MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid hopes a
narrow home win put it in position to reach the Champions League final
for the first time since 2002.
"We have a nice advantage and if we score, we can complicate things for them," Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo said.
The second leg is Tuesday in Munich. Chelsea hosts the other semifinal next Wednesday following a 0-0 tie at Atletico Madrid this week.
"If you want to do damage, you have to go for the victory — because 1-0 is not definitive," Madrid defender Sergio Ramos said. "But it's a good result to take to Munich."
Madrid, which beat Bayer Leverkusen in 2002 for the last of its record nine European titles, has been knocked out of the semifinals for three straight years. The visitors dominated before a crowd of 79,283, outshooting Real 16-9 and maintaining 64 percent possession.
"They had chances to score more goals, definitely," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola. "We probably should have created a few more scoring chances. (But) they have a very good defense."
Benzema
scored on a counterattack when Cristiano Ronaldo found Fabio Coentrao
speeding down a flank. Coentrao crossed for Benzema, who tapped the ball
past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from 4 yards.
Ronaldo
returned from a left leg injury that had sidelined him from April 2 and
missed a number of scoring opportunities. Ronaldo was replaced in the
73rd by Gareth Bale.
"It's been
20 days Cristiano hasn't been 100 percent, so it was a sacrifice for
him," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "It couldn't have been easy for
Cristiano tonight."
Guardiola,
seeking to guide Bayern to its third straight final, had been unbeaten
at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in seven visits when he coached Barcelona.
"Madrid
thrives off the counterattack. Madrid is the best team in the world on
the counter," Guardiola said. "They get back as fast as they go forward.
They're athletes."
Mario
Goetze, who entered in the 72nd, had one of Bayern's best chances in the
84th, but his volley was saved by goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
No comments:
Post a Comment