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With two goals in the final 20 minutes, Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the 2024 UEFA Champions League final on Saturday, extending the club’s record with a 15th European title.
Dani Carvajal (74th minute) and Vinicius Junior (83rd minute) were the goal-scoring heroes for Real Madrid, which claimed its sixth Champions League win in the past 11 seasons.
“That’s Real Madrid for you,” 20-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham told CBS Sports after winning the Champions League in his first season with the club. “We have game-winners all over the pitch and we showed that again tonight.”
Bellingham called it “the best night of my life.”
Dortmund had been dominant in the first half but were unable to convert on some big opportunities, letting Madrid off the hook as halftime reset the momentum at London’s Wembley Stadium.
“After the first half we didn’t even deserve to go to the changing room with a level score,” said Carvajal, whose goal was his first in the Champions League since 2015. “But we came out of the first half alive, knowing that we would have our moment … and here it is”.
Said Dortmund manager Edin Terzi: “We did a lot of things right but they had this killer instinct. They were ice cold and they are deserved champions.”
Here’s how Saturday’s game unfolded:
Final: Real Madrid 2, Borussia Dortmund 0
Real Madrid were crowned kings of Europe for a record-extending 15th time with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday.
Huge favorites going in to the game, the Spanish side were outplayed for long periods but broke Dortmund’s resistance with late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr.
Veteran right back Carvajal glanced in a header from a Toni Kroos corner in the 74th minute, sparking Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
It was also a record-extending fifth triumph as a coach for Ancelotti, who also won it twice as a player with AC Milan.
– Reuters
With Dortmund looking tired, Vinicius Junior put a left-footed shot past Gregor Kobel in the 83rd minute to extend Real Madrid’s lead to 2-0, all but clinching the club’s 15th European championship.
Defender Dani Carvajal scored a header off a corner kick in the 74th minute, putting Real Madrid ahead 1-0 with less than a quarter-hour left to play.
Carvajal turned Toni Kroos’ corner across the face of goal and past Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, the Spanish international an unlikely goal-scorer as Madrid can now taste its 15th European championship.
Playing his 11th season with Real Madrid, the 32-year-old Carvajal scored for just the second time in more than 80 European appearances.
The second half is underway at Wembley Stadium with Borussia Dortmund trying to keep up the pressure after a dominant performance in the first 45 minutes.
Seeking its 15th European championship, Real Madrid looked vulnerable on the counterattack and required two big saves from Thibaut Courtois.
After dominating the first 45 minutes, Dortmund must be unhappy to the hear the halftime whistle. The Germans were the much better team in the first half, managing eight shots (three on goal) against the 14-time champions. They should probably be on top, but squandered a couple of big opportunities before the intermission.
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has come through to keep Dortmund out, but his team needs to clean things up at the back in the second half.
Minutes after Karim Adeyemi couldn’t navigate around Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a 1-on-1, Dortmund’s Niclas Füllkrug hit the post, though replays showed that he likely would have been called offside had he scored.
We’re still scoreless in the 27th minute.
The two sides have split possession in the first 15 minutes, with Real Madrid managing two shots to Dortmund’s one. VinÃcius Júnior had a decent chance in the 15th minute for Real Madrid, but skied his attempt from inside the penalty area.
Here’s how Real Madrid is lining up on Saturday:
Borussia Dortmund’s starting XI:
Where is the Champions League final in 2024?
London’s Wembley Stadium is hosting the 2024 UEFA Champions League final on Saturday.
It’s the third final to be played at the new Wembley, with Barcelona defeating Manchester United in 2011 and Bayern Munich beating Dortmund in 2013’s all-German affair.
Thibaut Courtois back in goal in Real Madrid lineup
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti ended his side’s goalkeeper debate on Friday by announcing that Thibaut Courtois will start over Andriy Lunin in Saturday’s Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
Widely considered one of the best keepers in the world, Courtois has started five games since returning from a long lay-off after suffering a torn ACL in August.
His return had left the Italian coach with a tricky decision as stand-in Lunin shone during Real’s La Liga title campaign and was the hero when they beat Manchester City on penalties to reach the Champions League semifinals.
– Reuters
Clubs with most Champions League titles
Real Madrid has won the tournament 14 times, the most of any club.
Here’s a look at all the clubs to have won the competition on multiple occasions:
- Real Madrid: 14 times
- AC Milan: 7
- Bayern Munich: 6
- Liverpool: 6
- Barcelona: 5
- Ajax: 4
- Inter Milan: 3
- Manchester United: 3
- Juventus: 2
- Benfica: 2
- Chelsea: 2
- Nottingham Forest: 2
- Porto: 2
Marco Reus playing final match for Borussia DortmundÂ
Long considered one of the most talented players of his generation, Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus has failed to taste major success in an injury-plagued career but the German is now ready to leave the club with the Champions League trophy.
The 34-year-old attacking midfielder is departing Dortmund after 12 years at the club and hopes to do so on a high in his last match for them by beating mighty Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
“Borussia Dortmund means everything for me,” Reus said this week. “When you are 12 years at a club then it just has to mean everything.”
– Reuters
Champions League final preview: Dortmund must be ‘brave’ to win
Borussia Dortmund have not traveled so far in this season’s Champions League to be mere witnesses to Real Madrid lifting the trophy for a record-extending 15th time, coach Edin Terzic vowed on Friday on the eve of the Wembley showdown.
“You don’t play a final, you win a final and that is our clear goal,” said Terzic, who will be up against his role model Carlos Ancelotti.
Dortmund finished a distant fifth in the Bundesliga this season and few would have given them much hope of reaching their first Champions League final since 2013 when Wembley also hosted their defeat against favorites Bayern Munich.
“(Real) have a role as the favorites, but we weren’t favorites against Atletico or Paris either,” Terzic said.
“If we are brave and not here to see Madrid win their next trophy, then we’re going to have a chance.”
– Reuters
Jadon Sancho shines for Dortmund after Manchester United falling out
Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho said it feels surreal to be playing in the Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday after struggling for game time at Manchester United.
The 24-year-old joined United from Dortmund for 85 million euros ($92 million) in August 2021 but failed to hold down a regular spot and returned to Germany on loan in January after becoming embroiled in a row with manager Erik ten Hag.
“To be fair, it felt surreal. Again, it still hasn’t hit me,” he told CNN in an interview published on Thursday.
“It’s kind of crazy, you know, I don’t think anyone would have expected this – me being in the Champions League final, especially where I came from? I’m just happy.”
– Reuters
List of Champions League winners
- 2022-23: Manchester City
- 2021-22: Real Madrid
- 2020-21: Chelsea
- 2019-20: Bayern Munich
- 2018-19: Liverpool
- 2017-18: Real Madrid
- 2016-17: Real Madrid
- 2015-16: Real Madrid
- 2014-15: Barcelona
- 2013-14: Real Madrid
- 2012-13: Bayern Munich
- 2011-12: Chelsea
- 2010-11: Barcelona
- 2009-10: Inter Milan
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