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Borussia Dortmund’s struggles continued on Tuesday after the troubled Bundesliga outfit fell to a 2-1 defeat at Bologna which dented their hopes of direct qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League. Goals in a matter of seconds in the second half from substitutes Thijs Dallinga and Samuel Iling-Junior gave Bologna their first ever win in the modern version of Europe’s elite club competition and handed Dortmund their fourth straight defeat in all competitions.

Last season’s finalists Dortmund, who opened the scoring in the 15th minute through Serhou Guirassy‘s classy chipped penalty, are 13th on 12 points, one point from the top eight with other teams set to complete the penultimate round of league phase matches on Wednesday.

Tuesday’s defeat piled more pressure on under-fire coach Nuri Sahin even though his players showed their support by joining him in a group hug after Guirassy netted his seventh goal in as many Champions league matches this season.

“I think we will sit down together tonight or tomorrow in Dortmund. Right now the game is too fresh,” said Sahin.

Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken refused to guarantee the coach’s job after the game, telling Amazon Prime: “You will not get an off-the-cuff decision from me in Italy based on emotion.”

“We all want the best for Borussia Dortmund, we will discuss what is best for the club and what the solutions are so that we can get back on the road to success,” Ricken added.

Bologna are 27th on only five points but it would have been difficult to tell judging by the celebrations of the players, coach Vincenzo Italiano and 30,000 fans at a jumping Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

Bologna ‘dream’ realised

The seven-time Italian champions won a preliminary round match against Anderlecht in the old European Cup in 1964, but were eliminated by the Belgians and didn’t return to the top level of continental competition until this season.

“We’re going out but for me today it’s as if we’d won a quarter-final or semi-final, I’m just so pleased,” said Italiano to Sky.

“There’s so much joy for our first win in the Champions League, it’s a dream come true for me.”

Bologna were furious with the spot-kick, for a soft foul on Waldemar Anton, with which Guirassy gave Dortmund the lead.

The hosts were even angrier when referee Serdar Gozubuyuk refused to give them a penalty of their own for a similar shirt tug on Dan Ndoye just as the Swiss looked set to score from a Riccardo Orsolini cross.

That incident, in the 19th minute, seemed to wake up a previously timid Bologna who then dominated, with Orsolini, twice, and Santiago Castro going close to netting their first Champions League goals.

But Italy international Orsolini, who has scored eight times this season, left the field with his head in his shirt 10 minutes before the break after being forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury and replaced by Iling-Junior.

Orsolini’s departure didn’t deflate Bologna however, with the Italians continuing to push for an equaliser which game in the 71st minute when, after being brilliantly sent through by Charalampos Lykogiannis, Jens Odgaard provided a perfect low cross for Dallinga to tap home.

And seconds later Bologna were ahead through Iling-Junior, who pounced on the rebound after Dallinga was denied a second by Gregor Kobel and gave his team a historic win.

Eintracht Frankfurt overcame the imminent departure of in-form Omar Marmoush to beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at home on Friday, heaping more misery on the slumping visitors. Frankfurt, who cut Manchester City target Marmoush from the matchday squad just hours before kickoff, were clinical and controlled. Striker Hugo Ekitike put Frankfurt in front early and Dortmund had few clear chances despite dominating control of the ball.

In stoppage time, Oscar Hojlund took advantage of a Dortmund mistake in midfield, winning possession and running 40 metres to slide the ball past a helpless Gregor Kobel.

“We know what we had in Omar,” Frankfurt’s Mario Goetze told DAZN.

“An incredible player, a great character. It’s always a shame when a player leaves, but the team did well against Dortmund today.”

The result means Dortmund, who played in the Champions League final in June, have lost their past three and have just one victory in their last six games.

They could fall to as low as 11th depending on results this weekend and are 11 points behind Frankfurt, who are on course for their first top-four finish in three decades.

Dortmund midfielder Pascal Gross said: “It’s a results sport and at the end of the day, we couldn’t get a result. It’s extremely difficult.”

Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl backed coach Nuri Sahin after the game despite the lean run, saying “we will keep going. Nuri has our trust.

“We’re disappointed and unsatisfied with where we are,” and added “this is not a team who should be sitting where we are on the table.”

– Marmoush to City ‘likely’ -Just hours before kick-off, Frankfurt’s sporting director Markus Kroesche confirmed Marmoush had been left out of the squad due to a “very, very likely” move to City.

Despite their poor recent form, the visitors started strong, Serhou Guirassy heading a lofted Julian Ryerson cross against the post eight minutes in.

Expected to carry a heavier burden after Marmoush’s departure, Frankfurt’s French forward Ekitike put the hosts in front 18 minutes in.

Taking advantage of some sleepy Dortmund defence, Rasmus Kristensen ran into acres of space on the right. The Dane tore down the flank and laid a controlled cross into the path of Ekitike, who glanced the ball home.

As they have done for much of the season, Dortmund dominated possession but were unable to break through, with the hosts holding firm.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Nnamdi Collins clattered into Jamie Gittens inside the box but the referee waved the contact away before showing Dortmund captain Emre Can a yellow card for complaining.

“It was a clear penalty,” Gross told DAZN.

Dortmund threw men forward as Sahin made a series of attacking substitutions, only for Frankfurt’s Hojlund to steal the ball from Can and march up the field before sealing the result.

At full-time, a tearful Marmoush emerged from the stands and celebrated with his soon-to-be former teammates for the last time.

“He helped out the team and I think you could see in the pictures how we appreciate him. We’re happy for him — it’s a part of football,” added Goetze.

On Saturday, league leaders Bayern Munich host Wolfsburg. Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, who sit four points back in second, play at home against Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Patrik Schick scored a first-half brace as Bayer Leverkusen won 3-2 at a flu-hit Borussia Dortmund on Friday, closing the gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich to one point. Already struck by an injury crisis, illness ripped through Dortmund’s defence, with centre-backs Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck, along with left-back Ramy Bensebaini, ruled out just hours before kick-off as the Bundesliga restarted from the winter break.

The defending champions took advantage of Dortmund’s inexperienced defence early, scoring through Nathan Tella after just 25 seconds before Patrik Schick added another on the eight-minute mark.

English winger Jamie Gittens pulled one back but Schick restored Leverkusen’s two-goal lead shortly afterwards.

A late Serhou Guirassy penalty gave Dortmund hope but Leverkusen held on for their ninth straight win in all competitions, turning up the heat on Bayern, who travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.

“I’ll be honest, we’re not looking at Bayern, we’re focused on ourselves and we’re on the right track,” Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka told DAZN.

Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso benched in-form midfielder Florian Wirtz due to an “internal issue”.

Dortmund’s problems were less vague, with three first-choice centre-backs along with wing-backs Pascal Gross and Bensebaini missing.

Dortmund’s makeshift defence, including youngsters Almugera Kabar and Yannik Luehrs, was breached almost immediately.

England-born Nigeria winger Tella unleashed a superb strike into the top corner after Leverkusen pressed the nervous hosts into a mistake while playing out from the back.

The visitors quickly doubled their lead, Schick tapping in Piero Hincapie’s low cross.

Dortmund dragged themselves back into the match just four minutes later when Gittens chipped in after Robert Andrich inadvertently poked the ball into his path.

Schick however added his second and Leverkusen’s third on the 19-minute mark, this time diverting in a cross from the right.

“I expect my lads to defend better than that, even with the situation we have in defence,” Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin said.

Schick, who started the season on the bench behind Victor Boniface, now has 11 goals in his past six league appearances.

“I work hard every day. I was of course ready when the chance came,” Schick said.

“I want to give the max for the team and I’m happy I could help out with a couple of goals.”

With 11 minutes remaining, VAR awarded Leverkusen a penalty and Guirassy converted nervelessly from the spot to give the home side a shot at snatching an unlikely point, but Leverkusen held firm.

Champions League finalists last season, Dortmund have won just one of their past five Bundesliga fixtures and could finish the weekend as low as 10th.

Borussia Dortmund scored three goals in a devastating five-minute spell to beat Wolfsburg 3-1 and end the year in the top six of the Bundesliga. Dortmund came into this game without a win in their previous three league outings but produced some stylish attacking moments to blow Wolfsburg away on the road. Dutchman Donyell Malen got things moving, turning in Ramy Bensebaini’s corner from close range. The visitors doubled their lead through the impressive young Germany star Max Beier, who met Julian Brandt‘s through ball with a sublime first-time finish with the outside of his right foot. 

Beier turned provider just two minutes later, cutting back a low cross for an unmarked Brandt to find the bottom corner. 

Wolfsburg were stunned, having conceded in the 25th, 28th and 30th minutes and the rest of the contest was a damage limitation exercise for Ralph Hasenhuettl’s side, although they pulled one back in the second half through Denis Vavro. 

Dortmund had Pascal Gross sent off just after the hour but it didn’t threaten to derail a win that keeps them within two points of third place. 

“In the first half we played really well, had very good positional play and kept moving forward with determination,” said Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin.

“In the second half we allowed the opponent back into the game completely unnecessarily and you have to defend. Then you get a red card, which is totally unnecessary.”

On a good weekend for the teams from Germany’s Ruhr region, Bochum beat relegation rivals Heidenheim 2-0 for their first victory of the Bundesliga season. 

Rooted in last place in the table, Bochum took an early lead courtesy of striker Moritz Broschinski, whose expert low volley was reward for Ibrahima Sissoko’s quality cross from the right.  

Bochum, who brought in veteran coach Dieter Hecking last month in the hope of igniting their season and saving them from relegation, appeared the hungrier of the sides.  

When the second goal came, it was no less than Bochum deserved.  

Matus Bero created space on the edge of the box and drilled in from 15 yards, putting the hosts in complete control before the break.  

Heidenheim improved after the restart but the damage was already done and Bochum, who had lost 11 of their previous 14 games, closed it out for a precious three points.  

Bochum stay bottom going into the winter break but end the calendar year having picked up four points from their last two games and stay within two points of Holstein Kiel, who are directly above them in 17th.  

Meanwhile, 16th-placed Heidenheim are in freefall.  

Last season, their first in the Bundesliga, was a huge success, finishing eighth and qualifying for Europe.  

But they are now coming to terms with their seventh-straight Bundesliga defeat and sit just two points ahead of Kiel.

Manchester City’s crisis continued with a 2-0 defeat away to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Pep Guardiola’s old club Barcelona beat Borussia Dortmund to clinch a spot in the knockout stage of Europe’s elite club competition. Arsenal, AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Lille, Feyenoord and Stuttgart were also victorious, but City’s latest loss in a miserable run will dominate the headlines. The 2023 European champions succumbed in Turin as Dusan Vlahovic put Juventus ahead early in the second half when goalkeeper Ederson was unable to keep out his header.

Ilkay Gundogan was denied an equaliser by a fine Michele Di Gregorio save, before Weston McKennie made it 2-0 with a fine acrobatic finish in the 75th minute.

The result leaves Juventus on 11 points with two games left, a tally that is expected to be enough to guarantee them at least a place in the knockout phase play-offs.

City, meanwhile, have now won just once in 10 in all competitions, with seven defeats in that time.

With just eight points, they currently sit 22nd in the standings, in which the top 24 advance to the knockouts. Their next game will be crucial, as they travel to a Paris Saint-Germain side who sit a point beneath Guardiola’s men.

“We have to get points, we’ll go to Paris to try and do that and the same goes for the final match at home (to Club Brugge),” Guardiola told Amazon Prime in Italy.

Barcelona are second in the standings with 15 points, behind only Liverpool, after beating Dortmund 3-2 in a thriller in Germany, with Ferran Torres their hero.

Raphinha fired Barca ahead with his 17th goal of the season, early in a remarkable second half.

Serhou Guirassy equalised with a penalty on the hour mark, but substitute Torres put Barca back in front on 75 minutes, converting the loose ball after Fermin Lopez‘s shot was saved.

Guirassy scored again for a quick equaliser, only for Torres to strike once more and win the game for Barca with five minutes left.

Barcelona’s tally leaves them, like Liverpool, ideally placed to finish in the top eight, which means direct progress to the last 16 without having to go through the play-offs.

Arsenal are third in the standings on 13 points after easing to a 3-0 win over Monaco in London.

Bukayo Saka scored twice, putting the Gunners ahead in the first half and making it 2-0 on 78 minutes as the hosts pounced on disastrous Monaco defending.

Saka then turned provider for the late third, with substitute Kai Havertz credited with the final touch.

Mikel Arteta‘s team are one of six sides on 13 points, with Lille also on that tally after edging Sturm Graz 3-2 in France thanks to a fine late winner from Hakon Haraldsson.

Lille were 2-0 up through Osame Sahraoui and Mitchel Bakker, only for goals by Otar Kiteishvili and Mika Biereth to bring the Austrian champions back level.

However, Icelandic midfielder Haraldsson secured Lille’s fourth win of the campaign.

Atletico eased to a 3-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava, with Antoine Griezmann scoring twice after Julian Alvarez had opened the scoring with an excellent strike.

David Strelec pulled one back for the Slovaks, who are one of three teams already eliminated having lost six games out of six. The others are RB Leipzig and Young Boys.

Milan defeated Red Star Belgrade 2-1 at San Siro with Tammy Abraham grabbing the winner three minutes from time.

Rafael Leao had put Milan ahead only for Nemanja Radonjic to equalise for the Serbian side, who have lost five of their six games and are surely heading out.

Benfica edged closer to a play-off spot with a 0-0 draw at home to Bologna of Italy, who have scored just one goal in six games and will go no further.

Feyenoord stayed on course to go through after beating Sparta Prague 4-2 in Rotterdam, with Gernot Trauner, Igor Paixao, Anis Hadj Moussa and Santiago Gimenez netting their goals.

Stuttgart kept alive their hopes of progress by coming from behind to beat Young Boys 5-1.

Lukasz Lakomy put Young Boys ahead but Angelo Stiller levelled before Enzo Millot, Chris Fuehrich, Josha Vagnoman and Yannik Keitel all scored in the second half.

The next round of Champions League games is scheduled for January 21 and 22, with the league phase concluding the following week.

Robert Lewandowski‘s revival has been a key to Barcelona’s strong start to life under Hansi Flick as the striker returns to Dortmund to face Borussia in the Champions League on Wednesday. The 36-year-old Pole has netted 23 goals in 21 games across all competitions this season, taking Barcelona top of the Spanish league and up to third in the European standings. They lead last year’s Champions League finalists Dortmund, who like Barcelona have four victories from five games, on goal difference before their meeting in Germany.

Lewandowski cut his teeth in top level European football with Dortmund between 2010 and 2014, driving them to the 2013 final, where they lost to rivals Bayern Munich at Wembley.

A year later he joined Bayern and finally claimed the Champions League with them in 2020.

Lewandowski arrived at Barcelona in 2022 and after a strong first campaign, his performance dipped last season.

Flick’s arrival gave both the team and the veteran striker fresh impetus and until a recent wobble in form, both have thrived.

Lewandowski reached a career century of Champions League goals in Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Brest in November. He trails only all-time top goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo and former Barcelona great Lionel Messi.

Lewandowski is top scorer both in Spain and in the Champions League, where he boasts seven goals from five matches, two more than any other player.

Despite his lethal form in front of goal, Lewandowski’s presence in Barcelona’s side does have one drawback.

Pressing doubts

In part given his age, the striker has not been able to maintain his team’s objective of pressing opponents as consistently as Flick would like.

A drop in pressing intensity has recently exposed Barcelona’s high defensive line more than at the start of the season.

“It’s clear that we made mistakes, but I insist, it’s not the fault of the back four, it starts up front,” said the coach after a shock 2-1 loss to minnows Las Palmas in La Liga at the start of December.

Barcelona also recently threw away a two-goal lead at Celta Vigo, with Real Madrid gobbling up the distance between the sides at the top of the table that the Catalans had established.

Barca’s recent issues will be thoroughly analysed by Dortmund ahead of the clash at the Westfalenstadion, with Flick also admitting his team have struggled on the road.

Barcelona twice let a lead slip in a 2-2 draw at Real Betis on Saturday in which Lewandowski scored. They were overwhelmed at times by the hosts.

“We have the quality to win every match but we also have to show that,” said Flick.

“(In) the away matches we have to be much stronger than we played here.”

Given Flick’s drive to make Barcelona a more robust team, the questions is how long Lewandowski can continue to shine as the minutes rack up.

The coach rested the striker for a recent 5-1 romp over Mallorca which suggested Barcelona might not be dependent on the forward in the same way they are on 17-year-old winger Lamine Yamal.

However, Flick has backed Lewandowski since arriving and even if the Pole’s work-rate has dipped, the coach believes. 

“Robert is an absolute professional player, working hard on his fitness, this body he has, it’s not this age,” said the coach earlier in the season.

After some frustrating displays last season, Lewandowski has rolled back the years under Flick and Dortmund fans will fear the return of the devastating forward who wore their colours a decade ago.

Harry Kane limped off but Jamal Musiala‘s 85th-minute header salvaged a 1-1 draw for Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich at the home of rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. England captain Kane pulled up with a left thigh issue after 33 minutes, shortly after compatriot Jamie Gittens had opened the scoring for Dortmund. However, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said he was optimistic Kane’s injury was “not too bad” with Tuesday’s German Cup last-16 match against holders Leverkusen looming.  

“He (Kane) says it’s not too serious. Let’s hope so,” said Kompany with the 31-year-old set to undergo scans.

Bayern’s seven-point lead can be cut to four when second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt play Heidenheim on Sunday.  

Dortmund went back above Freiburg, who beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-1 on Saturday, into fifth place but remain 10 points behind the leaders. 

This Klassiker was a meeting between the teams with the best home and away records in the Bundesliga, and always promised to be an entertaining contest.  

Bayern started the game on top but Dortmund steadied the ship and took the lead in the 27th minute through Gittens’ superb individual goal.  

Dortmund captain Nico Schlotterbeck spotted the run of Gittens, whose stepover left Konrad Laimer in his wake. His searing pace kept him clear of Laimer down the left flank and he finished expertly past Manuel Neuer. 

It was a moment of brilliance from the Englishman and a repayment to coach Nuri Sahin for the faith he has shown in the 20-year-old, handing him 14 starts already this season. 

It was also the first goal Bayern had conceded since October 23, breaking a run of clean sheets that had stretched back eight games in all competitions.   

Bayern’s problems were compounded five minutes later with the loss of Kane but Neuer kept the Bavarians in the game keeping out a Marcel Sabitzer shot with his right leg just after the hour mark.

Bayern controlled much of the second half but could not convert their ball superiority into goals, until Bayern’s best player on the night Musiala secured a point.  

Leroy Sane’s free-kick struck the Dortmund wall, Sane found Michael Olise, whose pinpoint cross was nodded in by Musiala. 

“We’re happy to have come back, I think we deserved it,” said Thomas Mueller, Kane’s replacement from the bench. 

Schick keeps Leverkusen in touch

Earlier, Patrik Schick scored the winner as Bayer Leverkusen edged Union Berlin 2-1 to keep Bayern in sight. 

Leverkusen had flown out of the blocks, taking the lead inside two minutes through Jeremie Frimpong before Jeong Woo-yeong struck back for the hosts to restore parity before the break.  

But the champions found a winner in the 71st minute, with Czech forward Schick meeting Florian Wirtz‘s cross to settle a finely balanced game in their favour.  

Wolfsburg pulled off a shock 5-1 win at RB Leipzig, giving former Leipzig coach Ralph Hasenhuettl a triumphant return to his former club.  

Leipzig endured a nightmare start, with Wolfsburg leading 2-0 inside the first five minutes.  

Algerian striker Mohamed Amoura opened the scoring in the fourth minute, with Tiago Tomas doubling the advantage a minute later.  

Amoura added his second after 16 minutes, and Joakim Maehle piled on the misery for the hosts after the break.  

Leipzig captain Willi Orban tapped in a late consolation, but it was too little, too late, as  

Leipzig conceded four for the second consecutive league game and are now winless in six games, including four in the league, after their fast start to the season, slipping to fourth. 

In contrast, Wolfsburg have climbed to seventh and are unbeaten in their last five league games.  

Elsewhere, Freiburg held off Borussia Moenchengladbach to win 3-1 and bounce back from their 4-0 trouncing in Dortmund last weekend.  

In Bremen, Stuttgart striker Ermedin Demirovic scored a brace as the visitors twice fought back to secure a 2-2 draw.  

A first-half penalty by Phillip Tietz gave Augsburg a 1-0 win over Bochum, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table with two points.  

Borussia Dortmund have been eliminated from the German Cup in the second round with a 1-0 extra-time loss at Wolfsburg on Tuesday, deepening the struggling club’s woes. Scoreless after 90 minutes, the match looked set for penalties before Jonas Wind tapped in from close range in the 117th minute. Dortmund and new coach Nuri Sahin came into the match under pressure, last season’s Champions League finalists sitting seven points off top spot in the league after just eight games.

Dortmund had lost their last four matches away from home in all competitions but had the best of the opening half, Maximilian Beier hitting the post with just the goalkeeper to beat.

The visitors dominated possession but lacked fluency in attack and failed to break through and looked to have set their sights on penalties as extra time ran down.

Wind however scored for the hosts with three minutes remaining, heaping more pressure on Sahin and his struggling side.

“Extremely bitter to concede a goal like that after 120 minutes. It’s tough,” said Dortmund’s Pascal Gross.

“We’ve got injury problems, but that’s no excuse — we had chances to score.”

Stuttgart won 2-1 at home to eliminate last year’s finalists Kaiserslautern thanks to goals from Nick Woltemade and Chris Fuehrich.

Woltemade put Stuttgart in front after 14 minutes but Kaiserslautern levelled things up from the spot through Boris Tomiak late in the first half. 

Ermedin Demirovic, who laid on the opener, was the provider again, setting up Fuehrich as Stuttgart re-took the lead with 15 minutes remaining.

Earlier on Tuesday, a brace from Patrik Schick put German Cup holders Bayer Leverkusen on course for a 3-0 victory over Elversberg.

Leverkusen burst out of the blocks, Schick scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes. Aleix Garcia added a third with a stunning free-kick on the 36-minute mark.

Elversberg beat Leverkusen in the first round of the 2022-23 German Cup, making them the last team to beat the current holders in the competition.

Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso praised the “intelligent” Schick and said: “What’s most important is that we made it to the next round.”

RB Leipzig, who won back-to-back German Cups before Leverkusen’s triumph, beat St Pauli 4-2 at home, with Yussuf Poulsen scoring a brace.

The hosts were 2-0 up after 17 minutes thanks to goals from Poulsen and Christoph Baumgartner. Morgan Guilavogui grabbed one back on 28 minutes but Poulsen added another two minutes later. 

St Pauli’s Swedish defender Eric Smith scored early in the second half but Norwegian forward Antonio Nusa put the match to bed with a classy solo goal with 10 minutes remaining.

Elsewhere, goals for Alexis Claude-Maurice, Arne Maier and Samuel Essende took Augsburg past five-time champions Schalke with a 3-0 win.

Karlsruhe beat Kickers Offenbach 2-0, Cologne beat Holstein Kiel and Regensburg eliminated Greuther Fuerth.

On Wednesday, 20-time champions Bayern Munich travel to Mainz while Eintracht Frankfurt host Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Warming up for El Grand Clasico in the Spanish capital on Wednesday, Vinicius Junior fired a stunning hat-trick to complete the demolition job for Kylian Mbappe-starrer Real Madrid against a revenge-hungry Borussia Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabeu. Learning to play with superstar Mbappe in the French captain’s debut season, the reigning European champions registered another unforgettable come-from-behind win against Dortmund in the 2024-2025 season of the UEFA Champions League. Goals from defender Antonio Rudiger and veteran Lucas Vasquez followed by the Vinicius hat-trick sent a packed Bernabeu into ruptures last night.

Did the 5-2 scoreline reflect Real’s dominance over Dortmund? The visitors almost avenged the heartbreaking Champions League final trounce in the revamped 36-team tournament. Two quick goals from Nuri Sahin-coached Yellow Army handed the Bundesliga giants a healthy lead over the darlings of the European tournament. When Los Meringues were busy recovering from Donyell Malen’s 30th-minute opener, Jamie Gittens (34′ minutes) produced a Dortmud sucker punch as the ‘Ball Game’ club enjoyed bragging rights at half-time in Madrid.

Comeback Kings in Champions League

In the Champions League, nobody does it better. “Get one, and we’ll come back again,” Vinicius reckoned after pioneering a typical Madrid comeback at the temple of football. At half-time, the 0-2 scoreline signalled a new dawn, but Real Madrid wallpapered the same-old story by snatching another humdinger in the Champions League. In less than two minutes, Madrid restored parity with quick-fire goals from Rudiger (60′) and Vinicius (62′). After versatile Vasquez (83′) netted the all-important third goal for the fifteen-time European champions, the floor belonged to mercurial Vinicius, who is gunning for his maiden Ballon d’Or crown this season.

Vinícius Júnior’s solo stunner

Singo’s long-range strike

Vote for your Goal of the Day #UCLGOTD | @Heineken

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 22, 2024

Vinicius vs Rodri: Real talisman is Ballon d’Or bound

Dishing out a goal-scoring masterclass, Vinicius not only scored like his idol – Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Ballon d’Or frontrunner also celebrated in CR7 fashion at the Bernabeu. Hitting Ronaldo‘s iconic shirt celebration, the Brazilian superstar demolished Dortmund by completing his first-ever Champions League hat-trick in injury time. For the record, this was his third hat-trick for Real Madrid across competitions. The 24-year-old is the third Brazilian for Real to net a hat-trick after Ronaldo (2003) and Rodrygo (2019) in the Champions League. Vinicius or Manchester City’s Rodri, who is winning the Golden Ball?

Fun times coming.

Tonight Real Madrid are playing against Dortmund in the CL.

El Clasico next on Saturday.

On Monday Vinicius is expected to receive the Ballon D’Or.

The first game after that is against Valencia on Nov 2. pic.twitter.com/vOIqMXAMrd

— Real Madrid Info ³⁶ (@RMadridInfo) October 22, 2024

El Clasico loading as Real break Barca’s Champions League record

Real bagged their second win at Bernabeu after going 0-2 down in the Champions League since Porto lifted the famous trophy. Madrid outclassed AS Roma 4-2 back in 2004 after conceding twice in the Champions League at home. Vinicius’ treble against Dortmund is also the 15th hat-trick by a Real Madrid player in the UEFA Champions League. Thanks to the in-form Brazilian, Madrid have moved past Barcelona, who have 14 hat-tricks in Europe’s biggest competition at club level. Madrid’s arch-rivals Barcelona will have their Clasico dress rehearsals against the mighty Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Thursday.