Real Madrid Secures 15 Champions League Titles in grand fashion.
With yet another goal in a final from Vinicius Jr, Los Blancos further cement their position as the most successful club in the most coveted European club competition.
Join us as we delve into this thrilling final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
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Index
Borussia Dortmund’s Beautiful Campaign
Dortmund had a remarkable campaign.
To reach this conclusion, one must look beyond the knockout stages, the phase where boys are separated from men.
The German side landed in the so-called group of death, alongside Newcastle and PSG.
Given their Bundesliga performance, it was anticipated that the Yellow Wall might miss out on the knockout stages, especially considering the impressive investments made by the French and English teams in building their squads.
Borussia Dortmund, however, relied on familiar faces like Reus, Hummels, and Sancho, blending them with new talents, which the club consistently nurtures so well.
Indeed, by the end of the Bundesliga season, we saw BVB finish only in fifth place.
However, when the team took to the pitch in the Champions League, they displayed an incredibly consistent brand of football.
The team showed great regularity, making it hard to recall a poor performance.
They topped their group and studied each of their opponents meticulously to reach the final with a genuine shot at the title against the giants, Real Madrid.
Image: Getty Images
Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid – Champions League Final
As mentioned above, BVB expertly studied their opponents and exploited their weaknesses throughout the tournament; the final was no exception.
Real Madrid, true to their style, played with a highly compact block, positioning their defence high up the pitch.
Noticing this, Dortmund lured Madrid into their half but executed a marking strategy that prevented the key attacking players from combining effectively.
Thus, when the ball was recovered, long passes between full-backs and centre-backs, or even among the centre-backs themselves, often found their mark with ease.
This was particularly evident behind Carvajal, with Adeyemi exploiting the depth in attack.
In this manner, the German side created at least four good chances in the first half, while the Merengues posed little threat.
However, when dealing with a team in their 17th final and on the ropes, it’s better to knock them out, because if not, they will come back to haunt you.
That’s exactly what happened. Adeyemi managed to dribble past Courtois at 20′, but pushed the ball too far ahead and couldn’t finish the move.
Two minutes later, Füllkrug hit the post. Even though he was offside, it was another dangerous moment.
Adeyemi had another opportunity but opted to shoot instead of crossing to Füllkrug. Courtois saved, and the German striker couldn’t capitalise on the rebound.
The second half began with Toni Kroos threatening with a free kick.
Real Madrid’s first goal started with an absolutely cinematic move from today’s best player in the world, Vinicius Jr.
The Brazilian winger took the ball to the byline with his characteristic burst of speed and nutmegged Ryerson brilliantly. Hummels came in to cover and cleared the ball for a corner.
From the corner, a clearly rehearsed play.
Carvajal, who hadn’t been having a great game, with his 173 cm, met Kroos’ beautiful cross at the near post, surprising Dortmund’s defence.
The header was perfect. Madrid opened the scoring at 73′.
With the goal, BVB’s entire strategy was dismantled, both tactically and psychologically.
Real Madrid had at least three more clear chances to extend their lead, and one of them came to fruition.
In a clear lapse of concentration, Maatsen misplaced a pass, gifting the ball to Bellingham. The Englishman simply had to pass to the world’s most decisive player, Vinicius Jr.
The Brazilian struck a cross-shot, slightly mishit. On closer inspection of the replay, it’s evident that he struck the ball downward, causing it to bounce right after leaving his foot. What mattered was that it found the back of the net, even though Kobel got a hand to it.
Real Madrid secured their 15th Champions League title.
Image: INA FASSBENDER / AFP
Real Madrid Secures 15 Champions League Titles – Records
One of the records set in the Wembley final is obvious. Los Blancos extended their lead over their rivals, reaching 15 titles.
Another interesting point is that Toni Kroos equalled Gento as the player with the most Champions League wins in history, with six trophies. An impressive achievement.
Lastly, Vinicius Jr continues to break records. He became the first Brazilian to score in two Champions League finals. All this at just 23 years old.
What will be the next feat for Vini Jr and Real Madrid?
Image: Reprodução UOL
Written by Vitor F L Miller.
