LONDON With a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Saturday, Real Madrid won the Champions League for a record-tying 15th time, and Carlo Ancelotti declared that his team had had a “10 out of 10” season.
Real Madrid, who also won La Liga in Spain, defeated Dortmund with to two goals from Daniel Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior late in the second half. With the victory, Ancelotti achieved a new record by winning his fifth Champions League trophy as manager. Real Madrid players Toni Kroos, Carvajal, Luka Modric, and Nacho also joined club great Paco Gento in having won six Champions League titles as players.
Madrid were crowned European champions once more, but Dortmund was unfortunate not to cause a major upset in London, where they lost to Bayern Munich in the 2013 final. Although Edin Terzic’s team had the better of the first half, Julian Brandt, Nikolas Füllkrug, and Karim Adeyemi all squandered good opportunities to put the scoreboard first. “[Dortmund] played better than us and had more chances than us, but they let us get away with 0-0 at half-time,” Ancelotti stated. “We played better, had more balance, and won the game in the second half.
This season, I believe we faced a great deal of problems. We have to replace the skill of our lost quality players with devotion.”Champions League victories need both quality and sacrifice, but this one makes me extremely happy because we never give up and always fight until the very end. We’re a 10 out of 10 this season, in my opinion. It’s been a 10/10 season thus far. My players have performed incredibly well.”
Ancelotti stated that after winning the Champions League for the 15th time, Real Madrid’s focus will immediately shift to winning it for the 16th time the following season. “That’s the way it is, that’s how football is,” he stated. What thoughts go through my mind? There was genuine fear that we wouldn’t win the Champions League final, as Dortmund posed a formidable opponent. Everyone was rooting for us to win for the eighth time in a row.
“We are never pleased with the constant demand in this club. The players will return from the Euros and Copa America with the same fervor and drive.”I’m incredibly excited about this competition, but the goal is to try to feel joyful after this game. I’m fortunate enough to be at the world’s greatest club.”
When Füllkrug, a German international, struck the post after 24 minutes, he came the closest to ending the tie. With former Dortmund player Jude Bellingham neutralized by his former colleagues, Madrid found it difficult to get into the game. However, Real calmed down in the second half after surviving the first-half storm and finally consolidated their lead before Carvajal and Vinícius scored the game-winning goals.
“It was an extremely challenging game,” Carvajal said to Movistar. “They were significantly superior in the first half, but we managed to survive. We were aware that our time would arrive. We were skilled at enduring pain. That’s how football works.” In the meantime, Ancelotti gave honors to midfielder Kroos, who participated in his last club football match. Ancelotti made a joke about Kroos retiring after Euro 2024 and how Real Madrid is now waiting for him to alter his mind.
“Kroos has my sincere gratitude,” he remarked. “There is no way to place higher than this; he finished at the very top.” He is an icon at our club and had the guts to see his career through.”All of his fans are appreciative of his professionalism and approach. I’ve told him that we’re waiting on him to decide otherwise—we’re waiting on you.Although we have guys who can step in for him, we have lost a key player. Nevertheless, we will adjust and play a little differently. “We have fantastic players and the resources to remain competitive.”
