Beyond the Bavarian complaints, the final phase of the second leg against Real Madrid – for the team’s double act Joselu – held a story that perhaps only soccer can write.
It was only one goal, but Jude Bellingham provided two assists. When Joselu scored in stoppage time to make it 4-2 in the group game against SSC Napoli at the end of November, Real Madrid’s now 34-year-old striker on loan couldn’t really celebrate. Instead of celebrating, Joselu apologized profusely to the fans because he had missed a number of high-calibre chances in the preceding minutes. And so Bellingham, who had provided the assist, pushed the veteran almost a little violently towards the corner so that he could celebrate after all.
For Joselu, on loan from Espanyol Barcelona, Real Madrid is not just a crazy coincidence of life that unexpectedly led him to a world club in the fall of his career. Which also goes some way to explaining the scene against Napoli. The former Hoffenheim, Frankfurt and Hannover man, who was born in Stuttgart, is a big fan of the club.
Joselu’s brother-in-law is now his teammate
Joselu traveled privately to Paris just two years ago to watch Real Madrid’s Champions League final against Liverpool FC in a Real Madrid shirt, but as a supporter in the stands. Incidentally, also as a supporter of his brother-in-law Dani Carvajal. Around 24 months later, he will once again follow the Madrilenians to a final of the premier class. This time in London. And this time as part of the team
Albeit as part of a team in which he is not seeded. Although apart from him, Real only added to the squad with the loan of Joselu after the departure of Karim Benzema, there is no classic center forward in the squad. The right-footed striker will probably never have enough quality to be a regular for the record Champions League winners, in whose second team he played between 2010 and 2012. Take Napoli, for example.
But if Carlo Ancelotti needs a striker in the final minutes who can also be deployed with simple means, then the Italian knows what he has in the Spaniard, even in a CL semi-final second leg against Bayern. As a substitute, Joselu has already scored 16 goals this season, scoring on average every 119 minutes. No Vinicius Junior (all 134 minutes), no Bellingham (154), no Rodrygo (201) can keep up with that
Even more important than his goal rate was his instinct on a stage where Joselu probably wouldn’t have expected himself to be, especially at this age. Standing where a center forward stands. Where not even Bellingham is now. And that twice. Of course, all within the framework of the dramaturgy that has long been a part of Real Madrid.
“Not even in my dreams was it as beautiful as today,” enthused an inspired Joselu, who had of course imagined “nights like this”. He had already experienced them as a fan. Just like late Wednesday night. With one huge difference: