From placidity to suffering. From full victories at the start of the Champions League (for the third time in its history under this format) to walking through the defile in the playoffs. Carlo Ancelotti already said it: “Qualifying for the final was similar to 2022. The first phase, spectacular. And then we started to have problems,” summarized the Italian about a journey to London that ran in a straight line until December and with many curves starting in February. A simile of what would be an exciting final.
0
Gregor Kobel, Julian Ryerson, Hummels, Ian Maatsen, Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can (Malen, min. 80), Brandt (Sébastian Haller, min. 80), M. Sabitzer, Jadon Sancho (Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, min. 86) , Karim Adeyemi (Marco Reus, min. 72) and Füllkrug
2
Courtois, Nacho, Dani Carvajal, Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy, Federico Valverde, Kroos (Modric, min. 85), Jude Bellingham (Joselu, min. 85), Camavinga, Vinicius Junior (Lucas Vázquez, min. 93) and Rodrygo (Eder Military, min. 90)
Goals 0-1 min. 73: Dani Carvajal. 0-2 min. 82: Vinicius Junior.
Referee Slavko Vincic
Yellow cards Vinicius Junior (min. 34), Nico Schlotterbeck (min. 40), M. Sabitzer (min. 43) and Hummels (min. 78)
The Bellingham chupinazo. It all started with Jude Bellingham’s goals in injury time, a classic of this season. Only in this way did Madrid end the resistance at the Bernabéu from the rookie Unión Berlin. His first flash in an initial phase in which he scored (four times) and/or assisted (three) in the first five European games he played. Above all his performances, that of Naples, scoring, delivering goals and directing the game. “He is 20 years old and looks like he is 30″, Ancelotti concluded in Italy.
Suddenly, Lunin. With the pass to the second round already on track, the season began for Andriy Lunin, the goalkeeper who had been left behind in a corner of Valdebebas. Kepa was injured in the warm-up at home against Braga, the Ukrainian came out, saved a penalty as soon as the match started and no one stopped him (until London). The first preview of his night of glory in Manchester.
Balls to Joselu! “If you have Joselu, you have to focus more,” claimed Carlo Ancelotti after winning the last duel of the group stage in Berlin with a double from the center forward. The final resource that he would end up clinging to in the second leg of the semifinals against Bayern.
Panic at the Bernabéu. A night that was expected to be a transition after the 0-1 in Leipzig led to one of cold sweats in Chamartín. After Lunin’s nine saves and Brahim’s great goal in Germany in a very uncomfortable match for the whites, the worst had by no means arrived for Carletto’s boys. “I may have made a mistake in the eleven, the whistles were deserved. “If I had changed those who were not doing well, I might have also changed the coach,” the coach admitted on the return from the Bernabéu after Leipzig had finished 20 times (34 in the entire match) and that Vinicius, scorer of the goal white, bordered on self-expulsion at the beginning of the second half.
“Tell me about the sea, sailor.” Eighteen City corner kicks in the quarter-final second leg, their record in the Champions League. 33-8 in total kills. 88-12 in interventions in the rival area. A Madrid so besieged is not remembered, but, as Ancelotti warned in the following days: “Talk to me about the sea, sailor.” The whites, in the semifinals after a joint defense exercise that ended with the crowning of the unforeseen hero, Andriy Lunin, in the penalty shootout.
Kroos exhibition and goodbye. Toni Kroos’ career probably did not need a commanding performance as impressive as the one he left in the first leg of the semifinals in Munich, but Madrid did need the best of its midfielder to emerge alive from Bayern’s initial overwhelm. . Less than a month after announcing his goodbye from football, the media highlighted one of his most memorable games. He calmed down his former team and gave Vini a cartographer’s assistance.
Because of Joselu. “I told Joselu that we could already be on vacation and we are here (London final) because of him,” Ancelotti revealed with a laugh before the final meeting. In the second leg of the semi-finals, he was the oldest substitute to achieve a double in Champions League qualifying rounds (34 years and 42 days). In the 88th minute, Madrid were eliminated and then they ended up spending the 15 minutes of extra time defending thanks to the striker’s two goals in two minutes and 40 seconds. He achieved what Vinicius had not been able to achieve in a match that the Brazilian described as the best he had played in the continental tournament. He upset Kimmich and gave 12 touches in the opponent’s area, only two less than all of Bayern combined. But it had to be Joselu.
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