Real Madrid shatters Dortmund's ambition in the Champions League.
Dortmund played well against Real Madrid in the Champions League final, but in the end, Madrid prevailed. Madrid made the most of their few opportunities. German national player Toni Kroos said goodbye to the Royals with his sixth Champions League title.
The dream of winning the Champions League for Borussia Dortmund was crushed in a painful way. Despite a strong performance and the best chances, the German team lost to the favorite and 15-time Champions League winner Real Madrid 0:2 (0:0) on Saturday night. In front of 86,212 spectators at the Wembley Stadium in London, Dortmund should have been ahead on multiple occasions. The goal for Madrid, which surprised many, was scored by Daniel Carvajal (74th) and Vinicius Junior (83rd).
Real Madrid's German player Toni Kroos won his final game for the Spanish team before the end of his career with his sixth Champions League title and is now one of the five players with the most European club titles. Just before the end, the 34-year-old was taken out of the game with loud cheers from the Real fans. However, Marco Reus said goodbye to Borussia Dortmund without their greatest success.
Strong start for Dortmund
The thousands of BVB supporters at the stadium welcomed their players with a spectacular performance. Tens of thousands of people followed this potentially monumental moment of German football summer at home. And in the first half-hour, it looked like the underdog might achieve something "spectacular" as their coach Edin Terzic had hoped before the game.
After a short interruption immediately after the kick-off due to several flashes that were left unhindered on the hallowed London lawn by the stewards, Dortmund was clearly better. Terzic kept jumping up and encouraging his team.
Julian Brandt had a promising chance with a shot in the penalty area (14th). Karim Adeyemi, who wasn't selected by the national coach Julian Nagelsmann for the home Euros, could have taken the lead twice in the first half. However, the 22-year-old missed the ball too far from Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (21st). Then Courtois was there again when Adeyemi sprinted past Carvajal toward the finish (28th).
Madrid hardly visible
And Madrid? The Spanish champion was hardly visible in front of the Dortmund penalty area during this time – an uncharacteristic trait for the star-studded team coached by Carlo Ancelotti. But did the record winner of the Champions League expect Dortmund to be so brave? A misplaced pass from maestro Kroos, who rarely makes mistakes, led to the next Dortmund chance from Marcel Sabitzer, which Courtois had to clear (41st).
The 0:0 at halftime was not enough for Dortmund. All the more so because Niclas Füllkrug had hit the post in a questionable situation (23rd). Madrid was much less visible than in the semi-final games against Bayern Munich (2:2/2:1). The Bayern national players watched the final with their German teammates in the European Championship quarters in Herzogenaurach, where Dortmund's Füllkrug and Nico Schlotterbeck and Real's Kroos and Antonio Rüdiger are expected in the coming days.
Klopp's presence doesn't help
Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp, who has been a lucky charm for Dortmund in recent years, was also in attendance. But he couldn't help the Dortmund team this time.
In a lodge of the Finalstadion of the Euros 2021, Jürgen Klopp, the Dortmund icon, was feverishly cheering. The 56-year-old was the Dortmund coach eleven years ago when the team lost the Champions League final at the same location against Bayern. The game was also decided just before the end in that long-running match, and this year, Madrid was the stronger team.
Read also:
Toni Kroos, a key player for Real Madrid, celebrated his sixth Champions League title before leaving the club, contributing to their victory over Borussia Dortmund. Despite a strong performance and multiple chances, Dortmund unfortunately fell short in the Champions League final, losing 0:2 to Real Madrid.
