Real Madrid avoids trouble with a heart of gold

Real Madrid used the immense pride that characterizes it to overcome a night that looked dramatic and ended up turning into a party in style. With a two-goal deficit at the end of a first half in which they once again showed the shortcomings that have accompanied them since the start of the season, the whites recovered in the second half to seal another epic comeback with a heart of gold.

The goals from Rüdiger, Lucas Vázquez and a hat-trick from Vinicius six days before the Brazilian attacker collected his Ballon d’Or allowed Carlo Ancelotti’s team to defeat a Borussia Dortmund team that had put itself in the way thanks to to the targets of Malen and Gittens, and prevented the fifteen-time king of Europe from getting into a major mess within his fetish competition right at the gates of the classic.

Even without completing a good match, the whites will arrive at Saturday’s match against Barça with their morale through the roof after having a mood boost in the Champions League. While awaiting the arrival of brilliant football, Real Madrid boasts a punch that is capable of putting fear into anyone’s body, even those rivals who seem indestructible.

Ancelotti keeps moving the brush in search of the right drawing. On this occasion, the Italian outlined an eleven with less destructive potential in the midfield, but more creative. To do so, he dispensed with Tchouaméni and Camavinga in the engine room, where Modric initially found a place with the mission of giving meaning to the game. The trident returned to the top, with Rodrygo on the right sector, Vinicius on the left side and Mbappé serving as the spearhead. The music sounded good, but the orchestra soon fell out of tune.

More concerned with avoiding stripping behind than with sinking their fangs into Dortmund, Real Madrid had a speculative start that the German team, once they had overcome the respect that the last two Champions League finalists had for each other, harshly punished. Brandt stole a ball on the edge of the area that Lucas Vázquez let loose and passed to Guirassy, ​​who pivoted without Rüdiger being able to bother him before finding a gap through which Malen slipped to overcome Courtois’ desperate exit.

Real Madrid was still crestfallen over the Dutchman’s goal when Dortmund increased the loss on the counterattack. Lacking tension again, the whites left a clear path for Malen to penetrate from the right wing and put the death pass to Gittens, who only had to push it at the far post.

Only then did Real Madrid show signs of life, almost closing the gap three times in the same play. Bellingham crashed an acrobatic shot against the woodwork, which also repelled Rodrygo’s subsequent shot before a rebound almost played tricks on Kobel.

The duel entered into that visceral phase that usually stimulates Real Madrid, although the whites, focused on attack, were unguarded at the back and Courtois had to show a prodigious hand to prevent Brandt from scoring the third. Real Madrid retired to the locker room amidst the whistles of their fans, stunned once again by the passivity of the locals. With just a little bit, Dortmund had been able to bring out the colors.

Gift from Sahin

Ancelotti kept the same cards after passing through the booth and the game changed little despite the fact that Real Madrid pushed with more heart than head. Enough, in any case, for Nuri Sahin to order his troops to retreat. The Dortmund coach started to close with three centre-backs, a step back that usually has bad consequences. Real Madrid took note, intensifying its offensive and immediately obtaining a double prize. Mbappé connected first with Rüdiger, who scored with his head after a good cross from the Frenchman. And then Vinicius fished in a troubled river while stage fright took over Dortmund.

The gift from former Madrid player Sahin revived Ancelotti’s team, which went into a trance as usual in these cases. Dortmund was now trembling, knowing from experience who they were dealing with. Even when their legs fail them, Real Madrid can always appeal to the mental factor. Not in vain, his service record is full of victims who cannot overcome the post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the whites.

Camavinga came on to provide extra energy to Real Madrid and the man from Cabinda was about to prelude the third by filtering a great pass to Mbappé, whose shot from almost no angle collided with Kobel’s body. Courtois also closed the way for Guirassy in a Dortmund stretch before Lucas Vázquez shot Kobel to culminate Real Madrid’s comeback, almost always unstoppable at the blow of a bugle and who still had time to boast of a comfortable victory after two electric counterattacks from Vinicius who closed a golden night from which Rodrygo, with a puncture in his thigh, is a doubt for the classic.