Real were on their knees! After the most horrific 45 minutes in the recent few years, the crowd at Santiago Bernabeu was probably wondering what happened with their favourites, as Los Blancos were 2-0 down. Dortmund completely crushed Ancelotti’s boys and deservedly netted twice through Donyell Malen and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens. But when you are the 15-time European Champion, even 45 minutes are enough to turn the tables! Antonio Rudiger, Lucas Vazquez, and the King’s knight in the shiniest armour, Vinicius (with a hat-trick), sealed Dortmund’s fate for Real’s convincing triumph – 5-2!3 – Vinícius Júnior has scored his third hat-trick for Real Madrid in all competitions, his second in 2024 after his hat-trick against Barcelona in the Supercopa and his first in the Champions League. MVP. pic.twitter.com/nroJLVy9vh— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 22, 2024 Four and a half months after the Champions League final, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund were once more on opposite sides of the field. Despite a slight crisis in La Liga and unsatisfactory performances – especially considering the squad’s strength – Los Blancos were still favourites.Kroos: ‘Telling my eldest son and Ancelotti was the hardest’Carlo Ancelotti left the French duo of Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga on the bench, giving the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric a chance in the XI, while the offensive quartet of Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior, and Kylian Mbappe was ready to act. On the other hand, Dortmund boss Nuri Sahin included all his attacking power in the starting lineup, threatening Real with Donyell Malen, Julian Brandt, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, and the lately incredible Serhou Guirassy.During the initial 25 minutes, the rivals were pretty equal. BVB had a higher possession percentage and more passes, while the home team had more attempts, as many as five, but none were on target. And then – the shock! Dortmund broke the deadlock, using Real’s defensive confusion! Lucas Vazquez allowed Brandt to snatch the ball and pass it to Guirassy, who slipped it between Ferland Mendy and Antonio Rudiger to Malen, who sent it home for 1-0 after half an hour!Ancelotti’s boys did not even realize what was happening, and Borussia were already two goals up! Only four minutes after the opener, BVB’s hasty counterattack brought them the second. This time, Malen crossed it for all alone Bynoe-Gittens in the far post, who made it 2-0!As if Real needed two slaps in the face to start playing, Los Blancos hit the bar twice in two shots in the 36th minute, as both Rodrygo’s strike and Bellingham’s rebound crashed against the woodwork! By the end of the half, Dortmund had another couple of good chances over Brandt and Bynoe-Gittens, whose long-range efforts Thibaut Courtois managed to stop and, at the same time, save his team from humiliation even before the break.Jamie Gittens (20 years, 75 days) is the youngest English player to ever score against Real Madrid in the Champions League.What a move it was to make it 2-0 to Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabéu. pic.twitter.com/HAoH6OWqbN— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) October 22, 2024 Aware there was no time to waste, Madridistas opened the second period more inspired than throughout the entire first half. They immediately took over the possession and started pressing the Germans. Still, Rodrygo and Vinicius’ opportunities were too weak for Dortmund’s custodian Gregor Kobel.Yet, Real would not be considered the greatest European club if one could trounce them! Even when Los Blancos are on their knees, one must not write them off and BVB learned it the hard way as the team from the Spanish capital levelled the score between the 60th and 63rd minute! The, until then invisible, Mbappe made two assists – one for Rudiger’s powerful header and the other for Vini Jr.’s easy execution and Real’s complete comeback – 2-2!The home team’s vicious attacks continued even stronger after the equalizer – Real “smelled blood” and were determined to grab the whole spoils. Yet, both rivals entered the ultimate ten minutes “with their gloves off.” The only ones who actually had them were the keepers, who stopped Mbappe and the sub Maximilian Beier’s attempts.Nevertheless, the guests from Germany couldn’t stand Real’s next series of punches and avoid a complete knockout! Lucas Vazquez threw the first punch in the 83rd minute, making it 3-2 after a solo effort, while the alleged next Ballon d’Or laureate, Vinicius Junior, made it 4-2 only three minutes later! The Brazilian went on to complete his hat-trick in the dying minutes for a crushing 5-2 victory!This game turned out to be a lesson, not only for Dortmund, but the entire football world, to never write off Real, especially at his home. Borussia had everything in the first 45 minutes, only to be brushed off by the “white hurricane.” Real noted their second UCL triumph, while BVB recorded their first defeat. In the next round, Los Blancos await AC Milan and Dortmund host Sturm Graz.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – ROUND 3TuesdayAC Milan – Club Brugge 3-1 (1-0)/Pulisic 34, Reijnders 61, 71 – Sabbe 51/Monaco – Crvena Zvezda 5-1 (2-1)/Minamino 21, 70, Embolo 45+4, Singo 54, Akliouche 90+6 – Ndiaye 27 pen/Arsenal – Shakhtar 1-0 (1-0)/Riznyk 29 og/Aston Villa – Bologna 2-0 (0-0)/McGinn 55, Duran 64/Girona – Slovan B. 2-0 (1-0)/Gutierrez 42, Juanpe 73/Juventus – Stuttgart 0-1 (0-0)/Toure 90+2/PSG – PSV 1-1 (0-1)/Hakimi 55 – Lang 34/Real Madrid – Dortmund 5-2 (0-2)/Rudiger 60, Vinicius Jr. 63, 86, 90+3, Vazquez 83 – Malen 30, Gittens 34/Sturm – Sporting 0-2 (0-1)/Santos 23, Gyokeres 53/Wednesday19:45: (1.45) Atalanta (4.50) Celtic (7.00)19:45: (6.25) Brest (4.70) Leverkusen (1.48)22:00: (1.53) Atl.Madrid (4.00) Lille (6.75)22:00: (2.40) Barcelona (3.60) Bayern (2.80)22:00: (1.62) Benfica (3.90) Feyenoord (5.60)22:00: (1.07) Man.City (13.0) Sparta Praha (25.0)22:00: (4.00) RB Leipzig (3.60) Liverpool (1.90)22:00: (1.75) Salzburg (3.60) Dinamo Zagreb (4.90)22:00: (8.00) Young Boys (4.70) Inter Milan (1.40)***odds are subject to change***
