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Real Madrid sailed into their first Champions League final since 2002

Sergio Ramos scored two headers from set-

pieces before Cristiano Ronaldo rounded off a

counter-attack to all but end the game as a contest.

Ronaldo added a late free-kick for his record

16th goal of the European campaign to seal a

5-0 aggregate win.

Real will face either Chelsea or Atletico Madrid

in the final in Lisbon.

The defeat was a humiliation for Bayern, who

last year thrashed Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate

in the semi-finals before overcoming fellow

Germans Borussia Dortmund to lift the trophy for the fifth time.

And the result will increase the pressure on

manager Pep Guardiola amid the growing

feeling that, despite winning the Bundesliga in

record time, he has not delivered the progress

his employers were expecting.

The future of the former Barca coach will be

of little concern to Real, who now have the

chance to add to their record haul of nine

European Cups, 12 years after Zinedine

Zidane's volley delivered their last triumph at

Hampden Park.

With Zidane now watching from the Real

bench as a member of Carlo Ancelotti's

coaching staff, the Spaniards started the game

with verve and purpose and were swiftly on

the way to their first ever victory over Bayern

in Munich at the 10th attempt.

Gareth Bale had already gone close with a

long-range effort after Manuel Neuer's weak

punch when a Luka Modric corner from the

right located the unmarked Ramos, who

powered a header past the Germany goalkeeper.

Shortly afterwards, Real doubled their lead via

a near-identical goal as Angel Di Maria's free-

kick was flicked on by Pepe, and Ramos was

once again on hand to head in.

With Bayern's usually fervent fans stunned into

silence, Real added a third on the break.

Benzema's hooked pass sent Bale racing clear

and the Welshman squared for Ronaldo to slot

in his 48th goal of the season.

The only low for Real in an otherwise perfect

first period was Xabi Alonso's yellow card for

a foul on Bastian Schweinsteiger, which will

rule him out of the final on 24 May.

With Bayern needing a near-impossible five

goals, the second half was predictably flat.

Arjen Robben curled wide from the edge of the

area, Franck Ribery drew a rare save from Iker

Casillas with a low drive and substitute Mario

Gotze could not keep his shot below the bar

after turning sharply in the box.

And Bayern suffered a final ignominy in the

89th minute when Ronaldo curled a 20-yard

free-kick under a jumping wall to kick-start

the Real celebrations.

The victory sets up a mouth-watering final

either way, with Real poised to face either

former boss Jose Mourinho should Chelsea

make it through, or city rivals Atletico.

That tie is delicately poised at 0-0 going into

Wednesday night's second leg at Stamford Bridge.

[BBC SPORTS]

Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku

I am a Ghanaian Broadcast Journalist/Writer who has an interest in General News, Sports, Entertainment, Health, Lifestyle and many more.

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