Champions League: Real reject Morata fires Juve into final

Juventus shattered Real Madrid's dream of a record-extending 11th European crown when Alvaro Morata scored against his former club to secure a 1-1 Champions League draw with the holders on Wednesday and send Juve into the final 3-2 on aggregate.

Cristiano Ronaldo netted a 23rd-minute penalty at the Bernabeu to give Real the upper hand before Morata silenced the home fans when he rifled a shot into the roof of the net off goalkeeper Iker Casillas 12 minutes into the second half.

Morata, a Real academy graduate, also scored in the Italian champions' 2-1 win in the first leg in Turin and Juve will bid for their third triumph in Europe's elite club competition when they face Barcelona in Berlin on June 6.

Real pushed desperately for the goal that would have taken the game to extra time but squandered a host of chances and Juve remained on course for a treble of European and domestic league and Cup titles.

After Ronaldo's penalty following a clumsy Giorgio Chiellini foul on James Rodriguez, Real could have been further ahead at the break.

Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema all wasted chances on a warm night in the Spanish capital with Real dominating as expected and the baying home fans urging on their heroes.

The match opened up in the second half and Juve's attacking efforts were rewarded when Morata found space in the penalty area after a clever layoff from Paul Pogba.

Chances came thick and fast at both ends and Rodriguez powered a shot narrowly over the crossbar, Real keeper Iker Casillas saved brilliantly from Claudio Marchisio and Bale nodded over when well placed.

Ronaldo, who is level with Barca forward Lionel Messi at the top of the 2014-15 scoring charts, became the first player to score at least 10 goals in four different Champions League campaigns.

The Portugal captain jointly holds the all-time goals record for the competition of 77 with Argentine Messi. 

Aggregate

A goal from former player Alvaro Morata ended Real Madrid's reign as European champions on Wednesday when Italian side Juventus drew 1-1 in Madrid in their Champions League semi-final, second leg match to progress 3-2 on aggregate.

Morata's second-half strike, which cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half penalty, secured Juventus's first appearance in the final since 2003 where they lost to AC Milan, then coached by Real's current handler Carlo Ancelotti.

Juventus, who last won the trophy in 1996, will play Barcelona in the final in Berlin on June 6.

Full-time

Real Madrid 1 (Ronaldo 23") Juventus 1 (Morata 57)

Alvaro Morata returned to haunt his former club Real Madrid when he netted the equaliser to neutralise Cristiano Ronaldo's goal and take Juventus into the final of the Champions League after the Italian club drew the second leg 1-1 but advanced 3-2 on aggregate after having won the first leg 2-1.

Morata who also scored in the first leg once again refused to celebrate on scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu. But the rest of the Juventus players will surely party as they face Barcelone for the title in Berlin on June 6.

Earlier Ronaldo gave Real Madrid hope when he scored from the penalkty spot after James Rodriguez was hauled to the ground in the box. But Gareth Bale had a nightmare of a match after missing close to a dozen chances.

90" Four minutes of stoppage time added.

87" Casillas again brilliant stopping a Pogba powerful volley.

84" Morata is replaced.

83" Bale again goes alone with a shot from far but the net just seems to elude him tonight.

82" Casillas makes a top f the box interception and almost comes to the halfway line with the ball. Desperate measures by Real to find the winner.

80" Feeble kick by Kroos and he castigates himself for that.

78" The ageing Pirlo is substituted.

76" YELLOW! Stephan Lichtsteiner is booked.

74" Real are desperate now and Bale is having a nightmare after his header again fails to find the target.

71" Oh no! Bale misses another chance. He should have buried this header from Ronaldo's cross into the net but ends up finding the roof. 

70" Bale's half volley from the top of the box is wide.

68" Big opportunity gone abegging for Juventus as Marchisio's shot is blocked brilliantly by Casillas diving full stretch.

65" Rodriguez stunner sails over.

Real Madrid 1 (Ronaldo 23") Juventus 1 (Morata 57)

57" GOAL! Morata scores again against his former club, as he did in the first leg, and refuses to celebrate.

49" Marchisio's piledriver has Casillas diving. That was close as the ball misses the target by inches.

47" Positive start from Real. After a lot of passing and crosses into the Juve box Rodrguez finally tries a bicycle kick and fails.

Action gets underway after some delay.

Real know they are in the driver's seat and are taking their time to come out of the dugout as Ronaldo is seeing changing his boots while Juventus players are waiting in the middle.

Half-time

Real Madrid 1 (Ronaldo 23") Juventus 0

Cristiano Ronaldo scored from a penalty in the 23rd minute to help Real Madrid lead 1-0 at half-time against Juventus in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. The aggregate score now is tied at 2-2 and if it remains at that then REal Madrid will go through to the final after Carlo Ancelotti's side had lost 2-1 in the first leg.

Ronaldo now has 307 goals for Real Madrid - the same as Alfredo Di Stefano. Only Raul stands ahead of him.

45" One minute added.

44" YELLOW! Rodriguez is booked for faking a dive.

40" Ronaldo's booming left footer finds the side netting and a few seconds later Benzema's shot is parried by Buffon for a corner. Juve seem to be cracking.

38" Benzema makes room and in a jiffy has a crack at goal from 25 yards but the ball floats over.

35" Benzema breaks free again on the left and crosses, looking to find Ronaldo but no luck.

31" YELLOW! Isco is booked for a tackle on Tevez.

28" Ronaldo wastes a golden chance after Benzema does the hard work. The Portuguese player did well to deceive Liechsteiner but was in two minds whether to take a direct shot at goal or cross. He did the latter and repented. 

27" Morata cross across goalmouth but before Vidal cane get to it Carvajal puts i out for a corner.

Real Madrid 1 (Ronaldo 23") Juventus 0

23" GOAL! Ronaldo scores from the spot.

21" Rodriguez is tackled by Chiellini in the box and referee Jonas Eriksson points to the spot which has angered the Juve players.

20" Real have Juventus cornered and Bale sends a thundering shot which Buffon is quick to parry at the last minute.

18" Benzema moves dangerously into the box and with Ronaldo charging in all the Frenchman needed to do was send it across but he backpassed it to catch the Portuguese star off balance.

16" Benzema dribbles his way and crosses from left but there are no takers. Isco retrieves the ball from from te touchline and moves in before trying a long range shot which is wayward.

13" Casillas is forced to make a diving save with his left hand after Vidal tests him with a grounder.

10" Ronaldo's free-kick beats the wall and looked like dipping into goal even as Buffon jumped high, but the ball nestled on the roof of the net.

7" Buffon look cool and composed as he collect a cross from Carvajal even though Ronaldo and Benzema lurk.

5" Benzema makes his presence early, trapping a long ball in the box only to send his left-footer wide off the mark.

3" Carvajal intercepts a lovely cross in the box from Morata for Pogba and clears it to safety. 

1" What a start for Real as Marcelo makes a run and crosses. Bale does well to leap high but his header from close is a little over the mark.

A roar goes off as Benzema gets the match started.

Teams in the dugout. Morata goes across to wish his former teammates Casillas and  Ramos.

Five minutes away from kick-off.

We are 20 minutes away from kick-off between Real Madrid and Juventus at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Real Madrid bus winds its way into the Bernabeu Stadium as thousands of fans throng the streets.

Real Madrid make one change from the first leg as striker Karim Benzema returns from a month out injured. He replaces Pepe as Sergio Ramos shuffles back into defence.

Just the one change from the first leg for Juve too, and thats Paul Pogba.

Starting XI

Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, James, Kroos, Isco, Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo.

Juventus XI: Buffon, Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra, Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba, Vidal, Tevez, Morata.

Teams news

Toni Kroos is expected to be fit despite coming off against Valencia and Paul Pogba is available for Juventus.

Carlo Ancelotti will hope to have Karim Benzema back available up front but Luka Modric remains absent through injury. The manager fielded Sergio Ramos in midfield in the first leg but it was a decision that didn't pay off and the Spaniard is likely to be back at the heart of the defence, with Pepe and Varane competing to partner him at the back.

Juve's France international, considered one of the world's top midfielders, returned after two months out with a hamstring injury - and scored - in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Cagliari in Serie A.

Stat Attack

Real Madrid are aiming for their 14th European title

Last season Bale scored 15 league goals in 27 games

This year the Welshman has managed 13 goals in 30 league games, and two in the Champions League

At 33, Casillas has won three Champions League titles, five La Liga titles, the World Cup and two European Championships

Carlo Ancelotti can become the first manager to lift the European Cup four times

Juventus are undefeated in their last 8 matches in the Champions League (including qualifiers).

Juventus are in their first semi-final since 2003

Juventus have scored at least 2 goals in 5 of their last 6 matches against Real Madrid in all competitions

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