MUNICH, Germany -- Sergio Ramos has his redemption, Cristiano Ronaldo has his goal record and Real Madrid is one win away from the long-awaited "Decima.
Eduardo Portugal Jersey ." Real Madrid carried out coach Carlo Ancelottis game plan to perfection and routed title holder Bayern Munich 4-0 on Tuesday to reach its first Champions League final in 12 years. Madrid will play either Chelsea or city rival Atletico Madrid in the May 24 final in Lisbon. Madrid, a 5-0 aggregate winner over Bayern, will be seeking a record 10th title -- "La Decima" in Spanish. "We played a perfect game in the first half, we defended very well and pressed very high," Ancelotti said. "We used the space we had for counters, with some great passing." Madrid had never won in Munich in 10 previous matches, losing nine of them. But this time, Ancelottis team put its stamp on the game early and struck with awesome efficiency -- something its Italian coach had promised ahead of the match. Madrids sweeping, fast counterattacks paced by Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Angel Di Maria, along with its tenacious tackling when Bayern tried to come out of the hosts own half, were a huge problem for Bayerns defence. However, the first two goals came from set pieces, as well as the last. Ramos, who missed the crucial penalty when Madrid lost to Bayern at the same stage in 2012 in a shootout, scored those first two goals and Ronaldo added two more to break the Champions League season record with a tally of 16. Ramos headed the first from a corner taken by Luka Modric in the 16th and nodded in the second four minutes later after a free kick from Angel Di Maria. "We prepared the set pieces and we used them to make things easy for us," Ancelotti said. "We knew they defend with a zone, not man to man." Ronaldo made it 3-0 to Madrid in the 34th minute after a perfectly executed counterattack and completed the victory with a free kick in the 89th as he shattered Barcelona star Lionel Messis record of 14 goals in a season. "Goals are great, satisfying on a personal level, but what matters is what we did as a team. The overall result was deserved," Ramos said. "Its a dream come true. Its a dream game, fantastic for all Madrid fans." After the final whistle, Madrid players put on T-shirts with the words Now for the 10th. It was a bitter defeat for Bayern coach Pep Guardiola, who had enjoyed so much success against Madrid when he was in charge of Barcelona. Bayern was seeking to become the first team to defend the Champions League title but instead slumped to its worst home defeat in the competition, and equaled its heaviest loss overall -- 4-0 away to Barcelona in 2009. Guardiola bemoaned the lack of possession in the first half -- although UEFA statistics show Bayern had two-thirds of possession for the game. "We didnt have ball possession and thats why we had no control," Guardiola said. "Its a great disappointment. 0-4 sounds very bitter," Bayern captain Philipp Lahm said. "We wanted a lot, but we failed tactically in the first half." Madrid had lost three consecutive semifinals, including a 2012 shootout when Ramos missed a penalty. Of five previous semifinal series against Bayern, Madrid had won only one. Coming into the match, Madrid had only two wins in 27 outings in Germany, with six draws. But Ancelotti had won with AC Milan in Bavaria and believed he could do it again. "Id won here, so thats why I felt confident about our chances here," the Italian said. "After 12 years to return to the Champions League final is very good for us." Holding midfielder Xabi Alonso will miss Madrids 13th final because of accumulated yellow cards. There is a good omen for Madrid: every time it had defeated a title holder, it went on to win the title -- in 1998, 2000 and 2002, the last two times getting through past Bayern, it the semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively. Madrid had won only two of its 27 previous matches in Germany, with six draws, but it has eliminated three German teams this season in succession -- Schalke, last seasons runner-up Borussia Dortmund and now Bayern. Ancelotti won the competition twice as a player with AC Milan in 1989 and 1990 -- under the European Cup format -- and then twice as coach of Milan in 2003 and 2007.
Bruno Alves Jersey .Howard played just over eight minutes of the first quarter and had five points and three rebounds before leaving the court and walking back to the locker room.
Vieirinha Jersey . Hes got everything thats needed to be a top midfield player. His attitude is first class, hes got strength, he can play, he can pass it and he can score goals,” prophesized Harry Redknapp. ARLINGTON, Texas -- Ian Kinsler had quite a greeting for his former team, one not well-received by some. Kinsler homered in the first at-bat of his return to Texas as an opponent, then waved at the Rangers dugout while beginning his trot around the bases, and the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers went to win 8-2 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory. "It was nothing personal at all. I was just saying Hi," Kinsler said, insisting he was motioning to no one in particular. "I mean, it was my return home, and get lucky enough to square one up like that and have it go over the fence, it was a good feeling. I was just having fun." Kinsler spent the first eight seasons of his career in Texas before being traded for Prince Fielder in a swap of All-Stars last winter. He got more cheers than boos when he was introduced in the first inning, then sent a pitch by Colby Lewis (5-5) into the left-field seats for his ninth homer. "I love Kins, Im just a little bit disappointed," Lewis said of the second basemans wave, though there was no apparent reaction at the time from those in the dugout. Rangers manager Ron Washington said he had no comment about Kinsler. J.D. Martinez had a tiebreaking two-run shot off Lewis that made it 3-1, and started a five-run outburst by the Tigers in the seventh. Boos were more prevalent during Kinslers last four plate appearances -- a popout, groundout and a strikeout before he added a two-run single in the eighth. "It was funny, because it seemed like that with every at-bat, it went from mixed boos and cheers to more boos every at-bat deeper in the game for him," manager Brad Ausmus said. "Im sure that the Rangers fans appreciate what he did. He was an All-Star here and they went to the World Series." Adrian Beltre went 4 for 4 for Texas, pushiing his career total to 2,503 hits, but the Rangers have a season-worst, six-game losing streak.
Joao Prerira Portugal Jersey. Martinezs eighth homer of the season came a pitch after Victor Martinez doubled. Lewis was gone after a single by Austin Jackson. Reliever Ben Rowen then gave up three consecutive hits, including RBI singles by Alex Avila and Rajai Davis, and Victor Martinez drew a bases-loaded walk off Shawn Tolleson. Drew Smyly (4-6) allowed only one unearned run over six innings. He never trailed after the Kinsler homer. "Thats awesome. I bet hes loving that," Smyly said. "He set the tone, got us on the board early and then from there it was a good game until the seventh, and we were able to get some big hits and break it open." A week after signing a minor league deal, Carlos Pena was called up from Triple-A Round Rock earlier Tuesday and went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. The first baseman was a first-round draft pick by the Rangers in 1998 and made his major league debut late in the 2001 season before being traded that winter. Only Sammy Sosa (1989 to 2007) went longer between games for Texas. NOTES: The Rangers played the first of 20 games over 20 consecutive days. At 35-41, they are six games below .500 for the first time since September 2008. Texas is 16-20 at home. ... Davis was caught stealing in the sixth after a safe ruling was overturned. Davis clearly beat the throw with his headfirst slide, but Washington challenged and replay showed Davis hand popped up and was briefly off the bag while 2B Rougned Odor still had the tag applied. ... There was no pregame BP on the field because of showers, but the game started on time despite a light rain falling at first pitch. The Rangers are the only team in the majors without a delay or postponement of any kind this season.
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