MADRID: Real Madrid will face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final for the second time in three years after overcoming Manchester City 1-0 in their semi-final second leg on Wednesday.
Brazilian midfielder Fernando deflected Gareth Bale’s cross into his own net after 20 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu for the only goal of the tie after the first leg ended goalless.
Fernandinho came closest to taking City to their first ever Champions League final when his shot clipped the outside of the post a minute before half-time.
Real beat Atletico 4-1 after extra time in Lisbon two years ago to win the competition for a 10th time and will be hoping for a repeat when they face Diego Simeone’s men in Milan on May 28.
“It is another final. It has been very difficult to get there,” Madrid defender Sergio Ramos — whose 93rd-minute header sent the previous final against Atletico into extra time — told BeIN Sports Spain.
“We have shown we know how to win a final and we are going to try and do it again.”
City’s performance over the two legs left much to be desired, but goalkeeper Joe Hart claimed the difference between the sides had been the luck Real enjoyed in the only goal of the game.
“We could easily be in the final but they managed the game well,” he told BT Sport.
“They’ve beaten us with a very lucky goal but it is what it is.”
