By Aiwu Esele
Real Madrid are into another Champions League final which is their 18th final and sixth in the last ten years thanks to Jose Luis Mato Sanmartin, called Joselu, for short.
He it was who came in as a substitute with less than 20 minutes to end of game that visitors Bayern Munchen led 1-0 and 3-2 on aggregate and he turned it around in the 88th and 91st minute.
Manuel Neur had almost saved the day for Bayern by his huge saves but lost concentration at the dying moments and Alphonso’s Davies 68 minutes opener went up in smoke. Tuchel also shares a blame for taking off a seasoned player like Harry Kane, thinking the game was over and Jooselu pulled the stunt.
Imagine that Bayern led the tie 3-2 on aggregate!
There is however no doubt that Real were the better team, had the most chances overall, though they left it late.
Three highs came from this Semi- final match.
Firstly, Joselu, the player of the match, was at Stoke City in 2017 and got sent out on loan.
He had a spell at Newcastle and didn’t make much of it. He’s at Real Madrid on loan from Espanyol currently.
He came on as a substitute in the Champions League semi-final, scored two goals in three minutes from three touches.
Secondly, this will be the first season since 2011-12 that Bayern Munich have not won a major trophy.
Thirdly, England midfielder Jude Bellingham will play in a Champions League final at Wembley, in his debut season with Real Madrid, against his former club Borussia Dortmund.
