"Until the final whistle" - Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos reacts as Los Blancos beat Bayern to reach UCL final
Former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has hailed his former side for their never-say-die attitude following their thrilling win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday (May 8). Los Blancos scored twice late on to reach their 18th UEFA Champions League final.
In a riveting last-four clash at the Santiago Bernabeu, both sides spurned scoring opportunities before Alphonso Davies produced a superb curler midway through the second period to give Bayern the lead.
With their backs against the wall, Madrid poured forward. Although they had a goal ruled out for foul in the build-up, substitute Joselu pounced on a rare error from the brilliant Manuel Neuer to make it 1-1.
Riding their momentum, Joselu scored again, narrowly beating the offside trap to tap in Antonio Rudiger's cross. Madrid hung on to claim the win as Bayern wondered what might have been.
Ramos - a four-time Champions League winner with Madrid - tweeted after his side reached another final (as translated from Spanish):
"Until the final whistle … Very much from minute 93 DN @realmadrid !! Congratulations!! One more final."
The defeat means Bayern are set to endure a trophyless season for the first time since 2011-12, having seen their 12-year Bundesliga stranglehold ended by Bayer Leverkusen.
What happened when Real Madrid last made the UEFA Champions League final?
Real Madrid are behemoths in the UEFA Champions, having won the competition a record 14 times. Eight of those triumphs have come in the Champions League era.
Incredibly, Carlo Ancelotti's side are a perfect 8-0 in UCL finals, with their last triumph in the competition coming against Liverpool two years ago. In the 2022 title match at the Stade de France, Los Blancos rode a Vinicius Junior 59th-minute winner to take home a record-extending 14th title.
That made Ancelotti the first manager in Champions League history to win the competition more than once with multiple clubs, having won twice with AC Milan in the 2000s.
Another triumph in the June 1 final against Borussia Dortmund on June 1 at the Wembley will make Ancelotti the first coach to win the competition five times, with no other manager winning more than thrice.
If he does so, the Italian will also become the first manager to win the Champions thrice with the same club, having done so in 2014 and 2022.