Bayern beat Real to reach Champions League final

By Clifford Coonan

Bayern Munich overwhelmed holders Real Madrid 2-1 in a thrilling Champions League semifinal on Wednesday to line up a final against last season's runners-up Valencia on May 23 in Milan.

Bayern, who won the first leg of the semifinal 1-0 in Madrid last week, were determined to reach their seventh European Cup final and went on the attack straight from kick-off.

They were rewarded after eight minutes when Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas fumbled a clearance and Brazilian Elber headed home his sixth goal of the competition.

Bayern's assured performance lulled the 60,000 fans in the Olympic stadium into expecting an easy win over the reigning champions.

But the Bayern faithful were stunned into silence 10 minutes later when Raul rounded Thomas Linke and passed to Luis Figo who steered the ball past Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.

Ottmar Hitzfeld's men kept up their attacks with Champions League debutant and England Under-21 Owen Hargreaves showing tremendous poise alongside Mehmet Scholl in midfield.

The German champions went 2-1 up on the night, and 3-1 on aggregate, in the 34th minute when Jens Jeremies was left unmarked after a cleverly-worked free-kick by Scholl to fire home from outside the area.

BECKENBAUER DELIGHTED

Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer said: "We're delighted to be in a European final again. If you beat Real Madrid and Manchester United twice, then you have earned your place in the final."

As for his young midfielder, Beckenbauer said: "Just how coolly Owen Hargreaves played against a big team like Real -- I'd never have believed it."

Madrid piled on the pressure as the second half got under way. Bayern occasionally found the pace and trickery of Roberto Carlos hard to counter but solid defending by Ghana's Sammy Kuffour and Sweden's Patrik Andersson kept Real out.

Bayern also threatened on the break, with Hasan Salihamidzic picking up on a long ball in the 54th minute only to shoot straight at Casillas.

Thomas Linke went very close in the 61st minute from a Hargreaves pass but it was tipped over by Casillas.

SAVIO THREATENS

Savio looked threatening for Madrid after he came on for England's Steve McManaman, with some great running down the wing. His cross in the 70th minute found fellow substitute Fernando Morientes in space, but Morientes' header was too high.

The final at the San Siro stadium features the losers of the last two Champions League finals.

Bayern will be out to make amends after losing 2-1 to Manchester United at Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium in 1999 after conceding two goals in injury-time. Bayern last won Europe's premier club competition in 1976, when they lifted the trophy for the third year running.

Valencia, who crushed Leeds United 3-0 in Tuesday's semifinal second leg in Spain, will want to improve on last year's bitterly-disappointing performance in a 3-0 defeat by Real in Paris.