Precise Madrid 1 Juventus three (Four-three agg): Ronaldo penalty saves holders’ blushes as Buffon sees crimson

Cristiano Ronaldo’s stoppage-time penalty saved holders Precise Madrid from a implausible Champions League exit against Juventus, the holders progressing Four-three on mixture after a night of high drama on the Santiago Bernabeu.

Juve gave the impression dwelling to compare the heroics of fellow Serie A facet Roma against Barcelona on the Stadio Olimpico 24 hours earlier after surging exact into a three-zero lead in the Spanish capital, trusty for Lucas Vazquez to scheme a tainted in the field and Ronaldo to make a decision on the competition from the order.

That came after lengthy extend wherein Gianluigi Buffon saw crimson for dissent on the decision – the frail goalkeeper’s first dismissal in his 117th, and seemingly final, day out in the competitors.

Mario Mandzukic’s first-half of brace, each headed efforts, sparked existence exact into a contest that regarded over after the first leg in Turin.

And when Keylor Navas – who gave the impression unsettled without suspended captain Sergio Ramos in entrance of him – fumbled a Douglas Costa unsuitable on the toes of Blaise Matuidi, Massimiliano Allegri’s facet drew diploma in the tie with half of an hour of the Ninety restful to play.

Extra time beckoned nonetheless an ungainly tell on Vazquez by Medhi Benatia saw referee Michael Oliver imprint the order, Buffon sent off for his vociferous protests, which plot Wojciech Szczesny came on to face the penalty.

Ronaldo – who hit a double including a amazing overhead kick in Madrid’s first-leg scheme stop – duly smashed dwelling a nerveless order-kick to retain his sensational speed of scoring in every sport on this season’s Champions League, on what used to be his 150th appearance in the competitors, to spare the blushes of Zinedine Zidane’s males.

1 – Gianluigi Buffon has been sent off in the Champions League for the 1st time in his profession (117 games). Discontinue. pic.twitter.com/0QpObjUmNC

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) April 11, 2018

Juve wanted to strike early to present themselves hope and in bid that they did precisely that with a mere seventy six seconds on the clock.

Douglas Costa received the ball on the halfway line and fed Sami Khedira, the Germany worldwide floating a ideal unsuitable to the aid post for Mandzukic to thump in a doughty header.

Navas parried Douglas Costa’s unsuitable-shot and the Costa Rica worldwide made a well-known set from Gonzalo Higuain on the rebound as Juve maintained their high-tempo open up.

Gareth Bale – preferred to Karim Benzema in assault – pressured a dapper dwell from Buffon, the Wales well-known particular person sending the free ball into the facet netting with an improvised backheel.

Madrid had the ball in the web after 13 minutes, Isco cutely chipping Buffon after the goalkeeper saved from Cristiano Ronaldo, prior to Mandzukic could perhaps well easiest bundle a corner straight at Navas.

After the chaotic opening Madrid step by step won defend a watch on, Marcelo riding over the perspective and Buffon denying Isco after the playmaker beat the offside entice to plug on to Ronaldo’s pass.

Nonetheless trusty as Madrid perceived to be taking the sting out of the game Mandzukic scored one other, the striker arriving on the aid post all another time to budge dwelling Stephan Lichtsteiner’s factual-drift unsuitable.

Raphael Varane thudded a header against the crossbar from Toni Kroos’ free-kick, nonetheless Madrid salvage been reeling when the half of-time whistle arrived.

What. A. 1/2. @MarioMandzukic9 ratings two headers to retain the tie alive!#TOGETHER #RMJuve #FINOALLAFINE pic.twitter.com/nk82YJwfZT

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) April 11, 2018

Zidane replied by changing Casemiro and Bale with Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez on the interval and Buffon scrambled to retain out Ronaldo’s 58th-minute snapshot.

Navas pushed away Higuain’s shot nonetheless the goalkeeper’s huge mistake then proficient Juve the leveller.

Douglas Costa’s unsuitable regarded innocuous nonetheless Navas, underneath stop consideration from Matuidi, spilled the centre for the midfielder to nudge in his first Champions League purpose since November 2016.

With 12 minutes left, Buffon made a swish set low to his factual to tip away Isco’s deflected effort, then Ronaldo misjudged a aid-post header when he regarded dwelling to convert.

Nonetheless the Portugal huge title restful managed to salvage the decisive affect after Benatia bumped Vazquez over because the change stooped to salvage.

Buffon’s aggressive response against the official saw the 40-year-frail pushed aside in what could perhaps well be his final Champions League appearance, main to a lengthy extend as Szczesny used to be readied.

The wait did no longer salvage an mark on Ronaldo, though, Madrid’s talisman hammering the penalty into the goalkeeper’s high-left corner in the seventh minute of added time to make a decision on a stirring contest and defend Zidane’s chances of claiming a nil.33 consecutive Champions League crown alive in scarcely believable style.