• Juventus shatters Real Madrid’s dream of a record-extending 11th European crown

Juventus’ Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo, Marco Storari, Arturo Vidal and Patrice Evra celebrate at the end after reaching the UEFA Champions League Final – REUTERS

Juventus shattered Real Madrid’s dream of a record-extending 11th European crown when Alvaro Morata scored against his former club to secure a 1-1 Champions League draw with the holders on Wednesday and send Juve into the final 3-2 on aggregate.

Cristiano Ronaldo netted a 23rd-minute penalty to give Real the upper hand before Morata stunned the Bernabeu when he rifled a shot into the roof of the net off goalkeeper Iker Casillas 12 minutes into the second half.

Spain forward Morata, a Real academy graduate considered surplus to requirements, also scored in the Italian champions’ 2-1 win in the first leg in Turin and Juve will bid for their third triumph in Europe’s elite club competition when they face Barcelona in Berlin on 6 June.

Real pushed desperately for the goal that would have taken the game to extra time but squandered a host of chances and Juve remained on course for a treble of European and domestic league and Cup titles.

“Many people said Juve was not a team that deserved to be here and we have proved them wrong game after game,” Juve midfielder Arturo Vidal told reporters.

“They (Real) have some spectacular players but we are a very united team,” added the Chile international.

“We all know what Barcelona are, they have an incredible side, but we will see who is the best and we will put our lives on the line.”

After Ronaldo’s penalty following a clumsy Giorgio Chiellini foul on James Rodriguez, Real could have been further ahead at the break.

Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema all wasted chances on a warm night in the Spanish capital with Real dominating as expected.

The match opened up in the second half and Juve were rewarded when forward Morata found space in the area after a clever layoff from Paul Pogba.

Missed chance

Chances came thick and fast at both ends and Rodriguez powered a shot narrowly over the crossbar, Real keeper Iker Casillas saved brilliantly from Claudio Marchisio and Bale nodded over when well placed.

“Juventus deserve to be in the final while we missed our chance,” Real defender Sergio Ramos told Spanish television.

“After the first goal it seemed like the tie was won but that wasn’t the case at all,” added the Spain international, whose side now face the prospect of ending the season without winning any of the Champions League or Spanish league and Cup.

Ronaldo, level with Barca forward Lionel Messi at the top of the 2014-15 scoring charts, became the first player to score at least 10 goals in four different Champions League campaigns.

He jointly holds the all-time goals record for the competition of 77 with Messi.

Real Madrid forwards flop as holders exit Champions League

Real Madrid paid more than 200 million euros ($227.76 million) to assemble their forward line of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema but the attacking trio failed them again in Wednesday’s Champions League exit to Juventus.

Ronaldo did manage to score fro

m the penalty spot to give holders Real a 23rd-minute lead in the semi-final, second leg at the Bernabeu but faded out of the match in the second half, while Benzema and especially Bale missed a string of chances.

It was left to a Real reject to make the decisive contribution, their former striker Alvaro Morata, who joined Juve for 20 million euros in the close season, netting in the 57th minute to send the Italians through 3-2 on aggregate to face Barcelona in next month’s final.

Morata’s goal ended Real’s dream of a record-extending 11th European crown and they are almost certain to end the season without winning one of the three major trophies.

Dumped out of the King’s Cup by Atletico Madrid in January, they are four points behind La Liga leaders Barca with two games left and the Catalans can make sure of a fifth title in seven years with a win at Atletico on Sunday.

After a successful first season in Spain following his record move from Tottenham Hotspur, Bale has been under scrutiny amid Real’s recent struggles, with many fans blaming him for the club’s woes.

He won applause for testing Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon with a powerful long-range effort in the first half on Wednesday but later fluffed at least two opportunities, including a header from Ronaldo’s lofted cross that he put over the crossbar.