Javier Hernández was the unlikely hero in the Madrid derby as Real Madrid edged out fierce rivals Atletico Madrdid 1-0 and book a place in the Champions League semifinals. After the first leg of the quarterfinal ended in a goalless draw last week, Hernández found the net in the 88th minute from close range.
It was a highly contested match with Atletico Madrid playing more of Defensive game and hitting Real on the counter attacks.Real struggled to find the break through with the way Diego Simeone had set up his Team to play. It was not until Atletico midfielder Arda Turan who had received a yellow card in the 31st minute when he fouled Toni Kroos got another yellow card after a foul on Sergio Ramos and was sent off with 14 minutes left in the match.
Real got an advantage after Atletico were reduced to 10 men and continued attacking, troubling the atletico defence.
It was clever play from James Rodriquez who played a one-two with Ronaldo and the reigning Ballon d’Or squaring his pass to Hernández who took a touch and put the ball in the back of the net in the 88th minute putting Real into the last four.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone who made a questionable substitution in the 65th minute replacing Antoine Griezmann with Raul Gracia was glad with the way side played.
“We competed well, I am proud. We have a team of men who work, have pride and I am very grateful. Except the first 10 minutes when we did not play well, I don’t think it was a bad game. The other team had the ball but we had the feeling we covered the gaps very well,” said Simeone after the match.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was full of praise for his striker and the Team with the way they played.
“Chicharito was a fantastic solution,” Carlo Ancelotti said. “He played really well and with great intensity. He deserved it as he has hasn’t played a lot this season. When I told him he was playing he was ready. He was really professional, I am happy for him.”
In the other match, Juventus drew, 0-0, at Monaco to reach the last four with a 1-0 victory on aggregate. The semifinals will feature four top teams that have all won the UEFA Champions League.
The Teams include two from Spain, Real Madrid and Barcelona, Bayern Munich of Germany and Juventus of Italy.
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