For someone who is a Madrista to the core, it was fitting that Joselu's late strikes took Real Madrid to yet another European Cup/Champions League final.
Jose Luis Mato Sanmartin, popularly known as Joselu, is the journeyman every coach would love to have on the roster. From Real Madrid B to Bundesliga sides to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt, Stoke City and Newcastle United in England, to La Liga clubs Alavez and Espanyol. And finally on a loan deal to the club where it all started. Joselu has completed a circle.
On Wednesday, when Madrid were looking down and out against Bayern Munich in the second-leg semi-final of the Champions League — thanks to Alphonso Davies's superb 68th-minute goal — manager Carlo Ancelotti introduced Joselu in place of Federico Valverde. That was in the 81st minute.
Seven minutes later, Bernabeu erupted in joy as the 34-year-old Spanish international showed his No. 9 instincts. Bayern goalkeeper Manual Neuer made an elementary error in dealing with Vinicius Junior's shot and Joselu poked it in.
Neuer, who was brilliant under the bar till then, made a mistake that took us back to the 2002 World Cup final when Germany captain Oliver Kahn spilt a simple shot and was punished by an always-on-the-ball Brazilian Ronaldo.
One minute into injury time, the Bernabeu, its roof closed, roared in unison again. This time also it was the Stuttgart-born striker who had inflicted damage on Bayern. He stabbed home the ball from close off an Antonio Ruediger lay-off.
The goal was initially ruled off-side by the referee but when VAR said Joselu was very much on-side a teeming Bernabeu celebrated wildly. Soon the final whistle blew, and teammates in whites ran towards one person.
The man of the hour was on the ground clutching his face in disbelief. The entire Bernabeu was also in shock. In a team that has the Brazilian duo of Vinicius and Rodrygo and an in-form Jude Bellingham along with old warhorses Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, Joselu was the last person anybody thought would be the cynosure.
That's football, that's Madrid. Expect the unexpected.
Joselu's co-brother Dani Carvajal — they married twin sisters — was ecstatic. So was Ancelotti.
"I'm very happy," Joselu said wiping off beads of sweat from the forehead. "You always dream of this kind of performance, but not even my most beautiful dreams are as big as what happened today (Wednesday)."
Last year, around March, Madrid decided to sign Joselu as a back-up striker for Karim Benzema. Then, Joselu was scoring goals for Espanyol right left and centre. Soon Benzema left for the Saudi Premier League and Madrid were left with only one No. 9.
Joselu got the No. 14 shirt — the same number of European Cups Madrid have in their trophy cabinet — but hardly made an impact. He has got only 13 starts and scored nine goals in La Liga.
However, he got his name on the scoresheet against Cadiz last Saturday when Madrid won the league for a record-extending 36 times.
A late bloomer that Joselu is, his Spain debut came at the age of 33 in March 2023 and guess what? Like on Wednesday, Joselu came off the bench against Norway to score twice in two minutes.
He also has the ignominy of playing for two clubs — Alavez and Espanyol — which got relegated in 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively.
But for now, Wembley and Borussia Dortmund await on June 1 when Madrid will vie for a 15th European Cup crown. The journeyman is en route to a double.
