Real Madrid will face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final for the second time in three years after overcoming Manchester City 1-0 in their semi-final second leg on Wednesday.
Brazilian midfielder Fernando deflected Gareth Bale’s cross into his own net after 20 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu for the only goal of the tie after the first leg ended goalless.
Fernandinho came closest to taking City to their first ever Champions League final when his shot clipped the outside of the post a minute before half-time.
Real beat Atletico 4-1 after extra time in Lisbon two years ago to win the competition for a 10th time and will be hoping for a repeat when they face Diego Simeone’s men in Milan on May 28.
“It is another final. It has been very difficult to get there,” Madrid defender Sergio Ramos — whose 93rd-minute header sent the previous final against Atletico into extra time — told BeIN Sports Spain.
“We have shown we know how to win a final and we are going to try and do it again.”
City manager Manuel Pellegrini’s time at the club will come to an end without European glory as he will be replaced at the end of the season by Pep Guardiola.
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane now has the chance to repeat his Champions League success as a player with Real in 2002 in his first season in charge as a coach.
“In a semi-final you always have to suffer, but we’ve achieved our place in the final,” said Zidane.
The difference in European pedigree between the clubs couldn’t have been starker as Madrid were playing in their 27th semi-final, whilst City were in the last four for the first time.
Despite a frantic finale, though, Madrid continued their record of not conceding a goal at home in the Champions League this season to progress to their 14th European Cup final.
Feature image source: AFP