After racing into a 2-0 lead against Real Madrid in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund conceded five unanswered goals as the Bundesliga side capitulated in a repeat of last season’s final.
Two-nil up at the Santiago Bernabéu, Nuri Şahin replaced the impressive Jamie Gittens with Waldemar Anton and switched to a back five with 35 minutes remaining. After just seven minutes, Real had equalised which then saw Dortmund’s head coach bring off Donyell Malen, another player who impressed, for Pascal Groß, a player that took a knock at the weekend.
Goals from Antonio Rüdiger, Lucas Vazquez and a Vinicius Jr. hat-trick secured a memorable comeback for Los Blancos as Borussia Dortmund their first defeat in this season’s competition.
“I’m facing up to this mistake,” said Şahin, after switching from a back four to a back five.
Felix Nmecha, whom Ruhr Nachrichten note a player that usually doesn’t express his thoughts, added: “We have to learn to defend better together. It’s not down to one individual, we have to do better as a team. We have to learn that quickly.”
