- Macdara Ferris
- Sat, Jun 01 2024
Macdara Ferris reports from Wembley
Spanish footballing royalty claimed the Champions League title once again as Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley.
On the day they trooped the colour in central London to celebrate the official birthday of the British monarch, it was the Royal club from Madrid who won their 15th European crown.
The colour white was victorious even if it took 74 minutes for the yellow wall to be beaten. When that happened they were breached twice – first from Dani Carvajal and then Real captain Nacho nine minutes later meaning the Spanish side have now incredibly won their last nine European Cup finals.
When the biggest game in world club football began 90 minutes or so earlier the match was just moments old when there were two selfie supporter merchants who got on the pitch to delay proceedings.
With all the security outside the stadium, it seemed to take an age before the invaders got flattened and removed from the pitch.
The game got going again and was played out to a Dortmund drum beat on and off the pitch. The yellow wall was transported from Germany to Wembley and the yellow and black clad BVB players certainly weren’t overawed by taking on serial Champions League winners Real Madrid.
This was fifth in the Bundesliga against La Liga champions but it was no mis-match on the pitch.
BVB with their press on Los Blancos defenders really tested their one touch passing at the back for Madrid.
Real’s threat came from the wings with Dani Carvajal and Federico Valverde who linked up on the left and the lightning speed of Vini Jr on the right – that didn’t stop Ryerson from getting forward though.
He caused some panic of the streets of London from a Real perspective on that right flank on a couple of occasions in the first half.
Madrid twice had the chance to shoot from the right edge of the area early on but both Valverde and Vini Jnr were wasteful with their curling shots that went well wide.
Karim Adeyemi beat the Real offside trap mid-way through the half. He took the ball around Tibaut Curtois but he was so wide he was heading away from Wembley and towards Westminster. All he could get was a corner.
A couple of minutes later, BVB hit the post through Niklas Fulkrug but replays showed the offside flag was most likely to go up if the ball had found the back of the net.
BVB were brave in their passing across the back. Ten minutes from the break Vini went in the book for taking down keeper Gregor Kobel as he played the ball within his six yard box.
The two cards that went the German side’s way were when Nico Slotterbeck and Marcel Sabitzer both went in the book not happy with decisions by Slovenian whistler Slavko Vinčić.
When Real broke from an early second half corner, Vini Jr had space to take the ball to the corner of the Dortmund box. Mats Hummels took him down. Toni Kroos lined up to send into the box but whipped it over the wall requiring Kobel to turn it around his own post.
The pressure really began to mount on the German side from then on. Carvajal’s volley at the back post on 57 minutes had the sting taken out of it by Maatsen.
Courtois was called into action to save a Fullkrug header after Adeyemi whipped a cross into the Real box.
Both sides had racked up a series of corners and from the second of a quick fire Kroos set piece, Carvajal timed his run perfectly to turn the centre home with his head for the opening goal.
Bellingham could and should have made it 2-0 soon after but his side footed shot took a touch off Schlotterbeck to take it just around the post. Eight minutes from time Real almost repeated the set piece feat as another inswinging Kroos corner saw Nacho head it just over.
Los Blancos weren’t to be denied though as they exploited a loose pass at the back with Jude Bellingham feeding Vinicius who ruthlessly finished to finally silent Wembley’s yellow wall.
It all meant Wembley heartache once again for Dortmund who lost here at the same venue in their last final appearance. There was to be no farewell victory for Marco Reus who played in that game back in 2013 on what was his last game for the club this time around.
For Kroos it was a different story in his final game for Los Blanos. ‘Toni, Toni, Toni’ rang out from the Real end of the ground as he was called to the side five minutes from time to be replaced by Luca Modric.
For ‘Don Carlo’ Ancelotti it is the fifth time to coach a team to the Champions League success (three with Los Blancos and two with Milan) to go with the two European titles he won as a player with Milan.
He is the king of coaching in this tournament it seems.
Borussia Dortmund: Gregor Kobel; Julian Ryerson, Mats Hummels, Nico Schlotterbeck, Ian Maatsen; Marcel Sabitzer, Emre Can (Donyell Malen 80); Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt (Sébastien Haller 80), Karim Adeyemi (Marco Reus 72); Niclas Fullkrug.
Subs not used: Alexander Meyer, Marcel Lotka, Niklas Sule, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Felix Nmecha, Salih Özcan, Kjell-Arik Wätjen, Youssoufa Moukoko, Marius Wolf.
Booked: Nico Schlotterbeck (40), Marcel Sabitzer (43), Mats Hummels (79).
Real Madrid: Thibaut Courtois; Daniel Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, Nacho, Ferland Mendy; Eduardo Camavinga; Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham (Joselu) 85), Toni Kroos (Luka Modric 85); Vinicius (Lucas Vázquez 90), Rodrygo (Éder Militão 90).
Subs not used: Kepa, Andriy Lunin, Fran Garcia, David Alaba, Dani Ceballos, Ardo Güler, Aurélien Tchouameni, Brahim Díaz.
Booked: Vinicius (35), David Alaba (41).
Referee: Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia)
extratime.com Player of the Match: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
