Real Madrid will play Juventus in the 2017 Champions League final after Zinedine Zidane’s side secured a 4-2 aggregate success over Atletico Madrid following Wednesday’s semi-final second leg at the Vicente Calderon.
Real Madrid recorded a 3-0 victory in the first leg of their last-four clash at the Bernabeu, and despite the best efforts of Atletico – who won 2-1 on the night – the holders of the competition marched into the final once again.
A fast-paced start saw both teams register attempts in the opening three minutes, but Antoine Griezmann missed the Real Madrid crossbar with an effort from distance, before Isco tested the palms of Jan Oblak with a strike down the other end.
Atletico’s fast start was with the view to scoring an early goal at the Calderon, and the breakthrough arrived in the 12th minute when Saul Niguez rose highest inside the Real Madrid box to head a Koke corner past Navas, which cut the aggregate score to 3-1 inside a noisy stadium.
Atletico refused to allow Real Madrid time to breathe in the period that followed the opening goal, and Griezmann incredibly made it 2-0 to the home side from the penalty spot in the 16th minute after Raphael Varane was adjudged to have felled Torres inside the penalty box.
Real Madrid were pressing in the final stages of the first period, however, and the visitors scored a vital away goal in the 42nd minute when Isco converted from close range after Oblak had somehow kept out a powerful strike from Kroos, who had been found after brilliant work from Karim Benzema in a wide position.
Real Madrid will take on Juventus in the 2017 Champions League final on June 3, with the Spanish giants attempting to become the first team in the modern era to successfully defend the trophy.
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