Atletico Madrid’s French forward Antoine Griezmann celebrates scoring during the UEFA Champions League semi-final, second-leg football match between FC Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid in Munich, southern Germany, on May 3, 2016.
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Thanks to Antoine Griezmann’s vital away goal, Atletico Madrid beat Bayern Munich to advance to the Champions League final.
Having lost 4-1 to Real Madrid in the 2014 Champions League final, Atletico will now bid for their first European crown at the third attempt having also lost the 1974 final – to Bayern.
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has said his team will be judged for not winning the Champions League title but he is “proud” of his players and hopes his successor, Carlo Ancelotti, will win the tournament during his tenure.
A blatant foul from Augusto Fernandez gave Bayern the free kick from which Alonso scored with the help of a deflection from Jose Maria Gimenez.
There was similar drama in the second half when Manuel Neuer saved Torres’ late penalty attempt for Atletico. “Griezmann and Oblak Decide an Epic Duel with Two Botched Penalty Kicks by (Thomas) Muller and (Fernando) Torres”.
FCB chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge “First let me say that our team played magnificently”.
Responding to the criticism, Guardiola said after the Atletico game: “I have given my life for this team, I have fought and given my best”.
The 45-year-old enjoyed unprecedented freedom from Bayern club bosses from day one but his departure after the German Cup final later this month will be a far more subdued affair. You know, we have seen that we are very strong side and its unbelievable that we had a penalty saved.
But Vidal insisted that the result was unfair and that Bayern deserved to win.
Once again, it didn’t matter that Atleti saw nearly none of the ball – finishing the game with a measly 27.6% possession – they just need one chance, and in Griezmann they have a man who doesn’t need asking twice to find the net. “We’ve knocked them out, and I’m very proud of that”, added Simeone.
“Sometimes football is like that”.
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“I haven’t experienced many nights like this here, the sting goes very deep. Of course I’m really disappointed that I couldn’t put it away”, Mueller said.
