Deflected Bale goal defeats Man City, sends Real through to Champions League final

Real looked the more assured in front of a baying Bernabeu crowd, and had their reward for settling into things midway through the first-half. Dani Carvajal slipped a ball down the right channel for Bale, and his effort across goal deflected into the top corner with the deftest of touches from Fernando Reges.

Madrid captain Sergio Ramos practised his usual dark arts with a hand in the face of a peripheral Sergio Aguero escaping punishment. City’s lethal Argentine hitman was left an isolated, frustrated figure, who had to drop deep in search of the ball with supply severely lacking.

Ramos’ partner in crime Pepe had the ball in the visiting net again before half-time when getting on the end of a deep Toni Kroos free-kick, but a rightly raised offside flag ruled out a second Los Blancos goal.

Fernandinho spurned the best opening Man City made just before the interval, firing wide with a glimmer of the Real goal when found by Kevin De Bruyne. That, and a half-chance from long-range for Sergio Aguero late on were all the visiting team really created.

Similar struggles for City in second-half

Rampaging Real full back Carvajal got in-behind City down the right with alarming regularity, almost picking out Ronaldo shortly after the restart. Even the Portugal superstar is human, however, as he subsequently miscued when found by a sumptuous crossfield ball from Bale.

With Zinedine Zidane’s side in full control, Jese Rodriguez lashed over from an angle, before Hart was forced into a fine, instinctive stop that denied Modric. Bale’s ball over the top found his old Tottenham teammate, and a better first-touch would surely have resulted in a second Madrid goal.

Ronaldo also saw himself thwarted twice by the Man City and England number one, first with a header when Carvajal stood up a cross to the back post. Bale then flicked his own aerial effort from a corner against the crossbar.

The City goal led a charmed life, but this side coached by charming Chilean Pellegrini were anything but in this tie. No visiting side has scored at the Bernabeu in the Champions League this term, and that continental campaign long clean sheet was kept intact here.

Madrid men to meet in Milan final

Even the introduction of Raheem Sterling and Kelechi Iheanacho to proceedings had little to no impact. Aguero’s dipping effort from distance just didn’t lower its trajectory enough towards the end, though had Keylor Navas in the home goal worried.

And so another European adventure fizzles out for Man City. Next term they shall come again under new management in Pep Guardiola, yet the Catalan coach never cleared this penultimate hurdle with Bayern Munich.

We can expect an intense Madrid derby with the city’s passionate football fans descending on Milan. Atleti boss Diego Simeone spent time with Inter, and Zidane will be hoping that isn’t an omen that allows cross-capital rivals to avenge that 4-1 extra time loss from 2014.

Real are rated odds-on 4/6 favourites with Coral to add an 11th European Cup crown to their main trophy successes, but it is tenacious underdogs Atletico who may appeal most to neutrals at 6/5.

Related

There’s lots of Champions League article on Coral’s dedicated section.