Real Madrid were crowned European champions for the 15th time at Wembley Stadium, beating a brave Borussia Dortmund 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior to seal victory in the Champions League final.
The German side hit the post in the first half and created two further clear-cut chances to almost cause a major upset, but Real have a special relationship with this competition and their play improved in the second half, finally coming to life.
Toni Kroos – playing his final game for the club – assisted Carvajal to head in a corner kick with 16 minutes remaining, before England’s Jude Bellingham set up Vinicius Junior for a goal soon after to exacerbate Dortmund’s lack of manpower.
For a more accessible video player, use Chrome browser
Sky Sports’ Gail Davies and Kaveh Solhekolu discuss Real Madrid’s incredible performance as they became European champions for the 15th time.
Niklas Flukrug thought he had created a clear chance with a powerful header early on when he smashed the ball inside the post as Dortmund broke through the Real defence at will, but the effort was ruled out for offside and Dortmund’s hopes of an unlikely comeback all but ended.
Real Madrid, the European champions, have won again. Decimo Quinta It has been secured.
It is the first time the Spanish champions have won a European tournament without losing a game and they have had to come back from behind four times before, including a last-minute comeback against Bayern Munich in the semi-finals and a penalty shootout victory over last season’s winners Manchester City in the quarter-finals, but they remained firm in their victory.
For Carvajal, Kroos and teammates Nacho and Luka Modric, it is their sixth Champions League triumph with Real Madrid – and Carlo Ancelotti’s fifth as a manager – but is it the start of even more glory for the 20-year-old Bellingham?
For a more accessible video player, use Chrome browser
Real Madrid fans celebrated their Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund with a viewing party at the Bernabeu.
Bellingham: It was the best night of my life!
Jude Bellingham tells TNT Sports:
“I’ve always dreamed of playing this game. Sometimes in life you’re told you can’t do it. Days like this remind you of that. Sometimes it gets hard and you question if it’s worth it, but nights like this make you realize it is.”
“It was fine until I saw my mum and dad. I’m out until 12 at night taking them to football even though I’m usually home by 7pm. And then I see my little brother, who I’m trying to be an example to. It was the best night of my life.”
How Real Madrid became champions again
Dortmund’s chances were much less impressive. They had beaten Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain en route to the final, but missed chances in the first half were what cost them here. Standing in front of their supporters, who roared throughout the match, it may have been the most haunting moment for Dortmund.
In the end, it was heartbreak at Wembley again, much like defeat to Bayern Munich in the 2013 final – and for Marco Reus, it was as painful as ever to be there 11 years ago.
There was some early confusion as players encroached onto the pitch, but Dortmund quickly picked up the pace and started to get passes in behind Real’s defensive line, with Julian Brandt curling the ball past the far post and Karim Adeyemi carrying the ball just wide of Thibaut Courtois’ defence.
Real were unable to fill the gap and Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen, who was celebrating his Championship win with Burnley this time last year, fed Fulkrug who fired a shot inside the post midway through the first half.
The big striker came close again soon after, but this time he was unable to gather enough strength to head in Adeyemi’s deflected shot. The left winger was looking formidable. Jadon Sancho was also having success at the other end. Marcel Sabitzer also came forward from midfield to force Courtois into a save, and Dortmund finished the first half in command.
Comparing shot maps from the Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid
The best moment of Real Madrid’s first 45 minutes was an audacious shot from Vinicius Junior from the edge of the penalty area. They finally got a good pass from Kroos’ free kick through to Gregor Kobel and the ensuing corner saw Carvajal go close to scoring. A few minutes later, the right-back fired a shot at the post, which deflected nicely off the keeper and into the goal.
Real finally found their groove. Courtois had to parry a Hurkruk header but the game was playing out in front of the Dortmund goal. Bellingham nearly flicked home a floating cross from Vinicius Junior, but the Brazilian was laughing inside at the clever trick that had earned Real a corner kick. The set-piece opened the way for Carvajal to score his second Champions League goal in nine years after his first. It was the perfect time to add to his tally.
Vinicius Junior doubles Real Madrid’s lead at Wembley Stadium
Bellingham again came close with a deflected shot from inside the box and Real suddenly looked more confident – Kobel had to save from Kroos, Eduardo Camavinga and Nacho – but he could not stop Bellingham from exploiting a mistake by Maatsen to find Vinicius Junior in space and seal the win with a superb finish.
Hurkrug thought he had handed his team a helping hand, but was once again unable to halt Real’s march to the title.
Ancelotti: This season was 10/10. My players have done fantastically!
Carlo Ancelotti lifts the Champions League trophy
real madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti: “There was no need to get angry. We just needed to clarify some points. It was clear how Dortmund wanted to play. We were off-balance and we needed to manage their transitions better. We lost the ball a lot in the opposition’s half and I thought it would be better for us to change the system and have more players in midfield.”
“This season is a 10 out of 10. My players have performed brilliantly.”
On Toni Kroos’ retirement: “He has achieved the top spot. He is a legend at this club. All Real Madrid fans are grateful not only for his play but also for his attitude and professionalism.”
“I told him I’d wait if he changed his mind!”
Terzic: Real Madrid’s quality is incredible
Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic“The momentum shifted and you could see why they are the champions.
“The first 15-20 minutes of the second half was very close, but the opponents were incredible. We lost the momentum in the game with set pieces, so that’s something we have to learn from.”
“We were always dangerous in possession and on the counter-attack but we just couldn’t score and that was the main reason why we didn’t win the game.”
On Jadon Sancho’s future: “Jadon has been fantastic for us over the last six months. It took him a little while to get back into form but we feel his quality and skill will immediately improve our game. He has not only improved his own game but the games of the players around him. He is a very talented player.”
“We were talking about the present, the Champions League final in his hometown. I’m really happy he’s here with us. You can feel the joy he receives in the dressing room and the joy he brings to the dressing room.”
“It’s been a great pleasure working with Jadon. I don’t know what the future holds for him, but I have no doubt he will be in another Champions League final.”
When does the 2024/25 Premier League season start?
The 2023/24 season may be over, but planning for the new campaign has already begun.
Several Premier League teams have confirmed Pre-season Friendly Matches First The 2024/25 term starts on the weekend of 17/18 AugustOthers Fresh kit Early broadcast.
The Premier League match schedule (380 matches in total) will be announced at 9am on Tuesday, June 18th. Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Digital platform.
The new EFL season begins on the weekend of 10th and 11th August. Sky Sports+Live streams and new dedicated channels give sports fans more choice at no extra cost, and in a broadcasting first, every EFL match across all three divisions – Championship, League One and League Two – will be live streamed on the opening weekend.
Another busy summer is coming Transfer period – Clubs can open from June 14th to August 30th, Sky Sports Transfer Center We’ll keep you updated with the latest news and rumors.
Euro 2024 is just a few weeks away. England’s Euro match schedule,Please check Full Tournament Schedule Join us in Germany Sky Sports or Sky Sports The app where you can follow every match with live match blogs.
