Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo extra time heroics send Real Madrid by Bayern Munich in UCL
A heroic hat trick from Cristiano Ronaldo led Real Madrid back to the Champions League semifinals for a record seventh straight season, with the reigning champions ousting Bayern Munich on a 6-3 aggregate after a 4-2, extra-time triumph in a classic at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
Ronaldo had given Real Madrid a 3-2 aggregate lead in the 76th minute, but a Sergio Ramos own goal a minute later brought the series level on aggregate and away goals.
Ronaldo emerged as the hero in extra time, though, with a pair of goals over 10-man Bayern (Arturo Vidal was sent off) that sent Real Madrid to the semifinals, where it will join fellow Madrid side Atletico as half of the final four after advancing at the expense of former manager Carlo Ancelotti.
In the first leg, Bayern Munich was rescued time and again by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but Javi Martinez's red card brought the club down to 10 men, and Ronaldo eventually found the breakthrough with two goals for Real Madrid, the defending champion that is aiming to be the first club to repeat as Champions League winner since AC Milan in 1989-1990.
Bayern was shorthanded in the opening leg, though, missing Robert Lewandowski and Mats Hummels, and both started at the Bernabeu.
Bayern had a great chance to strike first Tuesday, but Lewandowski's close-range attempt was blocked by Marcelo, and Arjen Robben's follow missed the target, letting the hosts off.
A couple of minutes later, Arturo Vidal, who scored and missed a penalty in the first leg, uncorked a chance from long range, but he fired just high.
On the other end, Neuer came up with a massive fingertip save on Dani Carvajal, and Sergio Ramos was denied by a Jerome Boateng goal-line clearance, with action picking up as the half reached the half-hour mark.
In the 34th minute, Toni Kroos had a chance fall to him 20 yards from goal, but he put his unusually clear look go high and wide of the goal.
Ronaldo had another chance to give Real Madrid the lead in the 43rd minute, but he fired wide of the near post on his left-angled chance.
The individual defensive brilliance continued in the second half, when Robben had a chip into a vacated net saved off the line on a brilliant play from Marcelo.
The tide turned seconds later, though. Again, it was Robben doing the damage, drawing a foul on Casemiro on the left side of the box. Lewandowski converted the ensuing penalty, bringing Bayern level on aggregate at 2-2. Real Madrid still led by virtue of the away-goal tiebreaker, though.
Cristiano Ronaldo restored the one-goal advantage with a clinical header inside the box in the 76th minute, beating Philipp Lahm to a lofted cross and beating Neuer with his attempt.
Bayern pulled level on aggregate moments later in unusual fashion, as pressure from the German side and second-half substitute Thomas Muller put Ramos in position to score an unfortunate own goal. Muller had replaced the retiring Xabi Alonso, who received a warm farewell from the Real Madrid fans who once cheered for him in their midfield.
The own goal forced the series into extra time, but the task for Bayern become more difficult when Vidal was controversially sent off for his second yellow card for a tackle on Marco Asensio, forcing the German side to play with 10 men for a second straight game.
Neuer was huge for Bayern in the opening minutes of extra time, denying Ronaldo on a straightaway blast and then diving to get a fingertip on Asensio's effort by the near post in the 99th minute.
Ronaldo beat Neuer in the 105th, though, as he took a cross off his chest and, unmarked, volleyed home from the center of the box. As it turns out, he was unmarked largely because he was in an offside position, though the assistant referee kept his flag down.
Ronaldo gave Real Madrid breathing room in the 110th minute, thanks in large part to Marcelo. The Brazilian fullback split the Bayern Munich defense and then laid it off to Ronaldo, who tapped into an empty net to complete his hat trick and score the 100th Champions League goal of his career.
Asensio made it academic moments later on the counter, beating Neuer from a chance inside the right side of the box to make it 6-3 on aggregate.
While Real Madrid extends its streak of reaching the Champions League semifinals, Bayern Munich's has come to an end, as the club had made it to the round five times running before Tuesday's ouster.
