Real Madrid striker Joselu admitted it was a dream come true for him after he scored a brace in his team’s thrilling 2-1 (4-3 aggregate) win in the second-leg semifinal against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Tuesday night.
Substitute Alphonso Davies was able to put the visitors in front in the 68th minute with a stunning goal. However, the 14-time champion was able to bounce back with Joselu capitalizing on Manuel Neuer’s howler in the 88th minute.
Joselu then scored in the stoppage time after Antonio Rudiger assisted to help his team make it to the UCL final.
“I don’t know about being a hero, but I’m very happy,” Joselu told reporters after the match. “You can imagine! It was incredible, spectacular. This team never gives up. Fighting until the end is in its blood.”
“You always dream about this kind of performance,” Joselu said. “The first goal was about being smart, and being ready. They were tired … Not even my best dreams are as good as [what happened] today.”
Meanwhile, in the 2022 season, the Los Blancos turned the tides against Chelsea, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in the UCL.
“It’s happened again,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “It’s something inexplicable, and it’s happened again, with a fantastic atmosphere, and players who never stopped believing.
“It was a difficult game, we had chances, we had control, and then we had the strength not to lose our heads. I have to thank the fans, the club, and above all the players, who have had a season nobody expected.
“I didn’t expect this squad to do what they’ve done either. Getting to the final is success, and then whatever happens, happens.”
Ancelotti showered praise on Joselu for his match-winning performance. Joselu has scored a total of 14 goals for Madrid after joining the team on loan from Espanyol last summer.
“He reflects what this team is,” Ancelotti said. “He’s a player who’s done a lot this season, without getting a lot of minutes. He’s the perfect reflection of what this squad is — players who have done a lot, never losing confidence, with the idea that they can contribute.”
Real Madrid will next take on Granada on Saturday.
