Real Madrid reaches first final in 12 years, routs Bayern Munich

Two early goals from Sergio Ramos and a third, record-setting score from Cristiano Ronaldo quickly siphoned the drama out of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg, with set piece execution and counter attacking precision leaving Bayern walking dead coming out of halftime. Unable to produce any of the five goals they needed after the break, the defending champions were left pummeled on their home field, the eventual 4-0 (5-0, aggregate) win for Real Madrid putting the nine-time champions into their first final in 12 years.

After Bayern’s typical dominance of the ball defined the first 15 minutes, Ramos headed home a corner in the 16th, finishing from an unmarked spot just outside the six-yard box. Four minutes later, it was Ramos again, having run onto Pepe’s flick of another corner for their team’s second goal. Just before halftime, Ronaldo quieted the faint hops FCB may have carried into the dressing rooms, his finish on a 34th minute counter giving the visitors a demoralizing three-goal advantage.

Just before full-time, Ronaldo capped the home team’s embarrassment, going under a Bayern Munich wall to convert a direct kick into the left of Manuel Neuer’s net. Having defeated Barcelona 7-0 in last year’s semifinals, Bayern were shown out of this year’s after a 12-goal swing, the 5-0 defeat extinguishing hopes the Bavarians could produce back-to-back three-trophy seasons.

With the win, los Blancos, in addition to claiming their first victory at Bayern Munich, have navigated the hurdle that tripped them in each of the last three seasons. In the process, the club has put itself within reach of its coveted decima, an achievement that will force them to vanquish a familiar foe. Next month in Lisbon, El Real will face either crosstown rivals Atlético Madrid or 2011-12 champions Chelsea, a team led by former head coach José Mourinho.

The match’s opening moments were defined by the same one-way traffic that characterized last week’s leg in Madrid, with El Real quickly getting behind the ball while looking for a counter. In the 15th minute, however, Real Madrid earned its first corner of the game, a restart played in from the right by Luka Modric. Finding Ramos in a seam of Bayern’s zone, Modric delivered what would become the game’s opening goal, with a header from just outside the six-yard box beating Neuer toward the left side of goal.

Four minutes later, it was more of the same from Real, though the team used a middle man to bridge the next Modric-to-Ramos corner. After central defense partner Pepe flicked on the visitors’ second chance of the match, Ramos was able to run onto another header from the box, his redirection toward the lower-right corner giving Real Madrid a 3-0 aggregate lead.

Sergio Ramos’s early brace sparked Real Madrid to a dominant display in Munich. (Photo: AP Photos.)

Collecting themselves, seemingly trying to get to halftime and reassess, Bayern’s already faint dreams were dealt another blow in the 24th minute, with Ronaldo’s record 15th goal of the tournament finishing the day’s scoring. Off a counterattack led by Gareth Bale, Ronaldo was able to finish under an oncoming Neuer from near the edge of the penalty area, assuring he’d take part in a third Champions League final.

Allowed to control possession through the rest of the match, Bayern’s frustrated demeanor gave way to resignation, an attitude that gave the last half of play a through-the-motions feel. Needing five goals to advance, the defending champions couldn’t even feign a playing for pride naiveté. This team was experienced enough to know the battle was lost, an view that hit home when Bayern wall jumped over Ronaldo’s late direct kick, allowing the Ballon d’Or-winner’s second goal to roll past a stunned Neuer, giving him 16 for the competition.

To the extent there was a downside for Real Madrid to Tuesday’s result, it came late in the first half. With a sliding tackle that took down Bastian Schweinsteiger, midfielder Xabi Alonso earned a yellow card. Combine with the caution the Spanish international carried into the match, Alonso will miss the final.

That Tuesday’s game was lost so early will surely lead to a second guessing of Pep Guardiola’s approach, particularly in light of the team’s demising form in the long-won Bundesliga. But today, as Carlo Ancelotti predicted, mentality seemed just as important as style or tactics. Whereas Real Madrid has acquired a reputation for mental fragility, a quality the surfaced in the last league Clasico against Barcelona, the Merengues have been spectacularly, suddenly steeled. They’ve not only deal with Barcelona (in the Copa del Rey final); they’ve also solved their Champions League semifinal blues.

Instead of uncertainty, the talk going into Lisbon’s final will center around the decima. Be it against their Madrid rivals or their former, controversial coach, the nine-time champions have a chance to claim the title that’s defined the last 12 years of their existence. Number 10 is only 90 minutes away.

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