Real Madrid 1-0 Manchester City (Agg: 1-0): Fernando own goal ends City's final hopes

By Gerard Brand

Image: Fernando's own goal gave Real the advantage in the first half after Gareth Bale's cross deflected off his foot

Fernando's own goal handed Real Madrid a 1-0 aggregate win over Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final second leg at the Bernabeu.

After Vincent Kompany was forced off inside 10 minutes with an injury, Fernando's own goal gave Real the advantage after Gareth Bale's cross deflected off his foot, before Bale's superb header came back off the crossbar in the second half. 

City lacked real intensity throughout both halves, with top scorer Sergio Aguero failing to touch the ball inside the area, and the hosts held out comfortably as they look for an 11th success in the competition.

Image: City were dealt a blow early on after captain Vincent Kompany limped off holding his right leg

Real will play city rivals Atletico Madrid in Milan on May 28, the second time the two sides have met in the final in the space of three seasons.

Zinedine Zidane made three changes from the first leg in Manchester, including the reintroduction of Cristiano Ronaldo to the starting eleven, while Yaya Toure replaced the injured David Silva for City.

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Manuel Pellegrini was unhappy with the lack of chances created, but felt Manchester City did not deserve to lose

City were dealt a blow early on after captain Kompany limped off holding his right leg, forcing Manuel Pellegrini to replace him with Eliaquim Mangala.

Clear chances were at a minimum during the early stages until Real took the lead through Bale's deflected effort in the 20th minute, his right-footed cross from the right side of the penalty area hitting Fernando and flying into the top left corner past Joe Hart.

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Image: City's Bacary Sagna battles with Isco in the first half

Despite initially giving the goal to Bale, UEFA eventually marked it as an own goal for Fernando.

Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas was made to work five minutes later to smother Jesus Navas' right-wing cross as Sergio Aguero piled in, and Navas got more joy on the right later in the half, forcing Dani Carvajal to intercept ahead of Aguero again.

Kompany limps out of Real clash

Vincent Kompany limped off after less than ten minutes

Real had the ball in the net 10 minutes before the break as Jese poked home from Toni Kroos' dangerous cross, but the linesman correctly raised his flag for an offside against defender Pepe at the far post.

Fernandinho came closest for the visitors in the first half, hitting the outside of Navas' right-hand post from just inside the area after being found by Kevin De Bruyne.

Bale disagreed with Pellegrini's comments that Real Madrid were lucky to progress

Hart kept City in the tie after half-time, rushing out to block Luka Modric's effort from point-blank range after a superb through ball from Bale, before saving well to his left from Ronaldo's header back across goal.

England goalkeeper Hart was there again to get down low to his left to save from Ronaldo's near-post effort just before the hour mark, but it was the woodwork that came to their rescue moments later as Bale's header from a corner came off the crossbar.

R Madrid 1-0 City recap (Agg: 1-0)

See how Real Madrid reached the Champions League final

Lucas Vazquez received a yellow card for a late tackle on Raheem Sterling with seven minutes remaining, but replays show the Real Madrid midfielder's high challenge could have warranted a red.

Aguero, who was forced deep by Real throughout the game, saw his effort from 25 yards fly just over the bar late on as City eventually pressed, but it wasn't their night as Real held on.

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