Champions League Final 2024: 4 Moments that Cost Dortmund the UCL Trophy and Gave Madrid Their 15th

Champions League Final 2024: 4 Moments that Cost Dortmund the UCL Trophy and Gave Madrid Their 15th

  • Real Madrid lifted their 15th UEFA Champions League against Borussia Dortmund on the night of June 1
  • While Madrid was celebrating, their Bundesliga opponent was managing the loss after coming so close to glory
  • Legit.ng looked at four critical moments that defined the game against Jadon Sancho’s side after holding onto possession for most of the minutes

Borussia Dortmund’s performance in the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid on June 1, 2024, was marked by a few critical mistakes that ultimately cost them the trophy.

Here are four key errors that were significant in their 0-2 defeat:

4 critical moments that defined the champions league final of June 1, 2024
Defensive lapses and other things that won the game for Madrid. Photo credit: Ibrahim Ezzat/Anadolu via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

1. Missed opportunities

Dortmund had a clear chance to take the lead in the 22nd minute when Karim Adeyemi went through on goal. Unfortunately, he rounded the goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, but couldn’t find the finish.

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Additionally, Niklas Füllkrug hit the post after being set up by Ian Maatsen, squandering another golden opportunity to score.

2. Defensive lapses

The first goal conceded by Dortmund came from a set-piece situation where Dani Carvajal managed to head in the opener for Real Madrid in the 74th minute.

This indicates a lapse in marking and defensive organisation during critical moments.

3. Inability to contain Vinicius Junior

The second goal, scored by Vinicius Junior in the 83rd minute, sealed the victory for Real Madrid.

Dortmund’s defence was unable to contain Vinicius’ pace and skill, which has been a consistent threat throughout the match.

4. Lack of clinical finishing

Despite creating chances, Dortmund lacked the clinical edge needed to convert those opportunities into goals.

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This was evident in the overall match as they failed to capitalise on the moments that could have changed the game’s momentum.

These mistakes, combined with Real Madrid’s experience and composure in the finals, led to Dortmund’s defeat at Wembley Stadium.

While it’s a disappointing outcome for Dortmund, such high-stakes matches often hinge on taking chances and minimizing errors, areas where Real Madrid proved superior on the day.

Ayomide Oguntimihen, a sports expert, shared his thoughts on why Borrusia Dortmund lost the game:

“I believe Borussia Dortmund could have won the game against Real Madrid if they had been more clinical in front of goal and defended better against counter-attacks.”

Real Madrid defeats Dortmund to extend record

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Real Madrid became European champion for a record-extending 15th time after beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in a UEFA Champions League (UCL) final at the Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdom (UK) on Saturday, June 1, 2024.

Read also

Real Madrid defeats Dortmund to win record extending UEFA Champions League

Experienced Spanish defender Dani Carvajal applied a header in the 74th minute from a Toni Kroos' corner kick, helping his team to a win that gave Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti a record fifth European Cup title.

Then, 7 minutes from full-time, star forward Vinicius Jr, doubled the lead for Real Madrid.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Basit Jamiu avatar

Basit Jamiu (Editor) Basit Jamiu is a journalist with more than five years of experience. He is a current affairs and politics editor at Legit.ng. He holds a bachelor's degree from Ekiti State University (2018). Basit previously worked as a staff writer at Ikeja Bird (2022), Associate Editor at Prime Progress (2022), and Staff Writer at The Movee (2018). He is a 2024 Open Climate Fellow (West Africa), 2023 MTN Media Fellow, OCRP Fellow at ICIR, and Accountability Fellow at CJID. Email: basit.jamiu@corp.legit.ng.