Real Madrid striker Joselu was in dreamland after he came on in the dying moments of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich on Wednesday and turned the game on its head with two goals to snatch a stunning victory.
Joselu, whose journeyman career has included spells at clubs such as Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hannover 96, Stoke City and Newcastle United, only touched the ball a few times in their 2-1 second-leg win, but it was a night he is likely to remember for a long time.
He pounced on a rare mistake by Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer, stabbing the ball into the net to equalise for Madrid in the 88th minute, and just under three minutes later, he volleyed them into the lead from a cross by Antonio Rudiger.
"I don't know anything about being a hero, but I'm very happy... You can imagine," he said. "It was incredible, something spectacular. This team never gives up, it's in its blood to fight to the end and that's what we've done.
"You always dream of this kind of performance, but not even my most beautiful dreams are as big as what happened today."
On loan from second-division side Espanyol, Joselu's journey to becoming the semi-final hero has been long and winding in a career involving a dozen clubs across Europe.
He began his career at Celta Vigo before being bought in 2009 by Madrid, where he excelled in their B team but rarely made it to the first team.
He was sold to Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in 2012 and then loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt before joining Hannover 96 in 2014.
In 2015, he moved to Premier League side Stoke City, playing 27 times and scoring four goals, before spending two seasons at Newcastle United. He returned to Spain with Alaves, where he scored 36 times in three seasons.
He signed as a free agent with Espanyol in the summer of 2022, and a year later was loaned to Madrid and has scored nine goals in 32 appearances this season in LaLiga.
Joselu, born in Stuttgart, Germany, made his debut for Spain aged 33, coming off the bench against Norway to score twice in two minutes in March 2023.
"I don’t think Joselu will be sleeping much tonight, he’ll be useless in training tomorrow!" team-mate Jude Bellingham said. "He deserves it all, he’s been an amazing member of the squad all season, and it’s his night."
Thomas Tuchel reflects on "tough to accept" defeat after Real Madrid came from behind to win 2-1 and knock Bayern Munich out of the Champions League on Wednesday.
After a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the semi-final at the Allianz Arena, Bayern took the lead in the 68th minute through Alphonso Davies.
However, Joselu came off the bench to score twice in three minutes to send the LaLiga champions to the Champions League final with a 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern.
"It hurts. It’ll take a while to recover, but on the one hand, it’s a loss where we left it all out on the pitch,” Tuchel told DAZN after the game.
"Of course, it’s tough to accept. It’s part of reality. No regrets. But on the other, there were too many injuries, a few too many substitutions, too many cramps.
"We started with a front four and by the end they were all off the pitch. And then Manu, who had been exceptional in saving us all night, made a mistake he wouldn’t make in another 100 years."
In stoppage time, Matthijs de Ligt had the ball in the back of the net, but the referee had already blown his whistle after the linesman raised his flag, so VAR could not intervene.
The replays showed that the original decision was closer than first thought, and Tuchel was frustrated with how the situation was handled.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Tuchel said: "We are almost through, it's almost there and there was a very unusual mistake from our best player for the equaliser, then we conceded the second one in stoppage time.
"Then we scored one and there was a disastrous decision from the linesman and the referee. It feels like a betrayal in the end. There was a huge fight, we left everything on the pitch, and we were almost there. Now we say congratulations to Real Madrid.
"The linesman says sorry, but that does not help. To raise the flag in a moment like this... The referee sees we get the second ball, and we get the shot - it's a very, very bad decision. It's against the rules. It's a disaster. It's hard to swallow, but that's the way it is."
Manuel Neuer made five saves in the game and looked equal to Madrid’s threat until he spilled the ball in the build-up to Joselu’s first goal.
"Anyone who’s ever played football knows how I’m feeling right now," he told DAZN.
"That we’ve been knocked out in the closing stages, having led 1-0 until the 88th minute, it’s extremely bitter.
"We’d taken one step to London; we saw ourselves in the final, and now I’m lost for words."
Harry Kane scored twice to surpass the 400-goal mark for his senior career and guide Bayern Munich to a 2-1 Bundesliga victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
The Bavarians, who saw Bayer Leverkusen end their 11-year-Bundesliga reign by securing the league crown two weeks ago, have only the Champions League trophy to fight for with departing coach Thomas Tuchel eager to leave on a high note.
Bayern warmed up for Tuesday's semi-final first leg against Real Madrid with three points at the Allianz Arena, denting Eintracht's hopes of European qualification in the process.
They went in front with Kane tapping in after a fine run from Konrad Laimer in the ninth minute, though the Austrian had to be taken off injured later on.
Eintracht levelled in the 23rd minute with Hugo Ekitike's shot from 18 yards out but Kane restored order with a penalty just past the hour for his 35th league goal of the campaign.
It was his 400th career goal at senior level for club and country and his 42nd this season across all competitions, a personal best for the England captain.
The hosts also had to take off defender Matthijs de Ligt at half-time after he was on the wrong end of some rough challenges, potentially giving Tuchel another selection headache ahead of Tuesday's tussle with Los Blancos.
Bayern remain in second place with three games left to play on 69 points, 11 behind Leverkusen, who are in action against third-placed Stuttgart later on Saturday.
Harry Kane surpassed the 400-goal mark for his senior career as his double helped Bayern Munich beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.
Kane moved within one of the milestone as he put Bayern 1-0 up after just nine minutes, coolly finishing from close range after Konrad Laimer's pass had set him up.
Then, after Frankfurt levelled through Hugo Ekitike, Kane slotted home a penalty with typical aplomb following a foul on Thomas Muller to move himself onto 400 career goals and ultimately lead Bayern to victory.
Kane scored 280 of his goals in 435 appearances for Tottenham, overtaking Jimmy Greaves to become the club's all-time leading scorer when he netted for the 267th time in Spurs colours against Manchester City last February.
His tally of 213 Premier League goals, meanwhile, puts him just 47 behind the competition's all-time leader Alan Shearer, who scored 260 times for Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United.
Kane is also the most prolific player in England's history, his 62 goals for the Three Lions coming in 89 international appearances.
He memorably missed the chance to surpass Wayne Rooney's previous record of 53 when he blazed a penalty over the crossbar in the Three Lions' quarter-final defeat to France at the 2022 World Cup, only to clinch his place in history in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy three months later.
The very first goal of Kane's senior career came in League One during a loan spell with Leyton Orient as they thrashed Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 in January 2011.
That was the first of five goals Kane scored in O's colours, while he also netted nine times in a loan spell with Millwall in 2011-12 and twice during a stint with Leicester City the following season.
Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to end their season in “beautiful” fashion after they were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich.
The Gunners lost 1-0 at the Allianz Arena as Joshua Kimmich’s second-half header was enough to seal a semi-final against Real Madrid with a 3-2 aggregate victory.
It followed on from a 2-0 home loss to Aston Villa on Sunday that has dented Arsenal’s Premier League title chances.
They travel to Wolves on Saturday evening needing a reaction to a poor week and Arteta feels his side will approach the game in the correct manner.
Asked how painful the Champions League exit was, the Spaniard said: “It’s there.
“It’s not going to go away, certainly tonight, but I can guarantee you by tomorrow we’re fully focused on Wolves and everybody is lifted.
“What we still have to play for is beautiful. I said before it’s time to be next to these players.
“It’s easy to be behind them and praise the players and talk nice things when we win 10 in a row and one draw.
“The moment is now to be behind them and be next to them.”
After a tight game in which Bayern also hit the woodwork twice and Gabriel Martinelli missed a glorious chance to put the away side ahead, Arteta said his side are continuing to learn after returning to the Champions League for the first time in seven years.
“We haven’t played this competition for seven years and we haven’t been in this stage for 14 years,” he added.
“There’s a reason for it. We want to do everything fast forward, super quick in one season. I think we have the capacity and the quality to be in the semi-final because the margins are very small.
“Those margins are coming from something else that maybe we don’t have yet. We have to learn it. When you look historically it took other clubs seven, eight or 10 years to do it. Today that’s not going to make us feel better that’s for sure.”
While Arsenal are still relatively inexperienced at this level, Bayern are now preparing for a ninth semi-final in the competition since the Gunners last made it that far.
Manager Thomas Tuchel also becomes just the second man, after Jose Mourinho, to guide three different clubs to the final four and was pleased with the performance of the hosts.
“It’s always better to play in front of your own fans,” he said.
“With every tackle and every good action you get the support and it lifts you and gives you a second wind.
“Now it’s the semi-finals and everyone needs to step up – we need to step up and the supporters need to step up again.
“It was a chess game in the first half. Nobody wanted to make the first mistake. Everyone played a bit safe – there were moments for us, there were moments for Arsenal.
“We encouraged the team at half-time to show a bit more personality, a bit more courage. We were more fluid and played a fantastic second half. We deserved to win.”
Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane could be consigned to a trophyless season on Wednesday night, but Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has defended the striker’s move to Germany.
Postecoglou worked with Kane for several weeks last summer before the England captain decided to leave his boyhood club in a £100million move in pursuit of a “new challenge”.
While the 30-year-old has enjoyed an excellent individual campaign with 39 goals in all competitions, Bayern’s last hope of winning a trophy this term is the Champions League after Bayer Leverkusen clinched the Bundesliga title on Sunday.
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Arsenal visit the Allianz Arena on Wednesday with the Champions League quarter-final finely poised after a first-leg 2-2 draw, and Postecoglou feels it would be unfair for Kane’s switch to be deemed a failure if Bayern go out this week.
“I don’t think that’s fair,” the Australian said.
“I’m not going to speak for Harry, for God’s sake, but I don’t think that’s the only reason he left. I think he was pretty clear that he wanted a different experience and I think there’s nothing wrong with that.
“That’s been my whole career. He was at one club for a very long time. He was at a point where he either makes a decision to stay and become a one-club man, which is fair enough, or he can experience something different as a footballer, maybe as a person.
“I don’t know. These are questions for him. But I don’t get this notion that he just moved just to win things.
“I don’t think if he had stayed here, he didn’t think he was going to win things. I just think he wanted a different experience and he’s getting that.
“I’m sure at the end of his career, if that was his reasoning behind it, he’ll find that it does. It gives you a real broad experience about what football is about, what life is about.
“I know every decision I’ve made in my career, it’s very hard for other people sometimes to understand because they’re not living my life.
“They’re not with my family or with the people around me to know why you come to these decisions.
“They’re very rarely (made) around too many simplistic things. Most of the time there’s a whole range of factors that you put into it.”
Mikel Arteta believes Champions League quarter-final success against Bayern Munich will take Arsenal to the next level as he told his players to “write a different story” at the Allianz Arena.
The Gunners head into Wednesday’s second leg locked at 2-2 with Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern after a thrilling draw at the Emirates Stadium last week.
Defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday has since dented Arsenal’s Premier League title bid as attention now turns to Europe once again.
Arsenal had lost seven last-16 ties in succession before returning to the Champions League this season – three times to Bayern.
Arteta, though, feels reaching a semi-final against either holders Manchester City or record 14-time winners Real Madrid would elevate Arsenal.
Asked how transformative victory would be and whether it would take Arsenal to the next level, the Spaniard replied: “Absolutely.
“It would be unbelievable. If we make it happen tomorrow and we’re in the semi-final, we’ll be in a really high emotional state with something that we haven’t achieved in 15 years and that’s the opportunity.
“All the preparation has been to achieve that. We have earned it. We have earned it for 10 months and everything we did last season, to start our journey in the Champions League after so many years.
“Tomorrow we have an unbelievable opportunity to make it happen.”
Arteta has overseen a sea change in approach to big away games this season, ripping up the recent form books and guiding Arsenal to draws at title rivals City and Liverpool.
They have lost 5-1 on their last two visits to the Allianz – but Arteta wants another memorable away performance to redress more recent history.
“We have to change it and the opportunity comes there,” he added.
“There are lots of things we can do to write our story very differently tomorrow, we know that and it is going to be about putting in a very, very strong performance collectively and individually to earn the right to be in the semi-final.
“Most of our players haven’t experienced a night like this, this is going to be the first one, they are super-motivated, they are prepared, they feel confident and it is something that tomorrow we are going to have to show against an opponent that has this experience – but we want to make it happen.”
Harry Kane reached his half-century of European goals with an Allianz Arena double as Bayern Munich turned around their Champions League tie against Lazio to reach the last eight of the competition.
Kane scored twice and Thomas Muller added another to overturn Lazio’s first-leg lead in style and give Bayern a comfortable 3-0 victory in Bavaria.
Lazio’s resistance lasted 38 minutes, but there was only one outcome after Kane levelled the tie on aggregate with his 50th goal in European competition.
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel sprang a surprise before kick-off by preferring England defender Eric Dier at centre-back to big-money summer purchase Kim Min-jae.
Lazio were aiming to reach a Champions League quarter-final for the first time since 2000 and had the first sight of goal inside five minutes, Matteo Guendouzi firing wide after being set up by Felipe Anderson.
But the pattern of the game was soon set as Bayern dominated possession, territory and chances before an expectant home crowd.
Leroy Sane shot straight at Ivan Provedel in the Lazio goal and Mario Gila stayed alert to block Jamal Musiala from 12 yards.
Provedel batted away Musiala’s firm effort and Gila was in the right place to deflect Kane’s effort wide.
Lazio bodies got in the way again to deny Musiala and Raphael Guerreiro, and Dier headed over Joshua Kimmich’s cross.
It had been one-way traffic for over half-an-hour, but Lazio should have doubled their aggregate lead eight minutes before the break.
Matthijs de Ligt inadvertently flicked Mattia Zaccagni’s cross into the path of Ciro Immobile but the Italy striker planted his header wide from six yards.
It was to prove a very costly miss as Kane instantly punished the Italians.
Muller headed down into a crowded goalmouth, Guerreiro’s mishit effort bounced into the ground, and Kane reacted first with a stooping header that Provedel got in the way of but could not stop.
Musiala sent a close-range opportunity wide and Bayern seized the lead in the tie for the first time in the second minute of stoppage time.
Immobile hoped he had diverted Guerreiro’s corner out of danger, but De Ligt sent back a ferocious volley which Muller headed home from inside the six-yard box.
Lazio had a penalty claim when Immobile went down under De Ligt’s challenge at the start of the second half.
But the Dutch defender appeared to make contact with the ball and normal order was quickly restored as Lazio hopes faded once and for all.
Provedel pushed out Sane’s shot and England captain Kane adjusted his feet sharply to plunder the rebound for his 33rd goal in as many Bayern games.
Muller hit a post as Bayern sought to add extra gloss, but their passage into the last eight had been confirmed long before the final whistle.
Thomas Tuchel is expected to lead Bayern Munich against Borussia Monchengladbach despite the head coach being hit by flu in recent days.
The former Chelsea boss missed training on Wednesday and Thursday through the illness and has looked a doubt for Saturday’s Bundesliga clash at the Allianz Arena.
Sporting director Christoph Freund stood in at the pre-match press conference but said Tuchel would “in all likelihood” be on the touchline as Bayern look to heap pressure on Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
“Thomas will come down to Sabener Strasse (training ground) today and take training,” Freund said. “He’s getting better. We’re positive he can be at the game tomorrow.”
Tuchel was pictured later on Friday taking training on the eve of the Gladbach game, with Noussair Mazraoui back with the group following Morocco’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations.
Joshua Kimmich returned to light training after a shoulder injury and new signing Bryan Zaragoza worked with his new team-mates for the first time.
Bayern announced in December that a deal had been reached with Granada to sign the 22-year-old forward at the end of the season, but injuries saw him arrive earlier than planned in a loan switch.
Sporting director Freund said: “It wasn’t the original plan. Due to the injuries, we discussed what we could do. We then decided we’d tried to bring him now. It was a last-minute thing.
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“I was in Granada on Monday, had good discussions and were able to reach an agreement. We’re very happy Bryan is here now.”
Zaragoza, speaking at his unveiling, added: “The plan was for me to come in the summer.
“The situation is how it is. This is a unique chance for me. I’m very grateful to Granada, but this was a big chance for me.”
Zaragoza is the third first-team signing made by Bayern during the winter transfer window after Eric Dier and Sacha Boey joined from Tottenham and Galatasaray respectively.
Sporting director Freund said: “We wanted to strengthen at the back with a centre-back and right-back. We’re happy.
“What’s happened with Bryan wasn’t the plan, but we reacted to the situation and were able to bring it forward. I’m very happy about that.
“Whether it’s all going to work out, we’ll see in the coming weeks and months. I’m positive and pleased we’re now well set.”
Gladbach will be hoping to darken the mood in Munich, with boss Gerardo Seoane looking to tweak the set-up that earned a 0-0 draw at leaders Leverkusen last weekend.
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“When you play against the top teams, you need to play really well across the board,” he said. “The other team also has to have an off day.
“From time to time against Leverkusen, we wanted to press higher up the pitch and go on the attack, but we didn’t manage to do that.
“Sitting back worked well, however. We’ll have to be quicker on the counter and use space better than we did last weekend against Bayern.
“We’re planning on preparing as much as we can for the opposition and playing as well as we can in all departments.”
Referee Stephanie Frappart overturned a late penalty for Bayern Munich to ensure they were held to a goalless draw by Copenhagen in the Champions League.
The Group A fixture at Allianz Arena was not without controversy after Frappart pointed to the spot in the second minute of added time when the ball hit the arm of Peter Ankersen, but the French official was told to look at the incident on the pitchside monitor by VAR and changed her decision.
It occurred minutes after Bayern captain Manuel Neuer had made a superb double save to deny Mohamed Elyounoussi after Copenhagen produced an excellent display, although the post-match focus centred on Frappart.
Frappart’s decision to subsequently not give the spot-kick occurred 24 hours after Paris St Germain were given a controversial penalty against Newcastle in similar circumstances, but the draw did boost Copenhagen’s hopes of finishing second behind Bayern in the group.
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel had confirmed on Tuesday that Thomas Muller would earn a rare start and he was one of four changes made from Friday’s win over Cologne, but Harry Kane still led the line for the home side.
While Bayern already had a place in the knockout phase assured, they were eager to keep up their perfect record.
Copenhagen had other ideas, especially after Galatasaray and Manchester United shared the spoils in the early kick-off, and the visitors had the first effort of note, but defender Denis Vavro dragged well wide from 35 yards.
The first opening for Bayern arrived 60 seconds later in the 14th minute when Muller’s header dropped for 18-year-old forward Mathys Tel, but he sliced wide.
Chances remained limited with the home team struggling to get out of second gear, although Raphael Guerreiro fired wide from a corner midway through the first half.
Tuchel would have been growing frustrated, but breathed a sigh of relief in the 27th minute when Copenhagen squandered a golden opportunity.
A skilful flick by Viktor Claesson sent Lukas Lerager away inside the area, but the midfielder cut back and teed up youngster Roony Bardghji, who curled wide from 14 yards.
It should have resulted in the breakthrough and Copenhagen were indebted to goalkeeper Kamil Grabara on the half-hour.
Bayern full-back Konrad Laimer got to the byline and his cross was headed back across goal by Tel, but Muller’s close-range header was brilliantly clawed away by Grabara.
The half-time sentiments of Tuchel failed to have the desired effect initially with Diogo Goncalves curling wide in the 47th minute for Copenhagen.
A chance was fashioned for the hosts just past the hour mark when Alphonso Davies laid into the path of Tel, but he sliced off target under pressure from Rasmus Falk.
Tuchel had already seen enough and that miss proved Tel’s last involvement with Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry sent on with 26 minutes left.
Copenhagen remained a threat with Neuer forced to parry wide an effort by substitute Elias Achouri before Kane did finally get a sight at goal.
Kane let fly from 22 yards but his firm drive was pushed over by Grabara in the 68th minute.
Grabara looked to have made another stop four minutes later from a Sane free-kick, but a goal kick was awarded and Bayern substitute goalkeeper Sven Ulreich was shown a yellow card by Frappart amid whistles from the Munich supporters.
More whistles occurred with 84 minutes on the clock when Muller went down twice in quick succession in the area and yet both hopeful penalty appeals were waved away.
There was still time for Neuer to show his class with a fine save to thwart a header by Elyounoussi before the follow-up shot by the ex-Celtic attacker was also blocked by the Bayern captain, with Frappart overturning the stoppage-time penalty given after Frans Kratzig’s pass hit Ankersen’s arm.
Harry Kane maintains Bayern Munich always felt like the right choice for his next club as the England striker prepares to face Manchester United in the Champions League.
Kane left Tottenham for Bayern in a deal which could be worth up to £100million ahead of the summer transfer window closing.
Reports suggested United were one of the English clubs also interested in the 30-year-old forward.
“Obviously over the summer I know there were some talks between a few clubs in the background, but Bayern were a team I was really interested and excited by,” the England captain said ahead of Wednesday night’s Group A opener at the Allianz Arena.
“There were not too many other discussions once they came in. It was between them and Tottenham to talk and then the deal got done.
“My focus is on here. Manchester United are a great club, a really big club as well. I just decided to come here and am really happy I have.”
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