Teamwork makes the dream work

Borussia Dortmund’s journey to the Champions League closing

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Borussia Dortmund had been hardly talked about among the many early favourites for the 2023/24 Champions League however have the possibility to win their second title within the competitors in Saturday’s conflict with Actual Madrid at Wembley.

BVB bought star midfielder Jude Bellingham to their upcoming opponents final summer time and struggled for consistency within the Bundesliga after ending second in 2022/23, after they agonisingly missed out on the championship on the ultimate day.

Nevertheless, after topping a stacked group earlier within the event, Dortmund produced some great performances within the knockout stage to succeed in the showpiece occasion at England’s nationwide stadium.

Here is how they booked their spot within the 2023/24 Champions League closing.

Group F

Borussia Dortmund v Newcastle United FC: Group F - UEFA Champions League 2023/24

Dortmund acquired via a lethal group / Ralf Ibing – firo sportphoto/GettyImages

Dortmund had been handed a relatively monstrous set of opponents in Group F. Paris Saint-Germain had been the highest seeded facet with Milan and Newcastle United making up the quartet.

Nevertheless, after a considerably ropy begin, Edin Terzic’s facet received three of their final 4 video games to complete prime.

PSG, who Dortmund would come up in opposition to later within the competitors, set their stall out on Matchday 1 with a dominant 2-0 victory over their German guests in September, whereas their second fixture resulted in a goalless dwelling draw with Milan.

The primary of their three wins on the trot arrived at Newcastle. Felix Nmecha’s first half-effort was sufficient to separate the 2 sides as Dortmund impressively saved their hosts at bay earlier than bagging one other victory over the Magpies on dwelling soil.

It was a extra complete exhibiting again at Sign Iduna Park as Niclas Fullkrug and Julian Brandt struck to take BVB to the highest of the group, a place they would not relinquish.

A Marco Reus penalty put Dortmund forward early on within the second encounter with Milan at San Siro and second-half efforts from Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Karim Adeyemi powered them to a 3-1 success after Samuel Chukwueze’s equaliser.

These three factors noticed the German facet attain the knockout phases however first place was nonetheless up for grabs when PSG visited North Rhine-Westphalia. There was extra stress on the French outfit to safe a consequence nevertheless it was Adeyemi who struck first earlier than Warren Zaire-Emery levelled issues up.

Date

Fixture

19/09/2023

Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Borussia Dortmund

04/10/2023

Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Milan

25/10/2023

Newcastle United 0-1 Borussia Dortmund

07/11/2023

Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Newcastle United

28/11/2023

Milan 1-3 Borussia Dortmund

13/12/2023

Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain

Pos

Staff

Performed

GD

Pts

1.

Borussia Dortmund

6

+3

11

2.

Paris Saint-Germain

6

+1

8

3.

AC Milan

6

-3

8

4.

Newcastle

6

-1

5

Final 16

Mats Hummels, Marco Reus, Ian Maatsen, Marcel Sabitzer

Dortmund prevailed 3-1 on mixture in opposition to PSV / Dean Mouhtaropoulos/GettyImages

Dortmund’s route via the knockout stage has undeniably been kinder in comparison with closing opponents Actual Madrid.

2023/24 Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven proved no push-overs within the final 16, holding BVB to a draw within the first leg. Donyell Malen had bagged the opener within the twenty fourth minute, firing in on the close to publish in opposition to his former facet, and PSV wasted probability after probability earlier than finally getting again on stage phrases via Luuk de Jong’s penalty.

Proceedings had been extra easy for Dortmund within the return leg. Jadon Sancho, who returned to his former membership on mortgage from Manchester United in January, made his mark in simply the third minute, creating house on the sting of the world earlier than squeezing his shot past Walter Benitez.

Isaac Babadi’s slip on the again allowed Reus to run in and nonchalantly slide within the second in second-half stoppage time, securing a 3-1 mixture victory.

Date

Fixture

20/02/2024

PSV Eindhoven 1-1 Borussia Dortmund

13/03/2024

Borussia Dortmund 2-0 PSV Eindhoven

Quarter-finals

Borussia Dortmund v Atletico Madrid: Quarter-final Second Leg - UEFA Champions League 2023/24

Dortmund reached the ultimate 4 by downing Atletico Madrid / Jürgen Fromme – firo sportphoto/GettyImages

Atletico Madrid awaited within the quarter-finals and Dortmund suffered their second defeat within the event with a 2-1 loss in Spain.

A disastrous try to play out from the again was picked off by Rodrigo De Paul, who ran straight into the field and drove his shot past Gregor Kobel inside 4 minutes. Extra peculiar defending allowed Antoine Griezmann to delightfully clip into Samuel Lino’s path, permitting the free left-wing-back to manage and end tidily for a 2-0 lead.

Sebastien Haller’s sole purpose of the UCL marketing campaign to date halved the deficit because the Ivory Coast striker acquired on the tip of a deflected cross and tucked dwelling.

Atleti have so usually been defensively resolute in powerful away journeys in Europe however had been porous at Sign Iduna Park as two fast bursts despatched BVB via to the semi-finals. Brandt’s deflected strike was adopted quickly after by Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen’s scientific end, although Mats Hummels’ personal purpose put the Spaniards again on stage phrases within the tie.

Issues acquired even higher for Diego Simeone’s guests when Angel Correa reacted quickest to place Atleti in entrance total, however Fullkrug’s divine header and Marcel Sabitzer’s arrow from distance meant the Germans took a 5-4 lead they would not quit.

Date

Fixture

10/04/2024

Atletico Madrid 2-1 Borussia Dortmund

16/04/2024

Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Atletico Madrid

Semi-finals

Mats Hummels, Emre Can, Nico Schlotterbeck

Dortmund beat PSG twice within the semi-final / Markus Gilliar – GES Sportfoto/GettyImages

The semi-finals noticed Dortmund as soon as once more paired up with PSG of their final marketing campaign with Kylian Mbappe of their ranks earlier than his summer time exit.

Nevertheless, the anticipated Actual Madrid signing was nowhere to be seen over the course of the 2 legs, failing to glitter when the Ligue 1 giants wanted him most as BVB bagged two 1-0 victories to succeed in the ultimate.

It was Fullkrug who took the headlines due to his sensible contact and rasping end from an extended punt ahead from Nico Schlotterbeck.

Dortmund had been stout in defence and threatening in assault and it was an identical story within the second leg in Paris as they capitalised on the desperation of Luis Enrique’s facet to guide their spot at Wembley.

That they had to withstand early stress at Parc des Princes however confirmed their weapons on the break and finally doubled their mixture lead early within the second half. The purpose got here in easy trend as an unmarked Hummels nodded Brandt’s nook past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Terzic’s facet had their fair proportion of luck as PSG had been denied thrice by the woodwork, however in the end Dortmund had been worthy advancers as they ended Mbappe’s desires of a farewell European crown and gave themselves actual hope of a second ever Champions League title.

Date

Fixture

01/05/2024

Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain

07/05/2024

Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Borussia Dortmund

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