UEFA Champions League 2024
Real Madrid are crowned European champions after beating Borussia Dortmund at Wembley thanks to second-half goals from Carvajal and Vini Jr.
Real Madrid once again showed why they are the kings of Europe at Wembley. Our team won la Decimoquinta by beating Borussia Dortmund in a great second half crowned with goals from Carvajal, who had a match to remember, and Vini Jr. Our club reaffirms its hegemony in the European Cup and writes a new page in the history of football. The assist for the first goal came from Kroos, who played his last match for our team. The German leaves Real Madrid and joins the select club of players who have won six European Cups. Alongside him are Gento, Nacho, Carvajal and Modrić.
The match started with both teams weighing the other up and with hardly any dangerous moves until the quarter of an hour mark. Then Vini Jr. tried his luck with a left-footed shot from inside the area that went high. After the Brazilian's shot, it was Borussia Dortmund's turn, who created a succession of unsuccessful chances. The first was clear and Adeyemi was one-on-one with Courtois, who was cleverly on hand in the 21st minute to narrow the angle and see the shot turned away by Carvajal. Two minutes later it was Füllkrug who received between the lines inside the area but his left-footed shot crashed against the post.
The Bundesliga side were causing a lot of damage on the counter-attack and they did so again on 28 minutes, but Courtois was sharp to keep out Adeyemi's angled drive. The last chance before the break came in the 41st minute when Sabitzer's strike from outside the area was pushed away by the Whites' keeper. It all changed after the restart as Madrid improved both in attack and defence. The tactical change brought about the best performance from Ancelotti's players and the chances began to roll in. In the 49th minute, Kroos swung a free-kick towards the top corner of the goal, only to be denied by Kobel's sprawling save. The midfielder then whipped in a corner and Carvajal's near-post header flew inches wide of the Borussia Dortmund goal.
It was Carvajal who was at the heart of the action again on 57'. Vini Jr. crossed and the home-grown player's drilled volley at the far post found its way into Kobel's hands after a deflection off Maatsen. The madridistas were now bossing the proceedings in final, but Dortmund responded with a powerful header from Füllkrug in the 63rd minute that was parried away by Courtois. Real Madrid were looking more and more dangerous in the opposition box and came within a whisker of taking the lead nine minutes later when Vini Jr. crossed to Bellingham, whose scuffed effort almost crept in at the far post. The breakthrough came from a set piece in the 74th minute. Kroos whipped in a corner and Carvajal rose the highest to glance a header across goal and into the net.
The goal turned the game on its head and left Borussia Dortmund on the ropes. It was our team's best period of the game, and the chances kept coming and coming until they extended the advantage. Bellingham had an opportunity in the 76th minute when he received the ball on the penalty spot and was denied by Schlotterbeck who blocked his effort. The next two came in quick succession from outside the box with Kroos' free-kick and Camavinga's shot, with Kobel on hand to keep them out in the 80th and 81st minutes. The German keeper was again called upon to save his side a minute later when Nacho headed goalwards from another Kroos corner. He was unable to do the same in the 83rd minute. Ancelotti's men won the ball back in the opposition half, Bellingham played in Vini Jr. who added the finishing touch. La Decimoquinta is ours, the kings of Europe. The best team in the history of football.