Bayern Munich booked their ticket to Milan for a European Cup final against Valencia last night by dispatching the holders in an absorbing match.

Goals from Brazilian Giovane Elber, his sixth of the campaign, and Jens Jeremies, who like Elber underwent knee surgery only three weeks ago, secured their win with Real Madrid scoring through Portuguese international Luis Figo. Bayern, who in the previous round avenged their heartbreaking 1999 final defeat by Manchester United, extended their remarkable home record in European Cup/Champions League competition to just three defeats in 75 matches and left Real without even a draw at their ground in six visits.

Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, who was in charge for the final when United turned a one-goal deficit into a 2-1 win in injury-time, praised his players to the heavens.

"The whole team played above themselves to accomplish a superhuman feat of beating a great team like Real twice in a row," he said. "We had to go forward from the start because to qualify for the Champions League final you cannot sit back and play for 0-0," he added.

The champions had looked down and out after eight minutes when Elber nodded the ball home after Real failed to clear the ball from Mehmet Scholl's corner with Iker Casillas again failing to impose himself in his box.

Elber had had a great opportunity two minutes earlier to open the scoring as he latched on to a great ball by Bayern's English under-21 international Owen Hargreaves, who had come in for the suspended Steffen Effenberg, raced clear of the ponderous Real defence but his shot was well gathered by Casillas. Hitzfeld handed out special praise for the Canadian-born Hargreaves, whose behaviour was branded a disgrace by Wales when having trained with their under-21 side he turned up playing for England.

"Hargreaves played the match of his life tonight," he said.

Figo, who on the whole was marked out of the game by French international defender Bixente Lizarazu, put Real back into the match in the 18th minute when he finished off the best move of the match.

Brazilian right back Roberto Carlos launched a superb long ball from his own half which was beautifully controlled by Raul, who slid it inside and the Portuguese international showed his class to side-foot it past Oliver Kahn from just inside the box.

Jeremies, who was being booed by the Munich fans earlier in the season, struck from a well-worked free kick in the 34th minute as Mehmet Scholl passed the ball to him outside the area and his right-foot shot evaded Casillas, who went down far too late to save it.

Scholl was fortunate not to be booked let alone sent off when he elbowed Ivan Helguera in the face while tussling for the ball, however with UEFA able to hand out punishment from video evidence he could face some anxious days leading up to the final.

Scholl, who had been in doubt for the match with an ankle injury, made himself even more unpopular with the Real players when he collapsed theatrically on the ground when in full flow despite Fernando Hierro not having touched him. Danish referee Kim Milton Nielsen, who sent off David Beckham in the 1998 World Cup finals second round match against Argentina, was not fooled and did not book Hierro.

Scholl's eventful evening ended early in the second-half when he was replaced by Brazilian striker Roque Santa Cruz and the German international left the pitch shaking his head.

Real coach Vicente Del Bosque said afterwards: "Bayern have shown that they have great attacking qualities and also have a great defensive potential which we were just not able to deal with.

"We gave our all and, at 1-1, we thought we were in a good position. But Bayern proved very efficient and I congratulate them warmly on their performance."

Bayern Munich: Kahn, Sagnol, Lizarazu, Kuffour, Andersson, Scholl (Santa Cruz 59), Elber (Zickler 86), Jeremies (Sforza 70), Salihamidzic, Hargreaves, Linke. Subs Not Used: Dreher, Weisinger, Tarnat, Jancker. Booked: Jeremies, Sforza. Goals: Elber 8, Jeremies 35.

Real Madrid: Casillas, Salgado, Carlos, Hierro, Helguera, Raul, McManaman (Savio 61), Figo, Guti, Karanka (Morientes 66), Makelele. Subs Not Used: Cesar, Campo, Geremi, Conceicao, Munitis. Booked: Helguera, Guti. Goal: Figo 18.

Referee: K Nielsen (Denmark).