Champions League – Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund: Four fingers for a hallelujah

For the Borussia 09 ball game club from Dortmund it is almost a classic. BVB has duel with Real Madrid, the most expensive and craziest club in the world, 15 times in the European football circus. The last time the game took place was five months ago in the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium in London. This Tuesday, the third preliminary round game day will take place at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, which the Dortmund team still has very fond memories of. It’s been a while, but I’ve never forgotten it.

The story began in April 2013 at home in the Westfalenstadion. Cristiano Ronaldo was also there at that time. He even scored a goal, it was the only one for Real, and because that was matched by four black and yellow goals, the evening wasn’t all that nice for the Madrilenians and their most prominent employee. Ronaldo was a small number that evening against Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, who scored all four goals for BVB. Not an everyday result in a Champions League semi-final.

Circus Europe

Photo: Private

Previously simply the national champions’ cup, today the Champions League: a staged spectacle and football’s money-printing machine. Sven Goldmann looks ahead to the upcoming match day.

Everyone remembers the moment when Robert Lewandowski raised four fingers to the sky. The 4-1 was a great result, but by no means life insurance for the second leg. A Spanish football saying says that ninety minutes at the Santiago Bernabéu takes longer than was originally set in the Babylonian sexagesimal system. That’s exactly how it happened.

Real defender Sergio Ramos kicked Robert Lewandowski in the second leg as if he were a second ball. “He should have seen seven yellow cards,” raged Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp, who at the time had not committed himself to an Austrian drinks manufacturer, but rather to the eternal love for black and yellow. Two late goals from Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos gave Real a 2-0 lead. Suddenly Real were only one goal away from reaching the final.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s final appearance followed in the fifth minute of added time. With his typical speed, he penetrated the Dortmund penalty area, sought contact with defender Felipe Santana and raised his arms as he fell. 70,000 Madridistas in the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu roared so loudly that even Hans-Joachim Watzke couldn’t ignore it. The Dortmund managing director hid in the toilet because he couldn’t stand the stress anymore.

Unfortunately for Ronaldo, Howard Webb was socialized as a referee in the Premier League, and you’re used to something different. Webb smiled kindly at Ronaldo and it continued, one last minute that dragged on forever, then BVB were in the final. Like in June 2024, we went to Wembley, and again the European summit ended in defeat, and of all things against German competition from FC Bayern. As is well known, the people of Munich like them in Dortmund just as much as they like the new employer of their favorite coach Jürgen Klopp.