Real Madrid’s presence in the Champions League is akin to a high-wire act, where the Spanish giants often stumble and appear on the brink of collapse, yet rarely do they fall.
Under the guidance of manager Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid claimed their 15th Champions League title, and Ancelotti secured his historic fifth, by overcoming a bold Borussia Dortmund challenge at Wembley with late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr.
As Ancelotti and his players lifted the giant trophy amid fireworks, the scene was a familiar conclusion to a narrative that echoed many of Real Madrid’s previous triumphs.
While it might not be entirely accurate to say “if you’ve seen one of these victories, you’ve seen them all,” the heartbreak felt by Dortmund mirrored that of past opponents like Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, who also faced disappointment at the hands of Real in recent finals. Dortmund’s fans, vibrant and loud, were left to console their team in the wake of another Madrid victory.
In the first half, Ancelotti’s team stumbled, seemingly spooked by Dortmund’s pace and intensity. Living on their nerves and a bit of luck, Real managed to reach half-time with the score still level.
Karim Adeyemi missed a golden opportunity to score when he chose to dribble around Real keeper Thibaut Courtois instead of shooting, and another chance saw his shot saved. Niclas Fullkrug also came close, seeing his shot bounce agonizingly off the inside of the post and later being thwarted by Courtois from a powerful header.
Throughout the match, there was a growing sense of inevitability that Real Madrid would survive and prevail, just as they did against Manchester City in the quarter-finals and Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.
Despite being in deep trouble, the Spanish giants once again found a way to triumph, leaving their opponents to rue missed opportunities and wonder what might have been.
