FOOTBALL – And fifteen. The indestructible Real Madrid won the Champions League final on Saturday June 1, beating Borussia Dortmund who dominated for a long time, before cracking at the end. The Spanish ogre devoured his German prey in pain but with great patience, repeating a scenario often seen this season, until “happy ending” dreamed of by its supporters in white jerseys, euphoric at the final whistle.
Thibaut Courtois, the goalkeeper returning from an almost blank season, saved Real several times, jostled as rarely, before the two goals scored by Dani Carvajal (74th minute, 1-0) and Vinicius (83rd minute, 2-0 ) behind the back of a conquering Borussia. “I don’t know what to say, I’m just immensely happy”declared Carvajal after the match. “I knew it would be a difficult match. In the first half, they were very superior but we stayed alive. I knew our time would come and it did.”.
“Simply disappointed”
The outcome may appear cruel for Dortmund, the 1997 European champion, beaten again at Wembley, eleven years after their last European final. But Dortmund coach Edin Terzic (41) has cast doubt on the absolute master of the Champions League, the Italian Carlo Ancelotti, at the head of the incredible armada of Real Madrid stars, an alloy of youth and of experience which has few equivalents in Europe.
The BVB managed to endanger a team that initially appeared overwhelmed defensively, and uninspired up front, during a first period that ended without the slightest shot on target. The walls of the ” White House “ of Real had sometimes also trembled, earlier in the season, against Leipzig, Manchester City or Bayern, in sequences, but perhaps not in such proportions.
Dortmund pounced on the slightest crumb and set fire to the already boiling corner of its supporters, massed before the break behind Thibaut Courtois. Real’s Belgian goalkeeper, who had barely returned after a near-shutdown, broke out in a cold sweat in front of Karim Adeyemi, who came to challenge him with a hook (21st) then a strike (28th), on a shot from Niclas Fülkrug which was repelled by a post (23rd) and a rebound shot from Marcel Sabitzer (41st).
As in 2022, where he was the hero of the previous Madrid final against Liverpool, Courtois repelled opposing attacks and galvanized his teammates, used to resisting courageously before stinging at the right time.
“For the moment, we are simply disappointed, after such a match, after the chances we had to score. This is extremely disappointing”reacted Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel on German public television ZDF after the match.
Carvajal and Vinicius in the score
The opening score in the second half offered a summary of Real’s wealth. Vinicius won a corner with a whimsical dribble over a defender, Toni Kroos hit it perfectly and Carvajal emerged to place his header and score only his second goal in C1.
Brazilian star striker Vinicius, 23, doubled the stakes to protect his team and strengthened his chances of a first Ballon d’Or, a trophy now well within his reach.
The eternal Real ends its season in style with only two defeats, a title in the Spanish league and a fifteenth Champions League, the sixth in eleven years. The Spanish club, which some thought was at the end of its cycle, continues to write history. And Kylian Mbappé has not yet arrived…
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