Real assures Champions League final become Madrid derby

Gareth Bale celebrates scoring the first goal for Real Madrid against Manchester City during their Champions League semifinal second leg match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, April 5, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

MADRID - There will be a Madrid derby in the final of the Champions League for the second time in three seasons after Real Madrid booked their place in Milan thanks to a 1-0 win at home to Manchester City on Wednesday night.

Tuesday saw Atletico seal their place on away goals against Bayern Munich and Wednesday was Real's turn against a rival who failed to create clear chances until the closing minutes of the game.

Cheered on by their home fans Real Madrid, who included Jese Rodriguez and Isco in their side for the injured Casimiro and Karim Benzema, took the game to their rivals.

Manchester City lost captain, Vicente company to injury after just nine minutes and were pegged back in their own half as Madrid launched a series of attacks at them, but with Cristiano Ronaldo looking out of sorts after his hamstring problem, they failed to test visiting keeper, Joe Hart until the 20th minute when Bale opened the scoring with a large dose of fortune.

Carvajal found space on the right and the Welshman looked to cross from the right of the area only for the ball to take a deflection off a defender which took it over the helpless Hart.

Madrid were in complete control and saw a second goal ruled out just before halftime as Pepe was called back for offside following a free kick.

The closest City came was a snap shot from Fernandinho which hit the outside of the Madrid post, but it was an island for the visitors in an ocean of Madrid control.

The second half saw little change to the script and Hart did magnificently to deny Modric before Bale's pass picked out Ronaldo, only for the striker to miss his shot.

Hart then denied Ronaldo with another block, before Raheem Sterling replaced the laboring Toure Yaya.

Bale then hit the bar with a header although the fact was that a goal for the visitors would qualify them on away goals and Kevin de Bruyne had a few hearts in mouths as he tried to fool Keylor Navas with a near post free kick from a narrow angle.

Kun Aguero had been virtually invisible for 88 minutes then hit a 25 yard shot onto the roof of the Madrid net, but the English side had simply not done enough against a rival who may not have hit the heights, but who were better than they were.