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."
The hosts were given a
huge boost before kick-off as Cristiano Ronaldo made his return after
a three-game absence due to a thigh injury.
By contrast, City were
dealt a massive injury blow inside 10 minutes when captain Vincent
Kompany was forced off once more with a muscle problem in an
injury-disrupted campaign.
Ronaldo was looking to equal his own
record of 17 Champions League goals in a season, but sent his first
chance well over the bar with a header from Dani Carvajal's cross.
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