Madrid saved for the semis!

Real Madrid reached the Champions League semi-finals in the most dramatic of circumstances with Cristiano Ronaldo's late penalty against Juventus.

See how this quarter-final second leg unfolded at the Santiago Bernabeu with our liveblog!

Madrid were at grave risk of being on the receiving side of another Italian 'remontada' after Juve went 3-0 up inside the hour, but Michael Oliver’s last-ditch decision to award a spot-kick and send off Gianluigi Buffon saw Ronaldo suddenly fire the hosts into the last four.

Los Blancos threw Jesus Vallejo into their defence, with Sergio Ramos suspended, while Gareth Bale partnered the Portuguese up top.

Juve, on the other hand, switched to a 4-3-3 formation, bringing in Medhi Benatia, Miralem Pjanic and Mario Mandzukic from their 3-0 defeat in the first leg.

Madrid could’ve been the only Spanish team in the Champions League semi-finals as Barcelona were sensationally knocked out by Roma and Sevilla needed to overturn two away goals at Bayern Munich.

Within 76 seconds, former Blanco midfielder Sami Khedira whipped in a cross to find Mario Mandzukic totally unmarked for a free header at the back post.

There was nearly a second, and again it was sparked by Douglas Costa running at the panicked Merengues defence, but this time Keylor Navas got a hand to both the low cross and Gonzalo Higuain’s follow-up from close range.

Buffon was also tested, denying a Bale shot in his box and deflecting the Welshman’s subsequent backheel into side-netting., before parrying a Cristiano Ronaldo solo effort into the path of Isco, whose finish on the rebound was ruled out, despite the midfielder looking level.

Juve were forced into an early change, when Mattia De Sciglio limped off to make way for Stephan Lichtsteiner just 17 minutes in, yet they doubled their lead with a very similar goal to the first. A Lichtsteiner cross came in from the right and Mandzukic nodded in at the back post, outjumping Dani Carvajal.

Madrid had the chance to grab one back on the stroke of half-time, but Raphael Varane’s header from a free kick smacked the bar.

Zinedine Zidane wasted no time making a double change for the second half, with Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio replacing Bale and Casemiro.

Douglas Costa blasted over the bar and Buffon beat away a tricky Lucas Vazquez cross-shot, while Keylor Navas palmed away a strike from ex-madridista Gonzalo Higuain.

With the tie on a knife edge, the pressure got to Keylor, who fumbled a Douglas Costa cross and Blaise Matuidi turned the loose ball into an empty net from a couple of yards.

The match was heading for extra-time, but Madrid – winners of the last two Champions Leagues – weren’t about to let go of their crown without a fight.

Buffon was wrong-footed by a deflection on Isco’s low drive but scrambled back to fingertip it round the base of the near post. Varane then fired wide from the corner and Ronaldo nodded over, but just as they were 30 seconds away from extra time, the unthinkable happened.

Medhi Benatia clumsily nudged Lucas Vazquez in the back and referee Oliver awarded a penalty. Buffon’s protests were so furious that he was sent off. A few minutes after the red mist cleared, Ronaldo blasted the spot-kick into the bottom right for a night to remember at the Bernabeu.

HT: Real Madrid 1-3 Juventus (4-3 agg.)

Ronaldo pen 90 (RM) Mandzukic 2, 37, Matuidi 60, Buffon sent off 90 (J)

Real Madrid: Keylor; Carvajal, Varane, Vallejo, Marcelo; Modric (Kovacic 75), Casemiro (Asensio 46), Kroos; Isco; Bale (Vazquez 46), Ronaldo

Juventus: Buffon; De Sciglio (Lichtsteiner 17), Benatia, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic, Matuidi; Douglas Costa, Higuain (Szczesny 90), Mandzukic

Referee: Oliver (ENG)

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