Real Madrid regained their place on top of the European football tree by securing an historic 15th Champions League title at Wembley on Saturday night.
Second-half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior downed a spirited Borussia Dortmund side, whose profligate finishing proved costly.
The biggest night of the year in club football was interrupted early doors by a trio of pitch invaders, in spite of efforts to beef up security at the stadium following the crazy scenes at the Euro 2020 final at the same venue.
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Once we actually got to see the game flow it was the German outfit who started the stronger, Julian Brandt getting an early chance. Niclas Fullkrug hit the post soon after, although he looked a touch offside on the replays.
Karim Adeyemi and Marcel Sabitzer carved out opportunities, jadon Sancho was lively but not impactful enough in the box. The moment Dortmund might regret most, however, is squandering a 6-on-3 counter-attack that amounted to nothing.
With so much of the pre-match focus on Jude Bellingham coming home to win the Champions League, it felt like there was a gaping hole in the spaces he was meant to occupy. Midfield was an afterthought in this game.
Dortmund came out after the break with the same gusto, but Real Madrid showed more intent than they did in the opening 45 minutes. They took three shots in the opening 12 minutes, more than they did in the entire first half (2).
One of those chances was a header from Carvajal off a corner – foreshadowing what was to come.
Fullkrug forced another strong save from Courtois with a diving header in the 63rd minute, but that felt like Dortmund’s last opportunity of consequence in the second half.
Bellingham almost had his dream moment, leaping in the air to meet Vini’s near perfect cross but somehow missed the ball by an inch as it went safely wide of the goal.
A few minutes later Marco Reus entered the pitch for his final appearance as a Schwarzgelben player, but Edin Terzic bizarrely deployed him in midfield. It was a mistake that would see the game drift away from the underdogs.
REAL MADRID GO 1-0 UP! ⚪️
Dani Carvajal breaks the deadlock to send the Real Madrid fans ???????????????? ????#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/jWsZGMkZlZ
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) June 1, 2024
Two minutes after his introduction, Real broke the deadlock. On a night when the crossing left a lot to be desired, Toni Kroos provided a perfect delivery from a corner to find Carvajal, who was arguably the worst player on the pitch. One nil.
Bellingham, who scored everything he touched at the start of the season, was found wanting in front of goal yet again. As he went to slot the ball past Gregor Kobel, Nico Schlotterbeck arrived with a vital block.
Toni Kroos, playing the last game of his club career, could have capped a fairytale night with a decisive goal, but his direct free kick was saved. Moments later Eduardo Camavinga’s long-range effort appeared to be dipping towards the back of the net, but Kobel was once again equal to it. He was called to action again from the subsequent corner, arguably making an even more impressive save from Nacho’s header.
Kobel was Dortmund’s man of the match by the end of it – but that was ultimately a problem for them, as they gave up far too many chances when the game entered its most important phase.
Real Madrid have hit Borussia Dortmund with a quick-fire double ????
Vinicius Jr doubles the lead for Real Madrid… and then does Jude Bellingham's celebration ???????? pic.twitter.com/FHgLfhE1yp
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) June 1, 2024
BVB were the masters of their own downfall in the end. Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen played a square ball across the back, but it was intercepted by Bellingham, who provided Vini with the opportunity to seal another Champions League crown. He didn’t pass it up, although his finish was slightly fortuitous, bouncing off the ground and in off the keeper’s hand.
The German outfit were given a flicker of hope when Fullkrug found the back of the net in the 86th minute, but it was cruelly taken away from them by the offside flag.
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