Real Madrid reached a Champions League final for the first time in twelve years after a convincing victory over the current holders Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
Two goals from both Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo sealed an impressive 4-0 win (aggregate 5-0) to progress to Lisbon.
Madrid calved the home side open with ease taking a 3-0 lead into half-time. It was an unfamiliar feeling for the Bavarians as they are normally the ones delivering the routs to their opposition.
Pep Guardiola has always impressed both in what he has achieved in silverware and his style of play. So far he has broken the Bundesliga record by winning it at the earliest date, but against Carlo Ancelotti's men he was brought back down to earth with a monumentus bang.
Having already secured the first-leg victory, madrid headed into second-leg hoping to lift the semi-final curse that has hung around them for the past two seasons, they needn't have worried. Two well executed set-pieces and an impressive counter-attack (more a trademark from the Mourinho era) put the Spanish giants one foot into the final. An even more impressive free-kick from world player of the year Ronaldo rubbed salt into Bayern's wounds.
The one low in Real's night was Xabi Alonso's yellow card and thus his suspension in this year's final. Finding the instrumental midfielders replacement will be a problem for the Madrid side. Maybe this could be young talent Asier Illaramendi's chance to step up.
With the sad news of Tito Vilanova's passing, the situation may have taken an emotional toll on Guardiola, no matter how professional he may be. Munich could not crack Madrid however hard they tried. It was a performance that has been unseen from the German treble winners of the previous season, although the way in which Real delivered their deadly blow outshone that of Bayern's lacklustre play.
With a resurgent, well drilled team including a confident, in-form Ronaldo and led by a manager with previous success in the competition, this could finally be the year the nine time champions make it ten.
Source: DSG
