On Saturday, June 1, Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League Final. Madrid, a club that already holds the record for most Champion Leagues won, has now extended their trophy count to 15. This competition took place at Wembley Stadium in London, better known as the home of English soccer. While the results of this match were considered to be predictable by many, Dortmund dominated chances in the second half. The two teams entered this half at 0-0; however, that all ended at the 74th minute when Dani Carvajal found the back of the net to put Real Madrid up. Dortmund continued to fight back viciously for nine minutes until Madrid superstar, Vinicius Junior, scored the second goal. Following this goal, Dortmund fans accepted the defeat. Real Madrid reaffirmed their position as an unstoppable force, and Dortmund continued their UCL drought.
While they may not have won the final, Borussia Dortmund (BVB) had accomplished an incredible run to make it as far as they did. To begin, Dortmund was drawn into what was widely considered “The Group of Death.” This stage would consist of Dortmund, AC Milan, Paris Saint Germain, and Newcastle. Despite being underdogs in the group stage alone, Dortmund managed to make it out at the top of the table with 11 points. After beating PSV in Eindhoven in the Round of 16, Dortmund was faced with entering the second leg of the quarter finals down 0-1 in the aggregate score against Atletico de Madrid. Impressively, this team managed to win 4-2 which qualified them for the semi finals. Finally, Dortmund was set to rematch Paris Saint Germain after losing 0-2 earlier in the tournament. BVB had pulled off the upset and punched their way into the finals.
Real Madrid’s journey to the finals was dominant. After finishing top of their group with 18 points, Madrid continued to destroy any team in their path until they were faced with the previous Champions League winners, Manchester City. This matchup served as a rematch for last year’s UCL final. After a thrilling first leg, the two teams entered the week tied at 3-3. In the second match through 120 minutes the score remained tied at 1-1 and was sent to penalties. Defender Anthonio Rüdiger scored the final penalty to send Madrid to the semifinals. Real Madrid finally got matched up with German powerhouse, FC Bayern Munich, and defeated them with an aggregate score of 4-3. The win in the finals against Dortmund capped off an incredibly successful year for Real Madrid. In 2024, they had not only won a Champions League, but also finished at the top of the La Liga table this season.
