Alex Kirkland, ESPN FC
MADRID — “Our crown, our trophy,” learn the banner, held up by followers behind the Santiago Bernabeu’s south aim earlier than kickoff.
Actual Madrid are the reigning European champions, the 15-time UEFA Champions League winners, and, in fact, the comeback kings, as they confirmed as soon as once more on this unpredictable, wildly entertaining 5-2 win over Borussia Dortmund.
This can be a unusual Madrid group, filled with elite gamers, however usually malfunctioning as a unit. They flirted with embarrassment towards Dortmund earlier than they determined to play the hits, and switch the sport round, roared on by the Bernabeu crowd.
Within the first half, they had been poor: fragile in defence, non-existent in midfield and hesitant in assault. Within the second half, they appeared like an unstoppable power of nature, led by the irrepressible Vinícius Júnior. The Brazilian scored a hat trick, in what’s a contender for his career-best efficiency up to now. This was Ballon d’Or-worthy. By the top of this month, he might need one.
Within the previous Champions League format, Madrid by no means did not qualify from the group stage, ever. Right here, they confronted an actual threat of beginning the brand new league section with two defeats in three video games. Their 1-0 loss at Lille on matchday two might have been dismissed as an anomaly — Madrid created 9 possibilities there, with an xG (anticipated targets) of two.18, however misplaced 1-0 — however Tuesday’s first-half efficiency, going 2-0 right down to Dortmund and conceding twice in 4 minutes, made it look extra like a pattern.
Madrid haven’t been taking part in properly this season, however they’ve nonetheless been profitable video games, and are unbeaten in LaLiga. There was optimism, pleasure and expectation forward of kickoff right here, the sensation of an enormous European tie, and a repeat of final season’s Wembley last. The ambiance generated by Dortmund’s hundreds of travelling followers helped. Halfway by means of the primary half, their coordinated, mass bouncing had the desks within the Bernabeu press field transferring gently up and down, all the way in which throughout the stadium. On the pitch, their group gave them each purpose to leap up and down.
Donyell Malen‘s opening aim after 31 minutes was properly labored, a group transfer that ended with Malen on the ball, in house, in entrance of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Three minutes later, Malen crossed for Jamie Bynoe-Gittens to attain Dortmund’s second, sprinting previous a dozing Lucas Vázquez on the far submit.
It did not take lengthy for Madrid to spark into life, Rodrygo — again within the XI right here in his favorite competitors after three consecutive video games on the bench — and Jude Bellingham each hitting the woodwork inside seconds of one another. However then it was Dortmund who once more got here closest to including a 3rd earlier than the break, Courtois saving at full stretch from Julian Brandt.
The Bernabeu crowd whistled their group off the pitch at halftime, their pleasure stung. Within the second half, a response felt virtually inevitable. It arrived within the sixtieth minute when Antonio Rüdiger‘s highly effective header from Kylian Mbappé’s cross made it 2-1, earlier than Vinícius made it 2-2 minutes later, after a nervous look forward to an on-field offside name to be overturned.
Then, Madrid needed to wait. They pushed for a winner, as Dortmund tried to hold on, and infrequently threaten, if they may, on the break. When it got here, Madrid’s third aim arrived from Vazquez, earlier than a panoramic late double from Vinícius left the end in little question. By the ultimate whistle, Madrid’s poor first half felt like a distant reminiscence, the win in the end so snug, so overwhelming, that what got here earlier than it might virtually be dismissed as an irrelevance.
Vinícius carried the match ball off the pitch and can take the headlines as the sport’s excellent participant. As preparation for Saturday’s El Clásico towards Barcelona in LaLiga, it does not get a lot better, even when Madrid’s first-half shortcomings recommend there are nonetheless loads of causes for concern.
The character of this new Champions League format, with solely 12 of the 36 groups being eradicated after the league section, signifies that even with a defeat, Madrid would possibly properly have certified for the knockout section anyway. And it is price remembering that they weren’t resistant to the occasional group stage slip-up — bear in mind Moldova’s Sheriff Tiraspol profitable 2-1 on the Bernabeu in 2021? Madrid went on to elevate the Champions League that season.
However in the long run, there was no slip-up right here. There was enterprise as typical. After this second half, Madrid might be talked about as being among the many favourites to win the competitors once more in 2025. And with Vinicius in this type of unplayable type, it is arduous to argue.
