UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!! How Real Madrid Demolished Borussia Dortmund With A 2 – 0 To Become The 15th UEFA Champions League Winners

Real Madrid has won a 15th UEFA Champions League title at Wembley Stadium against Borussia Dortmund, thanks to goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr, as their German opponents faced the misery of another European final loss in London.

The German side entered the game as monumental underdogs, going up against 14-time winners who had recently lifted La Liga back in Spain, whilst Edin Terzic’s team had to make do with a fifth place finish in the Bundesliga.A relatively quiet opening 20 minutes saw both sides looking to settle into the game, with limited chances presenting themselves at first.

Despite their dominance on the ball, Madrid appeared considerably open in defence, with both Niclas Fullkrug and Karim Adeyemi coming extremely close to opening the scoring.The latter took the ball just too wide past Thibaut Courtois when one-on-one with the Belgian ‘keeper, whilst Fullkrug could barely believe his eyes when his close range effort somehow failed to roll into the back of the net, instead bouncing back off the woodwork, much to head coach Edin Terzic’s frustration.

A cagier second half followed, with the tension getting ever more palpable as the second 45 minutes wore on. Chances came and went for both sides, but far fewer presented themselves than in the period prior to half time.That was, until the 74th minute, when Dani Carvajal got on the end of a pinpoint corner delivery by Toni Kroos, powerfully heading past Gregor Kobel who could do nothing but watch as the ball flew over him into the back of the net.

After that, Madrid smelt blood: they continued to send barrages of attacks forwards, and it soon paid off. Vinicius Jr found himself with time to take a touch inside the box, before cooly placing the ball into the back of the net, sealing yet another European title for the Spanish giants.

It means Madrid have now won the Champions League an astonishing 15 times, over double the next closest club (AC Milan, with seven). For Dortmund, it was another agonising Wembley defeat – and with only a Europa League spot to look forward to next season, it may be some time before they get another opportunity like this.

Story of the Match

Edin Terzic surprised a few when he left Marco Reus on the bench in his final game for the club, opting for Julian Brandt instead of the Dortmund legend. Other than that, it was an unchanged team for Dortmund from their final domestic game of the season, a 4-0 win over Darmstadt in the Bundesliga.

The major point of interest in the Madrid starting eleven had already been revealed the day before, with Andriy Lunin losing his spot in net to Thibaut Courtois. The Ukrainian had covered for the Belgian for much of the season but illness this week made Ancelotti’s decision in that regard far more of a formality than it might otherwise have been.

A cacophony of noise from both sets of fans had been the soundtrack to the hour leading up to kick off, which only ramped up once referee Slavko Vincic got the 69th final of Europe’s premier cup competition underway.The first two minutes were plagued by embarrassment for the host stadium, with several pitch invaders managing to evade security for some time, but once the chaos had subsided it was a typically cagey affair for much of the opening 20 minutes.

A few flashes of quality were present, but chances were few and far between, with nervy passing only occasionally overshadowed by hopeful shots on goal. Federico Valverde saw a shot go high and wide, whilst Vinicius Jr had a similar effort fly well behind for Madrid.It was Ancelotti’s side that controlled the ball for the most part, but midway through the first half Dortmund came closest to opening the scoring.

Niclas Fullkrug found himself at the heart of several swift counter-attacks, teeing up Julian Brandt for a shot that went wide after bringing the ball down expertly over the top.He was also involved in a brief period of madness in the Madrid penalty area, when Karim Adeyemi – who had spurned a one-on-one opportunity by taking the ball too wide just minutes earlier – went to ground appealing for a penalty.

The claims were waved away, but seconds later Fullkrug fortunately found the ball in front of him at close range.The 31-year-old prodded it past Courtois and had practically begun to celebrate before he was forced to agonisingly watch it bounce back off the post. Still, the waves of Dortmund counter attacks kept coming, with Adeyemi again having an excellent opportunity denied, his low shot forcing Courtois to get down quickly to his left.

At times in the first half Ancelotti’s side appeared all at sea at the back, and their progress up front was not particularly fruitful either. The Spanish side’s frustration in the opening 45 minutes was rather aptly summed up by Vinicius Jr’s frustrated slide tackle on Gregor Kobel that saw him pick up the first yellow card of the game.

Marcel Sabitzer also made Courtois work, with the bounces taken by his low shot on its way to goal making it tricky for the ‘keeper to deal with. It was not all positive for Dortmund – Nico Schlotterbeck and Marcel Sabitzer were both booked for cynical fouls – but they certainly went in the happier of the two sides at the break.Cagey second half as tension ramps up.

Much of Dortmund’s success came down their left wing, with Ian Maatsen in particular causing issues, constantly hassling the Madrid defence and winning corners for his side. Several such set pieces came early on in the second half, with Julian Brandt’s deliveries never quite being met with a strong enough connection.Madrid had success from dead ball situations too, with Toni Kroos having a free kick saved well by Kobel, before the resulting corner from the German was headed just over by Dani Carvajal.

Whatever Ancelotti had said at the break certainly seemed to have calmed his team down, as they looked far more assured in possession, slickly playing one touch passes between one another. Their back line had tightened up too, with Dortmund struggling to break down the now far more solid defence that Madrid were displaying in front of their own fans.With time continuing to wear on, and both teams wary of the stakes getting ever higher, clear-cut chances became all the more rare.

Carvajal had a half-volley stopped by Kobel, whilst a header a few yards out from Fullkrug was sent straight at a relieved Courtois.A cross from Vinicius Jr just missed Jude Bellingham at the back post, but as the game entered its final 20 minutes Madrid began to ramp things up a gear.Having already threatened from a corner earlier in the half, Dani Carvajal rose highest to meet Toni Kroos’ delivery, before expertly guiding the ball home past a flailing Kobel.

It was a poor goal to concede from a defensive perspective, but it put Ancelotti’s side ahead with a little over 15 minutes remaining.They very nearly made it two just moments later, with Jude Bellingham had a shot blocked inches wide by a desperate Dortmund defence. Toni Kroos then had a free kick pushed away by the Dortmund ‘keeper, before Camavigna’s strike was tipped over the bar as the pressure continued to be piled on the German club.

This was the Real Madrid that everyone had expected to see. Gone was the timid, nervy team that had looked vulnerable with every Dortmund attack. In their place came a ruthless, force that refused to stop pummelling their opponents with attack after attack.And so, when Vinicius Jr made it two in the 83rd minute, few were surprised.

The young Brazilian winger calmly tucked the ball away after a mix-up at the back to settle it for the Spanish side – in the blink of an eye, Madrid had done it again.A spirited Dortmund did attempt to pull one back in the time that remained, with Fullkrug heading the ball home only to be ruled offside.

In the end though, the full time whistle went, and a 15th title was sealed for Madrid, accompanied by one final famous eyebrow lift from Ancelotti.This hadn’t been Real Madrid’s greatest performance – far from it, in fact – but yet again it was enough. And for that there can only be praise.