning to happen & the danger of a surprise result was in the air.
Real Madrid Coach Zidane took off Casemiro & Gareth Bale to start the second half with Lucas Vazquez & Asensio. More speed was needed down the wings & it looked as if it was under control until the 60th min. Here Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas failed to totally secure a flighted ball that MATUIDI connected & scored for Juventus. This broke all the plans for Real Madrid as now a solitary goal by Juventus would need two from Real Madrid just to stay in the tie. And by the way they were playing Real Madrid did not look like scoring. It was panic stage for the locals, nerves of steal time for both & very, very careful Football.
Juventus defended with tooth & nails, looking to get the extra-time (30 more minutes) to get their needed goal, while Real Madrid´s only hope was a goal within the regulatory time & avoid receiving one from Juventus before the final whistle. It went to the wire, last minute of the match, CRISTIANO RONALDO flew for a header that he placed in the path of Lucas Vazquez who was fouled in the goal square, penalty!
The Italian reactions was expected, Buffon sent off, Italians shouting injustice & game manipulation. While "craziness" took over, Cristiano Ronaldo kept away & meditated his penalty & the need to score to qualify Real Madrid for semis. When the dust settled CRISTIANO RONALDO scored the winner in the 93rd (98th min) to shut the Juventus comeback attempt & wake up Real Madrid from this nightmare.
An incredible match, nerves at 100% with a nail biting finish that will be debated all week. But Real Madrid in the end qualify.
The 2 - 1 victory away by BAYERN MUNICH was enough to get them into the semis of Champions League after drawing 0 - 0 with SEVILLA FC in Munich. Sevilla leaves the competition with their heads high after showing a brave & competitive performance tonight that had their controversial moments.
A possible penalty not called in favour of Sevilla FC will be debated & a red card to Sevilla FC which illustrated the intensity played. But the German with much more experience sailed the storm & managed to win the quarter-final tie with a 2 - 1 favourable aggregate.
The four teams left in Champions are Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool FC & AC Roma.
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