Bayern Munich 2 Atletico Madrid 1
The last 20 minutes was all drama and noise and tension.
The score was 2-2 on aggregate and Bayern needed a goal and couldn’t get it and in the last 10 minutes was all pressure, anxiety, a fight to the finish.
As I watched I thought: This is the way it should be!
Atletico Madrid are a hard nut to crack, home or away, because they enjoy defending and, if necesasary, the whole team is ready for 95 minutes of defending.
Diego Simeone’s tough outfit knocked out Barcelona in the quarter-final and had kept 32 clean sheets n their last 47 games.
Bayern Munich started with fierce pressure and pinned the visitors in their rear third but could not score in open play.
When Bayern got a free-kick outside the box, Xabi Alonso, the greatest half back of this era, fired a shot which deflected off the leg of Jose Maria Jiminez. Then Jiminez grabbed Javi Martinez round the waist, a clear penalty.
But Thomas Muller tried to be clever and keeper Oblak saved, so it was still 1-1 on aggregate.
With 10 minutes left to half-time, I thought Atletico would navigate to the break unscathed and they did.
Did Griezmann have a kick in the first half?
Pep Guardiola is a formidable tactician who makes his teams very difficult to play against in big games like this. But half-time came and Bayern still hadn’t scored a goal in open play.
Sure, they had been brisk, busy and dominant. But all their attacking full back play, they had only scored one goal from a deflected free-kick. .
By 54, Bayern, who love a high line, were all way up the pitch when one breakaway undid them.
Torres played Griezmann through, there was no flag although he was fractionally offside, and the French ace produced a trademark finish with his surgical left foot.
Griezmann only needed one chance to silence the Allianz Arena.
Conclusion: possession is over-rated. Just ask Leicester.
Atletico Madrid were now 2-1 up on aggregate with more than half an hour to go.
The Bayern scored an excellent traditional goal that reminded me of Blackburn Rovers in 1996 when they had Shearer and Sutton.
When Alaba crossed, Vidal made a superb jump and headed the ball to the far post, where Lewandowski headed in for 2-1 on the night.
Torres won a penalty that was given for a challenge just outside the box but his effort from 12 yards was abysmal and Neuer saved.
Would we ever see two penalties as bad as these again in a CL semi?
Why don’t they take a longer run up?
Atletico Madrid then navigated five minutes of stoppage time with the savvy of a side who know how to win a game by fine margins.
Griezmann’s away goal was enough to put them in the final on Saturday, May 28th.
As I say, possession is over-rated.
Atletico Madrid only has 28% possession but only needed one away goal by the clinical Antoine Griezmann.
They had 7 shots, Bayern had 33.
Diego Simeone said they were the best team he had ever faced.
Will it be Madrid v Madrid in Milan?
If Zidane gets it right against Manchester City tonight, yes.