Real Madrid celebrate 15th UCL win, Dortmund left heartbroken

Real Madrid withstood a Borussia Dortmund barrage to win the Champions League for a 15th time as Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior struck late in a 2-0 win at Wembley on Saturday. 

Right-back Carvajal headed in from Toni Kroos’ corner on 74 minutes before Vinicius fired home to extend the Spanish giants’ record as the most successful club in Champions League history.

However, not for the first time in that run, they had to rely on some good fortune as underdogs Dortmund were left to bitterly regret not making the most of their first-half chances.

Niclas Fuellkrug hit the post and Karim Adeyemi failed to convert a one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois.

Carvajal, Kroos, Nacho and Luka Modric joined Real legend Paco Gento as the only players to win the European Cup six times.

Ancelotti also extended his record as the most successful coach in the competition’s history with his fifth title.

The Daily Star’s podcast Pitch Perfect brings you a discussion about Real’s enigma and dominance in Europe and the subsequent heartbreak for Dortmund.

*Carlo Ancelotti has now won a record-extending fifth European Cup/Champions League title, the most by any manager. The Italian won three of those titles with Real Madrid – the joint-most by a manager with a single club alongside Bob Paisley (Liverpool) and Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid) – and led AC Milan to the title twice.

*This was the sixth Champions League win by Madrid’s quartet of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, and Nacho, taking them taking them level with Paco Gento (6) for most European Cup/Champions League wins in history.

*Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was just the second player to make his first start of a Champions League campaign in the final, after Ryan Bertrand for Chelsea in 2011-12.

*Right-back Dani Carvajal became the first defender to score in the final after his former teammate Sergio Ramos headed one in against Atletico Madrid in 2015-16. Making his 89th Champions League appearance, it was Carvajal’s second goal in the competition.

*Real became the 12th different side to go unbeaten in their European Cup/Champions League title win. This was their first time in that regard and the 16th occasion overall in which the competition has seen an unbeaten champion. The Los Blancos also became the second Spanish side to do so after Barcelona achieved the feat in 2005-06.

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