The first tranche of Champions League ties produced moments of magic, history and a great big dollop of controversy as it continued to put on a show demanded of the greatest club competition in the world.
Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti urged the thought leaders behind world football to use video technology after his side exited the Champions League in Madrid under controversial circumstances.The officials, led by Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai, made two whoppers that robbed the German champions of a place in the semi-finals, inexpressible joy, and millions of dollars in lost revenue.
The game was a rip-roaring affair with a glut of chances at either end of the pitch when in the 53rd minute, moments after seeing his chipped shot headed off the line, Arjen Robben was sent tumbling in the box. The referee pointed to the spot, and Robert Lewandowski stepped up to score his sixth penalty of the competition to bring his side level on aggregate.
Ancelotti’s side kept that lead for 20-minutes before a pinpoint cross from Casemiro found Cristiano Ronaldo hanging around on the edge of the six-yard box, and he finished with a neat header to put the defending champions back into the lead.
Rather than allow that goal to suck all of the puff out of the Germans, they raced straight up the pitch and forced a second equaliser within a minute of the restart after pressuring Sergio Ramos to squirm the ball into the back of his own net.
And then the first of two errors that would ultimately throw Munich’s chances into the wood chipper. First, Kassai sent Artur Vidal to the stands for a second bookable offence. Television replays clearly showed the Chilean winning the ball in his tackle on Asensio. The Germans would once again have to play the rest of the match with ten men just like they had at the Allianz Arena a week earlier.
Munich dug into the trenches and made it to extra time. Then with 104 minutes on the clock, Sergio Ramos chipped a free kick into the box, and Ronaldo, who was standing at least a yard offside, chested the ball down before finishing in his usual composed manner.
Five minutes later and Ronaldo made Champions League history by becoming the first player to score 100 goals in this illustrious competition when he completed the perfect hat-trick from close range. Asensio sealed the victory with time running out as an exhausted Munich ran out of gas.
Real Madrid is now the +150 favourite to win the Champions League in Cardiff. If that happens, they will become the first team in modern times to defend their crown.
The Fairytale Ends For Leicester
Last season Leicester City starred in their very own fairytale. They won’t be making a sequel.
The Foxes bowed out with their heads held high after a battling display at the King Power against an Atletico Madrid side now installed as the +350 third favourites behind neighbours Real and the Italian giants Juventus.
It was always going to be difficult for Leicester after they failed to find the net in Spain a week ago, and their task became even more Herculean after Saul Niguez headed Madrid into the lead in the 26th minute.
The goal meant Leicester had to score three times to reach the semi-finals, and they gave themselves a great chance after Jamie Vardy scored at the far post with 30-minutes of the match remaining. But Diego Simeone’s men don’t concede too many goals and are vastly experienced at navigating through the choppy waters of this part of the contest.
The Madrid side held on and advance to the semi-finals for the third time in four years. Leicester has had a taste of the big time, but they won’t be returning next year after suffering a dismal season in defence of their title.
Results
Real Madrid 4 v 2 Bayern Munich (Agg 6-3)
Leicester 1 v 1 Atletico Madrid (Agg 1-2)
Champions League Odds (Courtesy of Bodog)
Real Madrird +150
Juventus +275
Atletico Madrid +350
Monaco +800
Barcelona +1200
Dortmund +2000
Remaining Ties (Wed, 19 April)
Barcelona (0) v (3) Juventus
Monaco (3) v (2) Dortmund
