Real tops Manchester City to set up another all-Madrid Champions League final

Real Madrid has advanced to its 14th top-tier continental final thanks to a 1-0 victory in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Zinedine Zidane's lot can now look forward to a rematch of the 2013-14 final with capital rival Atletico Madrid. Real topped Atletico 4-1 in extra-time in Lisbon that day in a clash that was closer than the scoreline suggests, notching a record tenth top-tier European title.

Gareth Bale's looping, right-footed effort opened the scoring in the 20th minute on Wednesday, when a strike from an acute angle bested a leaping Joe Hart courtesy of a slight deflection from Fernando, who was credited with an own-goal.

Related - Watch: Bale's deflected strike hands Real Madrid advantage over City

After 110 minutes, a clash between two of the continent's biggest clubs finally had a goal.

A cagey opening stanza highlighted by Bale's deflected goal and a near-miss by Fernandinho gave way to a second half that cemented Hart's status as City's best player in this season's European campaign.

First, it was Luka Modric whose close-range effort was thwarted by Hart before a Cristiano Ronaldo header was caught by the Shrewsbury-born England international. Moments later Hart denied the stately Portuguese again.

Bale nearly doubled the home side's advantage in the 65th minute with a header that deflected off the bar.

Hard not to feel bad for City skipper Vincent Kompany, who limped off the pitch just before the ten-minute mark with an apparent non-contact leg injury.

Related: Kompany withdrawn after 9 minutes as injury nightmare continues

The Belgian international is now the holder of an unenviable Champions League record, becoming the first player to exit a match in the opening ten minutes twice in one campaign. Kompany also did so against Dynamo Kyiv on March 15 when he was forced off in the seventh minute with a calf concern.

Real was far from its best with the absence of Karim Benzema, with the typical three-pronged attack lacking the same impetus with Jese in place of the contentious former French international.

The May 28 derby final means that the city of Madrid will have its 11th Champions League winner, surpassing Milan's ten as the continental standard.