What started as a Borussia Dortmund masterclass in the first half ended in a stunning Real Madrid comeback, as Los Blancos turned a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu. Dortmund, seeking revenge after their Champions League final loss to Madrid earlier this year, were dominant for 45 minutes, but Carlo Ancelotti’s men flipped the script with a second-half onslaught that left BVB stunned.
The match began with Dortmund in full control. Donyell Malen was a constant thorn in Madrid’s defense, setting the tone early with a pinpoint cross to Guirassy, whose shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois.
It didn’t take long for Malen to make his mark on the scoresheet. In the 23rd minute, a mistake by Lucas Vázquez in his own penalty area gifted Dortmund the ball, and Guirassy quickly fed Malen, who slotted home for the opening goal. Madrid struggled to find their rhythm, and Dortmund capitalized once again in the 34th minute when Jamie Bynoe-Gittens doubled the lead with a close-range finish after a brilliant assist from Malen.
Real Madrid were clearly rattled, with a chaotic sequence seeing Rodrygo hit the bar, Jude Bellingham miss a sitter, and Dortmund almost scoring an own goal. Despite these chances, Madrid couldn’t find the net in the first half, while Dortmund went into halftime 2-0 up, looking poised for a famous victory.
However, the second half was a completely different story. Real Madrid emerged with renewed energy and intent. Ancelotti’s tactical adjustments saw Madrid push higher and dominate possession, while Dortmund struggled to maintain their first-half discipline. In the 61st minute, Kylian Mbappé provided a moment of magic, lofting a beautiful pass for Antonio Rudiger, who headed home to cut the deficit to 2-1.
From then on, it was all Madrid. Vinicius Junior equalized with a brilliant solo effort, before Lucas Vázquez completed the turnaround, slotting in the third goal to give Madrid the lead. Dortmund’s defense crumbled under pressure, and Vinicius added another two goals to complete his hat-trick in stunning fashion. His final goal, a mesmerizing run from midfield, capped off an unbelievable night for the Brazilian star and left the Bernabeu in raptures.
Dortmund, so solid and dangerous in the first half, couldn’t cope with Madrid’s relentless second-half attack. Their compact midfield and swift counterattacks disappeared as Madrid overwhelmed them with wave after wave of pressure.
In the end, what looked like a potential disaster for Real Madrid turned into one of the greatest comebacks in recent Champions League history. The victory cemented Madrid’s place at the top of their group, while Dortmund were left wondering how a brilliant first half had unraveled so completely.
Final score: Real Madrid 5-2 Borussia Dortmund.
