European Cup Final 2024: Real Madrid Celebrate 2-0 Victory Over Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid secured their 15th European Cup with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening.

In the first half, Borussia Dortmund were the dominant side but failed to capitalize on their opportunities.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, made the most of their chances in the second half. Dani Carvajal opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 74th minute, and Vinicius Junior added a second in the 83rd minute, sealing the victory. Dortmund could not respond, and Real Madrid once again demonstrated their prowess in European football.

This win completes a treble for Real Madrid, as they also claimed the La Liga and Supercopa de Espana titles this season.

Despite the defeat, Dortmund can take pride in reaching the final and putting up a strong performance for much of the match.

Notably, Real Madrid had to adjust their lineup due to Aurelien Tchouameni’s injury, with Eduardo Camavinga stepping into the midfield. Nacho was paired with Antonio Rudiger in central defense, while Thibaut Courtois started in goal.

Dortmund’s attacking lineup featured Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt, and Karim Adeyemi supporting center-forward Niclas Fullkrug, with Marco Reus on the bench for his final game with the club.

The match saw Federico Valverde firing over the Dortmund crossbar in the 12th minute. Dortmund then dominated the following period, creating numerous chances with their pace and movement.

Brandt missed narrowly in the 14th minute, and Adeyemi, after rounding Courtois, failed to convert due to a crucial intervention from Carvajal.

Fullkrug struck the post, and Courtois made a smart save to deny Adeyemi, who was a constant threat. Nico Schlotterbeck also tested Courtois before halftime, but Real Madrid managed to keep the score level going into the break.

Real Madrid’s two shots in the first half marked their lowest tally in any first half during the 2023-24 season. However, they improved significantly in the second half.

Toni Kroos, playing his final game for Real Madrid, forced a save from Gregor Kobel with a bending free kick early in the half. Carvajal then headed over from the resulting corner and had a deflected shot saved by Kobel, indicating Real Madrid’s growing threat.

Courtois continued to be vital for Real Madrid, saving a header from Fullkrug in the 63rd minute. Vinicius Junior came close at the other end, heading wide.

Jude Bellingham almost connected with a dangerous cross from Vinicius, but the ball went just wide of the Dortmund goal.

The breakthrough for Real Madrid came in the 74th minute when Carvajal headed in a corner from Kroos. Schlotterbeck made a crucial challenge to block a potential second goal from Bellingham shortly after.

Despite Real Madrid’s dominance, Kobel made excellent saves to deny Camavinga and Nacho. However, Vinicius scored the second goal in the 83rd minute, finding the net after a pass from Bellingham.

Fullkrug thought he had pulled one back for Dortmund late in the game, but his goal was disallowed for offside. Real Madrid then controlled the final minutes to secure their 15th European Cup.