Immediate reaction: Real Madrid 5-2 Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid 5-2 Borussia Dortmund (Rüdiger, Vinícius Júnior x3 & Vázquez). It’s business as usual in Europe. Here is my reaction to the return. More information to come: player notes, post-match quotes and the famous podcast.

The new Champions League The format does not adapt well to Real Madrid players, who have so far struggled to master the level required to ensure their progression. A shaky win and disappointing defeat left fans with little confidence ahead of last year’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund’s trip to the capital. The team was largely unchanged from recent times, with Lucas Vázquez guarding the right-back space and Luka Modrić starting in midfield. Eduardo Camavinga found a place on the bench, joined by super-subs Endrick and Arda Güler. Luka Modrić was captain of the team in Europe.

Madrid looked quite lively early on, getting the first chance of the match when Kylian Mbappé took a shot on goal which was blocked well to keep the ball out of the net. The match then lacked any real enthusiasm, until Dortmund took the lead thanks to a brilliant defense-splitting pass and drag that left the striker with all the time in the world. Thibaut Courtois had no chance to stop the shot from there. Things went from bad to worse when a low cross arrived in the area for a yellow striker to score twice. Jude Bellingham had a glorious chance to grab something back in the first half but headed his header straight at the keeper. Then the craziest sequence I’ve seen in a while happened when Rodrygo Goes slammed his shot off the bar, only for Jude Bellingham to do the same with the rebound – before a deflected effort requires a world-class stoppage to keep Madrid out. Rodrygo then went close again, before Julian Brandt saw out half-time with a chance that was comfortably saved by Courtois. Half time: 0-2.

Lucas Vázquez attempted to spark another historic comeback with the first chance of the half, forcing the keeper into a terrific save. Vinícius Júnior then came close and the home team set the tone. Dortmund then created some danger with a shot from Courtois, which he equalized. Madrid needed someone to step up, and that inspiration would come from Antonio Rüdiger, who literally rose higher than anyone to send a header into the back of the net. Everyone knew it was happening from then on, it was just a matter of when. The response would be immediate: Vinícius Júnior managed to score almost instantly to equalize. The hunt for the winner was on. The match actually calmed down from that point on, with a weak effort from Mbappé all Madrid could muster until the final minutes of the match. Dortmund had a great chance to win the match, but Courtois made a brilliant low save with his legs to save the day. Lucas Vázquez then took charge, playing a back-and-forth with the opposition before giving the keeper no chance, making the score 3-2 with little time remaining. Vinícius Júnior then sealed the deal with a Gareth Bale-style run before his bouncing shot sailed under the keeper to make it 4-2. He wasn’t done there either, causing Dortmund’s defenders to panic as he forced his way through before scoring his third to make it a hat-trick…Magic. Full time, and the first return of this new Champions League format was over. What did you think of the match?