Real Madrid’s journey to the Champions League final
After their absence from the showpiece final last season, Real Madrid are back on the grandest stage in Europe once again.
No club has greater prestige in the Champions League than Los Blancos, who are in search of a 15th triumph in the continental tournament when they take on Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.
But how did Carlo Ancelotti’s side fight through the competition to get the chance to extend their record number of wins?
Here’s how Madrid reached the 2023/24 Champions League final.
Group C
Los Blancos star Jude Bellingham made a habit of scoring crucial goals during his debut campaign at the Bernabeu and one came in his first Champions League outing for the club, bagging a 93rd-minute winner in their Group C opener against Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin.
Madrid may have winced slightly when they were drawn alongside Italian champions Napoli in Group C. While the Partenopei underwhelmed to an extraordinary extent in 2023/24, they tested Madrid in their first meeting, taking the lead in the first half at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona before strikes from Vinicius Junior and Bellingham alongside Alex Meret’s own goal sealed a 3-2 away victory.
Rodrygo opened the scoring in their third match against Braga before Bellingham hit the back of the net shortly after the hour mark. Alvaro Djalo did pull one back but Los Blancos‘ superior quality eventually got them over the line.
A more routine success against the Portuguese outfit on Matchday 4 secured qualification for the knockout stage, with Brahim Diaz, Vinicius and Rodrygo all on the scoresheet. Napoli gave Madrid another stern examination in the penultimate group-stage game before late strikes from substitutes Nico Paz and Joselu wrapped up a 4-2 win.
Madrid then ensured Berlin finished rock bottom of Group C with a 3-2 triumph at the Olympiastadion, with Joselu at the double before Dani Ceballos‘ 89th-minute winner.
|
Date |
Fixture |
|---|---|
|
20/09/2023 |
Real Madrid 1-0 Union Berlin |
|
03/10/2023 |
Napoli 2-3 Real Madrid |
|
24/10/2023 |
Braga 1-2 Real Madrid |
|
08/11/2023 |
Real Madrid 3-0 Braga |
|
29/11/2023 |
Real Madrid 4-2 Napoli |
|
12/12/2023 |
Union Berlin 2-3 Real Madrid |
|
Pos |
Team |
Played |
GD |
Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
Real Madrid |
6 |
+9 |
18 |
|
2. |
Napoli |
6 |
+1 |
10 |
|
3. |
Braga |
6 |
-6 |
4 |
|
4. |
Union Berlin |
6 |
-4 |
2 |
Last 16
All teams want to avoid Madrid in the Champions League knockout stages but German side RB Leipzig gave their last-16 tie a good go, ultimately being downed 2-1 on aggregate at the Bernabeu.
Diaz’s beauty was enough to wrap up a pivotal 1-0 away victory but the 14-time winners were made to sweat during the home leg. Vinicius looked to have settled the tie in the 65th minute but Willi Orban’s header soon after made it a nervy finish.
It ultimately wasn’t enough for Leipzig as Madrid saw out the second leg with a 2-1 aggregate lead.
|
Date |
Fixture |
|---|---|
|
13/02/2024 |
RB Leipzig 0-1 Real Madrid |
|
06/03/2024 |
Real Madrid 1-1 RB Leipzig |
Quarter-finals
No side wants to be paired up with Madrid, but Madrid themselves might have liked to have avoided reigning champions Manchester City in the quarter-finals.
However, it made for a wonderful spectacle for neutrals as six extraordinary goals were netted in the first leg, with Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Josko Gvardiol and Federico Valverde among the scorers.
The return fixture was tighter at the Etihad Stadium, though Madrid held the advantage for the majority of normal time thanks to Rodrygo’s effort in the 12th minute. Kevin De Bruyne popped up to take the match to extra time and then penalties, where misses from Silva and Mateo Kovacic resulted in the 2022/23 treble winners‘ elimination.
|
Date |
Fixture |
|---|---|
|
09/04/2024 |
Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City |
|
17/04/2024 |
Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid (3-4p) |
Semi-finals
Bayern Munich hugely underperformed in 2023/24 considering their previous status as perennial Bundesliga winners but still reached the final four after besting Arsenal in the quarter-finals.
The first leg once again ended all square with Vinicius registering a brace to firstly put Madrid ahead and then drag them back level after two goals in five minutes from Leroy Sane and Harry Kane had put the Bavarian giants in front.
Mooted Blancos target Alphonso Davies struck in the 68th minute of the second leg back in Spain’s capital, seemingly setting Bayern up for a chance to salvage their season in Wembley’s final. However, super-sub Joselu conjured up some classic Madrid magic with two late efforts that edged Ancelotti’s outfit into a 4-3 aggregate lead, sparking jubilant scenes at the Bernabeu after nine minutes of second-half stoppage time.
|
Date |
Fixture |
|---|---|
|
30/04/2024 |
Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid |
|
08/05/2024 |
Real Madrid 2-1 Bayern Munich |