Bayern Munich defeated Barcelona 3-2 in the Champions League semi-final second leg at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night, but lost the tie 5-3 on aggregate.
The Catalan giants went through to the final with the potential of meeting either arch-rivals Real Madrid or Juventus.
Bayern threatened a comeback early in the game. The Bavarians took the lead on the night after just seven minutes. Centre-back Mehdi Benatia was left completely unmarked to head home Xabi Alonso’s corner kick.
Bayern’s lead lasted just eight minutes though, as Barcelona’s deadly trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar combined, with the later tapping home from Suarez’s cross. The visitors extended their lead on 29 minutes.
Suarez was allowed acres of space, ran at goal before again squaring it for Neymar, who beat Manuel Neuer at his near post with a low effort.
Barcelona substituted Suarez at half-time, as he sustained a slight hamstring problem in the first period and replaced him with Pedro.
Bayern came out the brighter team in the second half, but knew they would need a miracle to rescue the tie. On 59 minutes the Bavarians did reduce the deficit though.
Polish striker Robert Lewandowski produced a bit of good footwork to beat Javier Mascherano, before curling a superb effort past Marc Ter-Stegen in the Barcelona goal.
Bayern scored the winning goal on the night on 74 minutes, as Thomas Muller stroked home an effort from the edge of the Barcelona penalty area.
The German giants still needed three goals to win the tie and kept coming forward. However, ultimately they could not achieve the impossible, and it was the Spaniards who made it through to the final.
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