Bayern München defeated Real Madrid on penalties and advances to the Champions League finals. Real managed to win at the Bernabeu 2-1, but even after extra time there was no final decision. So it came down to penalties, with Manuel Neuer pulling some brilliant saves off Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. Bayern ended up winning the shootout 3-1 and will now face Chelsea in München.

The match looked like it was going to go Madrid’s way, as after only 6 minutes a somewhat harsh handball on Alaba gave RM a penalty, which Cristiano Ronaldo duly put home. Then on the counterattack, Arjen Robben managed to put the ball over an empty net from only 4 yards. (He managed to crash into the netting himself though). When after 14 minutes CR7 knocked home another, it looked like it was all over. But led by Schweinsteiger and a dangerous Robben and Gomez, Bayern gradually began to wrest control from the home side. When Gomez was bundled over in the box, Robben put home the penalty, and the aggregate score was exactly equal.

What followed was a tense back and forth that gave both sides some chances to get the goa ahead goal. Near the end Bayern came close to winning, as Real seemed to be running out of gas. After a further hard fought overtime, Real’s inability to put the ball away in penalty kicks led to their downfall.

Bayern figures to be a slight favorite over Chelsea in the finals, if for no other reason than it’s being played in their home stadium.