Real Madrid into Champions League final after dashing Manchester City hopes
A deflected Gareth Bale strike ended Manchester City's Champions League challenge and sent Real Madrid through to face city rivals Atletico in the final.
City midfielder Fernando inadvertently diverted Bale's 20th-minute strike into his own net at the Bernabeu to hand Real a 1-0 win both on the night and on aggregate.
City never found momentum after captain Vincent Kompany was forced off yet again early on and they had Joe Hart to thank for keeping them in contention right until the end.
Gareth Bale celebrates what proved to be the winner
Hart produced a string of impressive saves to deny a Real side bolstered by the return of Cristiano Ronaldo and that kept City hopes alive they could nick an away goal and with it victory.
But it was not to be as City never threatened with any regularity.
Their night could hardly have got off to a worse start as Kompany pulled up with what seemed a thigh injury after just eight minutes.
In a sight that has become all too familiar in an injury-plagued campaign for the Belgian, Kompany went down after overrunning the ball and immediately signalled to the bench.
It was quickly apparent his night was over and the player looked crestfallen as he gingerly rose to his feet, limped off and handed the armband to Yaya Toure.
That completely undid what had been a confident start by City and they struggled to gain any meaningful possession for a prolonged spell.
Real turned up the pressure with Ronaldo, relishing the chance to run at Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala, heading over and sending another shot off-target.
City were unable to stem the tide and the hosts broke through as Bale burst into the area on the right and his fierce shot took a slight but critical deflection off Fernando. It flew into the roof of the net over the diving Hart.
It might have got worse for City as Pepe poked the ball past Hart from a Toni Kroos free-kick but the flag was raised for offside.
City struggled to muster a response but Jesus Navas and Bacary Sagna both got into good positions only to fail to pick out the isolated Sergio Aguero.
City's one good moment of the first half came just before the break as Fernandinho cut inside from the left but his powerful drive struck the base of the post.
The visitors needed a rousing team talk at half-time from their outgoing manager Manuel Pellegrini, but as the second period began it was Hart that kept them in the game.
Hart got his body in the way to deny Luka Modric after the rest of the defence had switched off and then twice saved from Ronaldo.
Bale went close with a header that rebounded off the crossbar before the extraordinary sight of Ronaldo catching the ball and pushing it into the net - but he had already been flagged offside.
Real should have put the game out of sight but the longer they went without scoring, signs of frustration began to creep in. Kroos appeared to hit out at Fernandinho off the ball and niggly fouls crept into their game.
Knowing a goal would change everything, City pushed late on but after Aguero sent a long-range shot over, their hopes faded.
TWEET OF THE MATCH
"Looked leggy to me ....... Needed to be more fearless in possession and looked a little overwhelmed #PepTime" - former City man Trevor Sinclair (@trevor8sinclair) looks to the future after the defeat.
PLAYER RATINGS
REAL MADRID
Keylor Navas: 6 (out of 10)
Dani Carvajal: 7
Pepe: 7
Sergio Ramos: 6
Marcelo: 7
Luka Modric: 8
Toni Kroos: 7
Isco: 7
Jese: 6
Cristiano Ronaldo: 7
Gareth Bale: 7
Subs:
Lucas Vazquez: 6
James Rodriguez: 6
Mateo Kovacic: 5
MANCHESTER CITY
Joe Hart: 9
Bacary Sagna: 5
Vincent Kompany: 4
Nicolas Otamendi: 6
Gael Clichy: 6
Fernandinho: 6
Fernando: 6
Jesus Navas: 5
Yaya Toure: 5
Kevin De Bruyne: 5
Sergio Aguero: 5
Subs:
Eliaquim Mangala: 6
Raheem Sterling: 6
Kelechi Iheanacho: 6
STAR MAN
Joe Hart. Were it not for the England goalkeeper this tie might have been put to bed in the first leg, and again he was outstanding. Hart made several fine saves in the second half to keep City in with a chance but it was not to be.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Fernando's own goal. Real dominated this game from the moment Kompany left the field but in the end the only difference between the sides in the column that matters was the deflected Gareth Bale strike that was later credited as a Fernando own goal. The Brazilian's touch was only slight but it was enough to leave Hart with no chance.
VIEW FROM THE BENCH
For former Real boss Manuel Pellegrini, there was to be no glorious return to the Bernabeu. His side were on the back foot for long spells and his changes failed to make any significant difference. As for Zinedine Zidane, he now has the chance to win Real's 11th European title. Not a bad start for someone only three months into the job.
MOAN OF THE MATCH
City may have enjoyed their best-ever run in the Champions League, but perhaps it is now time to retire the "ghost green" away kit. It is not a look to strike fear into opponents.
WHO'S UP NEXT?
Manchester City v Arsenal (Barclays Premier League, Sunday May 8)
Real Madrid v Valencia (La Liga, Sunday May 8)
City goalkeeper Hart accepted they had just fallen short of the needed performance.
Speaking to BT Sport Europe, the England international said: " We could easily have been in the final. They managed the game well, and got a very lucky goal, but it is what it is.
"They created very little over the two legs, but so did we in fairness.
"It was a close semi-final and we have come out the wrong side of it.
"They could not kill it off, we defended well when needed, but we just didn't have that little bit more.
" I thought Kun (Aguero) had a good effort in the 88th minute, but did we do enough to win the game? I don't know."
Hart said City must quickly regroup ahead of Sunday's showdown with Arsenal, who are also battling for Champions League qualification again next season.
He added: "I don't think we can be bothered by criticism, it is what it is.
"We turned up to win this game, we turn up to win every game, but this is gone now and we need to look to Sunday."
City manager Manuel Pellegrini felt his team lacked someone who could make a difference.
He said on BT Sport Europe: " We are disappointed because I think it was a very close game with two teams who did not create many chances.
"They were very lucky with the goal, it was a cross, but it got deflected off our player and into the top corner.
"I think it was very similar to the first leg with not many chances created, the team was working, but not with really anybody making a difference."
Pellegrini rejected the suggestion the loss of Kompany had an impact on the dynamic of the side.
He continued: " Of course it is not the best situation to have to make a change after just a few minutes, but I do not think we had any problems defensively.
"We were not very creative, we had one clear chance with Fernandinho, another with Kun, but not much - it was the same with Real Madrid, they did not create many chances also.
" We worked the game very well, we tried to get the ball high and make the difference, but we were not creative, the same as what happened at the Etihad, we could not score."
Pellegrini added Kompany's latest injury set-back would need to be fully assessed when back in Manchester.
Ronaldo, the former Manchester United forward, did not believe Madrid were lucky to progress.
He said on BT Sport Europe: " It was a tough game, but I think we played better than City.
"We created more chances and were more intense.
"We knew that after the goal, City would press high on us, but we controlled the game. One-nil was a short result, but we are happy we are in the final."
The Portugal forward felt no issues following his recent injury lay-off.
"I am good," he said. "For 15 days, I didn't do much, and I have played today.
"People had doubts about me, I don't know why people forget that sometimes I recover fast.
"I am happy with no problems.
"I was tired because I did not compete for 15 days, but it was not bad and I think I helped the team."
On the final agianst their city rivals, Ronaldo said: " It will be tough, in a final you never know what's going to happen, it is 50-50.
"We are going to play against Atletico Madrid and I am happy because it will be special in the Champions League final."
