Page 59 - Soccer360 Issue 106

ROAD TO THE FINAL
Ciro Di Brita charts the road to the 2023-24 Champions League final for Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
At the outset and especially throughout
a highly indifferent Bundesliga campaign,
come a long fewwouldhavegivenBorwuasyssiaincDeortmund
much chance of reaching the final, but a
succession of strong and spirited team
in 1955
Champions performances have takeLneatghuemCuapll the way to
Wembley on June 1.
The road to the final saw them top an extremely tough group that featured Paris Saint-Germain, Milan, and Newcastle United. A 2-0 loss in Paris on matchday one and
a goalless draw at home to Milan left Die Borussen with a mountain to climb, but three wins on the bounce set them up to qualify for the knockout rounds.
PSV Eindhoven waited for the Germans
in the Round of 16, with a 1-1 draw in the Netherlands and a 2-0 home win setting up a quarter-final clash with Atletico Madrid. Sebastien Haller’s consolation goal in a 2-1 loss in the Wanda Metropolitano kept the tie alive and the Germans came out swinging
in the second leg eventually running out
4-2 winners with quickfire goals from Niclas Fullkrug and Marcel Sabitzer.
The semi-finals brought a rematch with PSG and both contests were close, but Dortmund held their nerve and occasionally rode their luck by winning 1-0 in either leg to take
them to within 90 minutes of an unexpected second Champions League success.
As for Real Madrid, their place in the final is much less of a surprise. The 14-times winners won all six of their group games against Napoli, Union Berlin, and SC Braga. An enterprising RB Leipzig then stood in their way in the Round of 16 and were beaten 2-1 over the two legs.
Next up for Carlo Ancelotti’s men was the holders Manchester City in the quarter-finals and penalties were needed to separate the two sides after a thrilling tie finished 4-4 on aggregate, with Antonio Rudiger holding his nerve to send Los Blancos into the semi- finals to face Bayern Munich.
There was so little to choose between the sides throughout a memorable two legs, with a 2-2 draw in Bavaria giving way to a dramatic night at the Santiago Bernabeu. Alphonso Davies scored a belter to put Bayern ahead, only for journeyman striker Joselu to turn it round for Real in the final minutes and send them through to yet another final.
UEFA has
Real Madrid
won the very first
“PSG TOOK SWEET REVENGE ON
with a 4-1 victory with Kylian Mbappe hitting two late goals.
BARCELONA”
ATLETICO OUSTED
When Borussia Dortmund trailed 2-0 only 32 minutes into their quarter-final with a famously robust Atletico Madrid side, it looked like they were heading out of the competition. But Sebastien Haller pulled one back before a see- saw second leg saw the German side triumph 4-2 and advance to the last four.
MAN UTD CUT DOWN IN COPENHAGEN
On matchday four of Group A Copenhagen found themselves two goals down at home to Manchester United before Marcus Rashford’s red card gave the Danish side a lifeline back into the game. Roony Bardghji’s 87th-minute winner sealed a memorable 4-3 victory and sentenced United to finish bottom of the group.
SUPER MARIO
Joao Mario’s first-half hat-trick against his
old club Inter Milan in the group stage was a personal serving of revenge for the Portuguese midfielder after an unsuccessful stint at San Siro. Last year’s finalists did, however, manage to claw back the three-goal deficit in the second half and rescue a draw.
DIAZ DOWNS LEIPZIG
Brahim Diaz was brought in to replace the injured Jude Bellingham for Real Madrid’s trip to RB Leipzig in the Round of 16 first leg and the diminutive attacking midfielder repaid his coach’s decision with an impressive winner. Diaz picked the ball up wide on the right and dribbled past three defenders before curling in a left-footed shot into the top corner.
PSG REVENGE
Barcelona’s famous Remontada against Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 saw the Blaugrana come back from a four-goal deficit to win 6-1 in the Camp Nou. This time around, it was the turn of the French outfit to dump the Spanish champions out after falling 4-2 down on aggregate in the second leg. Ronald Araujo’s red card changed everything, as PSG ran riot
ABOVE LEFT:
Kylian Mbappe scored twice to seal Barcelona’s fate
TREBLE HOPES ENDED
After a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu that was full of outstanding goals, the second leg of the quarter-final between holders Manchester City and Real Madrid was gruelling as Carlo Ancelotti’s side hung on for penalties. They came out on top thanks to two saves
from Andrey Lunin, ending City’s hopes of an unprecedented second consecutive treble.
JOSELU FIRES REAL TO THE FINAL
Carlo Ancelotti threw on veteran striker Joselu for Federico Valverde in the 81st minute as Real Madrid were trailing to a spectacular Alphonso Davies strike in the semi-final second leg with Bayern Munich. The 34-year-old scored two
of the most important goals in his career with a brace of close range finishes to rescue Los Blancos and set up a Wembley showdown with Borussia Dortmund.
EUROPA LEAGUE
ASSIGNON’S AUDACITY
Rennes right-back Lorenz Assignon scored one of the best goals in the group stage against Villarreal at Roazhon Park in December. The 23-year-old, who finished the season on loan in the Premier League with Burnley, controlled a long diagonal ball on his chest, ran into the box, cut back onto his left foot, and nutmegged the keeper from a tight angle.
BRIGHTON IN THE BIG TIME
Brighton & Hove Albion embarked on their first ever season in Europe and were initially stung by defeat at home to AEK Athens in their first match, before a fightback to earn a draw in Marseille set up a run of four straight victories to top Group B. The highlight was a famous double against Ajax, winning 2-0 home and away with Barcelona loanee Ansu Fati scoring in both games.
UNCHARTERED TERRITORY
Toulouse’s surprise 3-2 victory over Liverpool
in the group stage helped the French club to qualify from the group stage for the first time in their history. Thijs Dallinga’s goal to put the Ligue Un side 2-0 up was the pick of the bunch, as the Ligue 1 took advantage of a weakened Reds team who had already secured top spot
in the group.
AUBA ATTACK
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cushioned chip to the far post sealed a 4-0 victory for Marseille over Villarreal in the first leg of the Round of 16 at the Stade Velodrome. Ahead of the final, the Gabon international was the competition’s top goalscorer with an impressive 10 goals, helping the French side to the last four.
RAMPANT REDS
Liverpool were in ruthless mood during their last 16 clash with Sparta Prague, going goal- crazy in both legs to claim a dominant 11-2 aggregate victory. In the second leg at Anfield they were 4-0 ahead after only 14 minutes
as Jurgen Klopp’s stars outclassed their opponents from the Czech Republic. Later in the game, young midfielder Bobby Clark scored his first career goal.
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