Real Madrid v Dortmund LIVE: Champions League final score, result and reaction after Vinicius Jr caps win
Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium to win their 15th European title
Real Madrid were crowned kings of Europe for a record-extending 15th time with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday.
Huge favourites going in to the game, the Spanish side were outplayed for long periods but broke Dortmund’s resistance with late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr.
Veteran right back Carvajal glanced in a header from a Toni Kroos corner in the 74th minute and from that moment Carlo Ancelotti’s side sparked into life.
Vinicius Jr slid home Real’s second in the 83rd minute to silence the yellow-clad Dortmund fans who had created a wall of noise throughout the final.
It was hard on the German side who missed several good first-half chances, the best of which saw Niclas Fuellkrug hit the post from close range. Relive all the action and follow the reaction from Wembley below:
Jude Bellingham hoping for Champions League and Euro 2024 glory
Jude Bellingham is determined to help Real Madrid and England become kings of the continent as the midfielder looks to end a remarkable season on the highest of highs.
The 20-year-old has flourished since last summer swapping Germany for Spain, where he recently won LaLiga and was crowned the competition’s best player.
All eyes will be on Bellingham this weekend, especially as the pinnacle of European club football is swiftly followed by England going for continental glory at Euro 2024.
“For me the benchmark has always been winning trophies,” Bellingham said. “Playing well and scoring goals for club and country. I want to win and that has always been my mindset from the very first day.
“Off the pitch inspiring the future of the game and being a role model is something that is becoming more important to me – I see the impact I can have.”
Key battles: Antonio Rudiger v Niclas Fullkrug
Germany centre-back Rudiger, who made his 100th appearance for Real Madrid last week, played a key role in their passage to the final after keeping a stranglehold on both Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane earlier in the knockout phase.
Rudiger has every attribute required for a world-class central defender and Fullkrug, a traditional centre forward, must look to pull Rudiger out of position so gaps appear for others.
Key battles: Jadon Sancho v Ferland Mendy
The latter’s pace is sure to keep Real right-back Dani Carvajal on his toes, but the bigger threat on the night could come from Sancho, who has plenty to prove on the Wembley stage after being loaned out by Manchester United.
Sancho appears back to his best and France left-back Ferland Mendy may have to think twice about bombing high up the other end of the pitch.
Key battles: Vinicius Jr vs Julian Ryerson
Brazil forward Vinicius Junior scored his side’s winner in the 2022 final against Liverpool and his 31 Champions League goal contributions (goals and assists) over the last three seasons is more than any other player.
But Norway right-back Ryerson has been an outstanding one-on-one defender this season and impressively came out on top when asked to snuff out Kylian Mbappe’s threat in both legs of Dortmund’s semi-final win against Paris St Germain.
Key battles: Jude Bellingham v Emre Can
Bellingham, who will face his former club, was voted LaLiga’s player of the season earlier this week after a stellar first year in the Spanish capital.
He could be the difference between the two sides unless kept in check by Dortmund’s deep-lying former Liverpool midfielder Can.
The German international cannot match Bellingham’s dynamism, but can head off the gaps in the final third, which the marauding Englishman thrives in.
Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund
Fans have been gathering in different areas of London ahead of kick off, here are some photos from around the capital:
Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund: Key battles
Real will bid to become European champions for a record-extending 15th time, while Dortmund, whose solitary Champions League win came in 1997, will be appearing in their third final.
Now we take a look at the key battles that could prove decisive on the night...
Marco Reus: We need luck and to be on top form to beat Madrid
Edin Terzic’s side impressively beat Paris St Germain 2-0 on aggregate to reach the final earlier this month, but sandwiched between those ties were heavy Bundesliga defeats to Mainz and RB Leipzig.
Reus, who has scored four times in seven matches against Madrid, said: “You know what awaits you.
“Their players are used to these moments; they must be less nervous, but this doesn’t decide whether you win the game or not, because it will be decided on the pitch.
“They have strong players in every position, they play very calm football, they press very high, they run a lot, but it all depends on the momentum. We will analyse them really well.
“We will need to be in top form on the day; in a final, you need that bit of luck as well and, of course, you need to convert your chances.
“But it’s a one-off game and anything is possible – we must believe, we will believe, and we will have tremendous support behind us for this final.”
Three arrested after interrupting Champions League final
Three pitch invaders at the start of Saturday’s Champions League final at Wembley have been arrested.
The clash between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund had just kicked off when three separate individuals made it onto the pitch, approaching some of the players in the process.
The third outran security for some moments and almost made it back in among the fans before being caught.
After the trouble at the Euro 2020 final, in which ticketless fans stormed gates to gain access to the stadium, this was not what the host venue would have wanted with all eyes on the showpiece of the European club season.
At half-time, it was confirmed arrests had been made.
“It is illegal to enter the field of play at Wembley Stadium, and we strongly condemn the actions of those who interrupted the UEFA Champions League Final shortly after kick-off,” a Wembley Stadium spokesperson said.
“All of the individuals have now been arrested. We will support the relevant authorities to ensure appropriate action is taken.”
Marco Reus hoping to end Dortmund career with European glory
Marco Reus is excited about the prospect of a fairytale finish to his Borussia Dortmund career and has told his team-mates to believe anything is possible in Saturday’s Champions League final with Real Madrid.
It was announced earlier this month that Reus would depart Dortmund this summer after 428 appearances and 12 years at the club.
Reus, 34, spent five of those seasons as captain and initially progressed through the Dortmund academy before he first made his mark at Borussia Monchengladbach.
A move to Signal Iduna Park followed in 2012 and he will close his memorable chapter with Dortmund with a second Champions League final appearance after he was involved in their loss to domestic rivals Bayern Munich in 2013, which was also played at Wembley.
“I would say there is nothing better than playing your last game in a Champions League final and winning it,” Reus told uefa.com.
“Starting with a Champions League final at Wembley in 2013 and finishing with one in 2024 for your last game, there are worse ways to end a Dortmund career.
“The last final at Wembley was 11 years ago and it’s a different opposition, different players as well, so it’s not about revenge, it’s just about the anticipation.
“Now the objective is to win the trophy because we cannot imagine how things could be the very next day here. It’s just about the next 90 minutes, possibly 120 minutes, which will decide.”
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