Real Madrid in the 2023/24 Champions League final, once again.
History repeats itself. At Wembley, we’ll see Los Blancos playing the final match for the 18th time in their history.
Join us as we follow the plot of this insane match against Bayern Munich, which would be considered unusual in any situation but becomes normal when it comes to Real Madrid.
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Index
The match – Real Madrid 2 x 1 Bayern Munich
After an electrifying 2-2 in Germany, the match at the Santiago Bernabeu started exactly as everyone could imagine.
Real Madrid began with a strong pace, pushing their lines forward and imposing their style when they needed to make their mark.
In this manner, just 12 minutes in, Vinicius Jr (who will be a chapter in himself in this story) hit the post with a bomb. On the rebound, Rodrygo took a first-time shot, but it was saved by one of Manuel Neuer’s many great saves. As he lamented, Rayo lifted his shirt, revealing a message on his thermal undershirt – “Pray for RS” (Rio Grande do Sul), showing solidarity with the catastrophe experienced in the Brazilian state, which is suffering from floods due to heavy rainfall.
Image: Leonardo Benhossi
Bayern Munich responded at 27′ with a beautiful first-time shot from outside the box by Harry Kane (who will also be a chapter in himself), saved by Lunin.
Throughout the game, there was a theme. Every time Vinicius Jr got the ball out wide on the left, he had Kimmich as his marker.
The versatile German full-back, who usually marks tightly against top-level players, couldn’t stop the Brazilian forward. Vinicius got the ball and went at Kimmich as if he were playing in a pickup game.
He won, if not all, the vast majority of the duels. One of them, at 39′, saw Kimmich fearing another dribble and not getting close to Vini in marking. The winger made a great cross to his faithful partner, Rodrygo, who didn’t even touch the ball, which went straight to goal, but Neuer, once again, made a spectacular save.
Image: X Champions League
The second half came, and the styles of play didn’t change. In the best Tuchel style, Bayern tried to compact two lines close together to attempt interceptions and have a direct connection with fast men out wide.
Thus, the best opportunities for the Bavarians came. First with Davies and then with Kane.
On the other side, Vinicius Jr simply didn’t stop. This time, he challenged De Ligt, passed by easily, and crossed once again to Rodrygo. Rayo shot, but it skimmed the post.
The duel between Rodrygo and Neuer continued. In a beautiful free-kick from the Brazilian, the goalkeeper flew and made another save.
Notice the number of successful interventions by the Bavarian goal’s bastion. They didn’t stop there.
Because, not a minute later, Vinicius humiliates De Ligt and Kimmich again, with his typical futsal dribble, touching the ball lightly, with great speed, from right foot to left foot. When he cleared the play past the two markers, he unleashed a rocket from inside the box. Neuer, once again, made an incredible save.
Just when it seemed like the Madrid goal was taking shape, Tuchel’s excellent tactics paid off. Alphonso Davies received the ball on the left flank, with the Real Madrid defense retreating.
The Canadian full-back used his unmatched acceleration, cut inside, and took an incredible shot with his right, non-dominant foot. The ball kissed the net in a cinematic goal.
Bayern Munich was leading Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, 68′ into the match.
Image: Reproduction CNN Brazil
As expected, Los Blancos didn’t falter and equalized two minutes later. However, the goal was disallowed by the referee after VAR intervention, which found a foul by Nacho on Kimmich.
Time passed, and Madrid seemed unable to find a solution for a goal. The Bavarians, meanwhile, had good chances to extend the lead. Kin Min-jae, who was so contested in the first leg, hit the crossbar with a header that shook the goal.
Furthermore, on a counter-attack led by Thomas Müller, Dier’s pass was too long, resulting in another missed opportunity.
Just before, Tuchel aimed to secure the result, so he substituted Sané and Kane, bringing on Müller and Choupo-Moting, mainly to help with aerial balls. However, the changes made the team heavier.
Thus, when no one expected, or rather, when everyone expected, the Madrid Time arrived.
At 87′, in an unimaginable moment where the most improbable things happened, Real Madrid scored.
First, Vinicius Jr received one of many balls out wide on the left. He had Mendy sprinting like an arrow behind him, unmarked, as Kimmich couldn’t take his eyes off Vini.
The Brazilian forward ignored the full-back’s run and chose what would be seen as a wrong play. He shot exactly where Neuer was positioned but with venom.
The German goalkeeper, who was considered the best player of the match until then, spilled the ball. It fell to the illuminated one, Joselu, who pounced on the rebound and leveled the score.
Los Blancos needed just two more minutes to turn the tide. A ball lifted into the area fell to Nacho. The defender played it to his defensive partner, Rüdiger, who crossed first-time, precisely, to Joselu.
The striker nodded it in to turn the game around. Pandemonium at the Bernabeu after the VAR’s confirmation of the legal position.
Despite the excitement, it wasn’t the end.
The match referee Szymon Marciniak, rightly considered one of the best in the world, and his team, staged regrettable scenes in the execution of their profession.
Being complicit in Bayern Munich players’ dives to waste time, he continued to add stoppage time.
Thus, in the last play of the match, with over 12 minutes of added time elapsed, a pass was sent to Mazraoui, who was cut off by Mendy. At this moment, the assistant, contrary to absolutely all VAR protocol, raised the flag and signaled offside. Marciniak, also incorrectly, blew the whistle for the assistant’s call.
In the next split second, Müller contested the ball, which fell to De Ligt. The defender struck it hard and low, and the ball went in.
As the offside call was made before the ball entered the goal, the play couldn’t be reviewed by VAR. Therefore, when it was evident that Mazraoui wasn’t in an offside position, nothing could be done.
Finally, the match ended, and Real Madrid reached their 18th Champions League final.
The Characters – Real Madrid in the 2023/24 Champions League Final
Vinicius Jr
How long will they neglect this player? Not only did he score two goals in the first leg, but he also presented a spectacular football, full of confidence and artistry.
Certainly, Vinicius is a provocative player, just like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo, Romário, Maradona, and Pelé. But strangely, for many fans and communicators, only Vini can be considered a bad athlete, without sporting virtues.
Vinicius Jr is hunted on the field, the target of incessant provocations, racism, and xenophobia, but when he doesn’t pick up the ball passed to him by Kimmich and drops it to the ground, he is considered a bad winner and a bad character.
It’s interesting to see how the moral gauge varies according to each viewer’s worldview.
The fact is, this distorted view of Vinicius Jr’s behavior keeps the best and most decisive football player in the world far from the Ballon d’Or.
When, in fact, based on the football he’s shown, he should be the top candidate for the award.
Real Madrid’s number 7 shirt is in good hands.
Image: X Champions League
Harry Kane
It seems repetitive, but football indeed brings with it mystiques and stories that seem to have come out of a movie.
With the elimination in the 2023/24 Champions League, Harry Kane continues without winning any official titles as a professional player.
Considered by many as the great center-forward of his generation, his negative mystique managed to break a streak of eleven consecutive seasons with titles.
Clearly, this is a joke. The one who failed to become a champion this year was Bayern Munich, their entire squad, and coaching staff.
Joselu
Joselu is a player of great vigor. A typical bulldozing center-forward, he fights for every ball and has a good eye for goal.
However, it cannot be said that he is a player of refined technique. For many, he doesn’t have the quality required to be the center-forward of the world’s greatest club, which, strictly speaking, may even be true.
But Joselu is a die-hard fan of Los Blancos. He left his soul on the field.
Imagine qualifying your team, at home, for the Champions League final, scoring two goals?
Cinematic.
Szymon Marciniak
The Polish referee is a familiar face in the most important games in the European and world circuit.
However, in this specific match, his performance and that of his refereeing team compromised the result of the game.
Yes, many commentators said that the Real Madrid players relaxed their bodies with the final whistle. But it is evident that, even if they had tried to reach this ball, they would not have succeeded.
De Ligt hit a precise shot. Validation would have taken the game to extra time.
Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid
The mystique of this club in the Champions League predates Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure, but he perfectly replicated it.
In the previous conquest, in 2021/22, the matches followed the same pattern.
Calmness and composure to score in the final moments and turn around scores that seemed impossible.
As if not only the players and coaching staff, but also all the fans inside the stadium, knew that no matter the scoreline and minute: Real Madrid will come out qualified.
The atmosphere created seems to propel each play. As if the fourteen eared trophies entered the field and pushed the ball into the back of the net.
A magic like no other.
Now, Real Madrid aims for the elusive 15th, against Borussia Dortmund.
Imagem: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
Written by Vitor F L Miller.
