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28 March 2024

Ancelotti happy as Real thrive without much from Ronaldo, Bale

Karim Benzema of Real Madrid celebrates scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg match between Real Madrid and FC Bayern Muenchen at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 23, 2014 in Madrid, Spain. (GETTY)

Published
By Football Correspondent and Agencies

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti praised his team for beating holders Bayern Munich in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final, first leg without their two biggest names taking a leading role.

Cristiano Ronaldo, top scorer in this season's competition, struggled after returning from injury and record signing Gareth Bale only played the final 20 minutes following a bout of flu.

Karim Benzema scored the winner in the 19th minute at the Bernabeu, setting Real up nicely ahead of Tuesday's second leg in Munich as they seek a first appearance in the final since they won their ninth European crown in 2002.

"Without Bale and with Cristiano at 50 percent it is not easy to play so well," Ancelotti told a news conference.

The Italian, in his first season in charge, said it had been agreed Ronaldo would only play part of the match after missing the last four games with knee and thigh muscle problems and he was replaced by Bale in the 73rd minute.

"We did not want to run any risks and tire out the muscle," Ancelotti said.

"Cristiano played well. He wasn't at 100 percent but he sacrificed himself a lot and on Tuesday he will be better, just like Bale.

"We are happy to have him (Ronaldo) back. He worked very hard to help the team."

Ancelotti said Real had a "small advantage" ahead of the trip to Munich as they chase an elusive 10th European title.

"The result was a good one. We have to know that we will suffer (in Munich) but we will give our all just like today," he said.

Real Madrid moved a step closer to a first Champions League final appearance in 12 years when a Karim Benzema strike gave the record nine-times winners a 1-0 win at home to holders Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Bayern dominated possession in the semi-final, first leg at the Bernabeu without posing much of a threat to the home goal and Benzema's 19th-minute effort means Real will have the advantage going into next week's return in Munich.

Despite the victory, Real may live to regret not converting a couple of clear chances in the first half when Champions League top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, back after injury, and Angel Di Maria both produced wasteful efforts.

Bayern almost equalised late on but Mario Goetze was denied by a brilliant Iker Casillas save.

"It was a very tough match, intense and difficult They are a team which always likes to control the game and we virtually let them have possession of the ball," Real defender Sergio Ramos told Canal Plus.

"We worked superbly in defence and we knew how to create our chances and I think it is a satisfactory result to take to Munich and try to make it through to the final."

It was a losing return to Spain for Bayern coach Pep Guardiola, who mostly got the better of Real in four trophy-laden seasons in charge of their arch rivals Barcelona between 2008 and 2012.

With decorated Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti in his first season, Real have high hopes they can finally claim the elusive 10th European crown they have been chasing since their last triumph in 2002.

There was an electric atmosphere at their giant Bernabeu arena before kickoff and the home fans unfurled a huge banner proclaiming their status as "Kings of Europe".

However, it was the current champions and five-times winners who bossed the early stages with the Real players clearly under instructions to sit back and try and hit Bayern on the break.

The opening goal came from exactly that scenario. Toni Kroos had a shot blocked in the Real penalty area and the home side picked up possession and poured forward.

Ronaldo played Fabio Coentrao in on the left and his low cross evaded the Bayern defence and found Benzema waiting at the far post to tap into an empty net.

CLEAR CHANCES


Real were lifted by the goal and while Bayern were still enjoying long periods of fruitless possession the home side had two more clear chances on the breakaway.

Ronaldo sliced a shot high and wide when well placed in the 26th minute and Di Maria found space in the area four minutes before the break but blasted his effort over the bar.

Real were first to threaten in the second period thanks to an error in the Bayern defence and Ronaldo, back after knee and thigh muscle injuries, raced clear on the right and forced a fine diving save from Manuel Neuer with a low shot.

The Portugal captain has a record-equalling 14 goals in the Champions League this season and was clearly hungry to set a new best and Neuer again had to be alert when Ronaldo cracked a low shot towards the corner in the 68th.

Bayern huffed and puffed, with Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery probing down wither flank, but there was no way through the massed ranks of Real defenders.

The Bundesliga champions enjoyed a good late spell and Goetze might have done better when left unmarked 10 metres out but Casillas was equal to his shot.

In added time, Bayern claimed a penalty after Xabi Alonso dispossessed substitute Thomas Mueller when he was about to shoot but referee Howard Webb waved away their furious protests.

"We have to congratulate the team. We were the better side. These few centimetres were missing at times," Robben told ZDF tv.

"Goetze had a great chance. Had he scored it would be 1-1. But still we are fully confident for the rematch. We expected a storm but they waited. That was a bit of a surpise.

"We had chances to score. It was a good game and I liked how we played, especially after the two weeks when we were not in top form."

FULL TIME

Real 1 (Benzema 19") Bayern 0

90+4" Referee Howard Webb blows the long whistle.

90+2" Muller squanders a good chance to equalse here as he mis-kicks an overhead shot and later appeals for foul and a penalty which was rightly not given.

90" Four minutes have been added which gives Bayern a chance to come back into the match.

86" Bale makes a solo run down the right flank this time but overdoes it and ends up finding the side netting.

83" Casillas, who didn't have much to do throughout, comes up with a terrific save off Goetze whose full-blooded shot had goal written all over it.

80" Ten minutes remain and Real have replaced Isco with Illarramendi.

79" Muller has his first touch of the ball and that's a good attempt, his left footer just whistling past the goal. Something to pep the Bayern players.

75" Fifteen minutes remain for Bayern to draw parity.

72" More substitutions as Ronaldo is replaced by Bale and Muller is in for Schweinsteiger.

71" Substitutions for Bayern and Real as Goetze comes in for Ribery and Varane replaces injured Pepe.

67" Ronaldo's on the run left footer has a lot of power on it but Neuer does well to dive and push it out for a corner.

65" Bayern make their first substitution bringing in Martinez for Rafinha.

61" Robben covers almost 30 yards with a solo run but ends up with a feeble kick to Casillas.

58" Gareth Bale is warming up on the side and there is a huge roar.

56" YELLOW! Isco is booked for handling the ball after Robben tried to beat him.

54" Bayern win their umpteenth corner but are somehow unable to break beat the defence or even Casillas who makes a save here.

Pep Guardiola, grey sweater, white shirt and black tie, is also wearing a frown. And understandably so. His Bayern side had 413 passes, with a 93% accuracy rate, in the opening 45 minutes as opposed to Real's 104.

50" Bayern have three substitutes warming up on the sidelines. Guardiolla will have to make at least one change to inject some ideas into the forwardline.

Pepe is getting treatment on the sidelines for what looks like an ankle injury.

46" A defensive lapse by Bayern and Ronaldo could have made them pay for it but his angled shot is parried by Neuer.

Bayern enjoyed 79 per cent of ball possession in the first half but Real scored the goal that mattered. However, Ronaldo and Di Maria missed golden opportunities and whether that will count we will have to wait and watch for another 45 minutes.

HALF TIME

Real 1 (Benzema 19") Bayern 0

45" Ronaldo shot deflects for a corner.

43" Di Maria, Ronaldo and Benzema work a nice combination but some misunderstanding when on top of the boix enables Neuer to collect the ball.

40" Big chance goes abegging once again for Real as Di Maria, who is in the box after a cross from Isco, sends his left-footer way above the goal with only Neuer at his mercy.

36" Robben gets another shot at goal but Alonso puts his foot in time to block it.

34" Poor effort from Robben which lacks direction and pace, signs of frustration on the player and coach Guardiola.

33" Bayern have pushed Real on the back foot but Robben, Ribery and Mandzukic will have to come up with something different to beat Casillas.

Real have never lost a Champions League game on the 17 occasions that Karim Benzema has scored in the competition for the Spanish side.

26" Ronaldo misses a sitter here. A Coentrao cross saw the Portuguese striker catch the Bayern defence napping only to hastily kick over and then look up to the heavens as if for some Divine help.

22" Di Maria takes a potshot at the Bayern goal but is unable to trouble Neuer.

19" Ronaldo comes close to increasing the tally but his header is collected by Neuer.

Real 1 (Benzema 19") Bayern 0

19" GOAL! What a breakaway move from Real from their own half. A Pepe clearance finds Ronaldo on the halfway line. Ronaldo puts Coentrao in the clear and he makes a dashing run on the left to find Benzema with an inch-perfect pass and the Frenchman player taps home bring the crowd on its feet.

15" Real are yet to make their mark. At the moment they just seem to be chasing shadows.

13" Robben tries a first-timer from top of the box which deflects off Carvajal. It had Casillas diving full length but luckily the ball was wide off the mark.

12" One more corner from Bayern but Pepe rises to the challenge heading it away.

10" Bayern get another corner, their third in 10 minutes, but fail to disturb the Real goal.

8" Real are struggling to get out of their own half as Bayern keep pushing.

6" Good move there from Bayern but Robben is off-side after Lahm found the gap between two Real defenders.

4" Long ball from Ribery from the left to the extreme right flank where Robben control the ball but before he can make any moves Pepe clears it for a corner.

1" Ribery weaves his way but manages just a corner which is thwarted.

Yes, Bayern are ready to get the game started. And they do...

Both teams are out from the dugout and into the middle as the sun sets on the stadium.

Ronaldo only needs one more goal to notch his half century for club and country this season.

Lots of empty seats still to be filled at the Santiago Bernabeu as the players loosen up in th middle. But expect a cracker of a match with both teams believing in the motto 'attack is the best form of defence'.

Cristiano Ronaldo starts for Real Madrid. Gareth Bale, who has been suffering from a bout of 'flu, is on the substitutes bench.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and striker Mario Mandzukic return to Bayern Munich's starting line-up.

STARTING XI

Real Madrid: Casillas, Pepe, Ramos, Coentrao, Carvajal, Alonso, Modric, Di Maria, Isco, Ronaldo, Benzema.

Subs: Lopez, Varane, Marcelo, Bale, Casemiro, Illarramendi, Morata.

Bayern Munich: Neuer, Dante, Rafinha, Boateng, Lahm, Ribery, Robben, Alaba, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Mandzukic.

Subs: Zingerle, Raeder, Martinez, Gotze, Weiser, Muller, Pizarro.

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to return for Real Madrid's Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich tonight at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti said he will make a late decision on the 29-year-old, who has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury.

Alvaro Arbeloa and Jese will certainly miss out, while Sami Khedira isn't expected to feature despite returning to training.

Marcelo and Gareth Bale are doubts too, though they will be handed late fitness tests after Real didn't play at the weekend.

Bayern can welcome both Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martínez back from suspension, though the latter is a doubt with a concussion.

Pep Guardiola is also sweating on the fitness of David Alaba, Manuel Neuer and Thomas Mueller.

LEADING SCORERS IN ALL COMPETITIONS

Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo (44 goals)

Bayern: Mario Mandzukic (25 goals)

STAT ATTACK

This is the 21st meeting between Real and Bayern, with the previous 20 meetings, all in Europe's most prestigious club competition, producing 59 goals.

Real have scored an astonishing 32 times in 10 Champions League games this season, while their German opponents have managed 24.

Real Madrid have won their last 4 home matches against Bayern in all competitions.

Real Madrid have been winning at both half time and full time in their last 3 home matches against Bayern in all competitions.

Bayern are undefeated in 14 of their last 15 matches in the Champions League (including qualifiers).

Bayern however have beaten Madrid 8 times in Europe's elite competition, more than any other team.

PROBABLE FORMATIONS

Real Madrid: 4-3-3

Bayern: 4-1-4-1

PREVIEW

Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale could miss Wednesday's Champions League semi-final, first leg at home to Bayern Munich due to illness, Spanish media reported on Tuesday.

Bale, who has been suffering from flu, trained with the rest of the squad earlier on Tuesday but had not been able to join up with them later at their hotel, the reports said.

Real medical staff had recommended he remain at home to avoid infecting his team mates, they added.

After a season disrupted by a series of minor injuries, Wales international Bale has come into form in recent months and scored a brilliant winning goal against Barcelona in last week's King's Cup final.

However, World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to make his comeback from injury for Real Madrid when Bayern Munich visit the Santiago Bernabeu for their Champions League semi-final, first leg on Wednesday.

Ronaldo has been sidelined for the past three weeks due to a hamstring injury and will be desperate to make up for lost time by building on his record-equalling 14 goals in the competition this season.

Real are set to be at full strength as left-back Marcelo has also overcome a hamstring problem.

Real are chasing a record-extending 10th European crown, while holders Bayern are bidding to become the first team to retain the Champions League title.