Ancelotti's Madrid rides its luck to snatch Wembley win

It is a common refrain that the most-decorated coaches are also the luckiest ones, and, while Carlo Ancelotti might not agree, fate smiled on him again as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 on Saturday to win the Champions League for the sixth time in 11 seasons.

Italian Ancelotti was unruffled on the touchline inside a thunderous Wembley Stadium, as his Madrid side was outplayed for large swathes of the final by an impressive Dortmund side that belied its status as the game's massive underdog.

Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel was not required to make a save in the opening 45 minutes, while, at the other end, Karim Adeyemi wasted a golden one-on-one chance and Niclas Fullkrug prodded a shot that rattled the inside of the post.

When Fullkrug failed with another headed chance just past the hour mark, it suddenly felt inevitable that Ancelotti would have his hands on the trophy for a record-extending fifth time as a coach — two with Milan and now three with Real Madrid.

The 64-year-old has seen it all before, and he knows better than anyone how the story usually ends.

So it proved, as Real Madrid gradually roused itself, and veteran rightback Dani Carvajal glanced in a corner delivery from Toni Kroos in the 74th minute.

Dortmund probably knew it was destined to witness another Real Madrid coronation, and, when Vinicius Junior broke clear to fire in the second goal, the engraver was already etching Los Blancos' name on the Cup — a record-extending 15th for the men in white and gold.

Identifying quite how they wrote the latest chapter in their rich history was puzzling though — the best explanation being that it is just what this club does.

Did it win the tactical battle? No. Did the Spanish champion impose its supposed superiority on a side that finished fifth in the Bundesliga? Hardly.

Did Brazilian Vinicius torment Dortmund's Norwegian rightback Julian Ryerson or veteran centerback Mats Hummels? Sporadically.

Did Jude Bellingham shine in his first Champions League final? Not really. In fact, the 20-year-old former Dortmund midfielder had one of his least effective games of a stupendous first season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

In the cold light of day, none of that mattered, as Real won its 11th successive European final — its last defeat coming 41 years ago against Aberdeen in the Cup Winners' Cup.

"It was difficult. I didn't like the level we were playing at. In the first half, we suffered; in the second half, we lost the ball less and played better — but those are all trifling details now. We won. The dream continues," Ancelotti said.

Real Madrid lacked a clear method in the first half, compared to a well-drilled Dortmund side that did everything right except put the ball in the net.

But, just like its wily manager on the touchline — Real's seasoned winners knew all they had to do was to stay calm, bide their time and history would repeat itself.

Dortmund's Hummels, who suffered Champions League final heartache for the second time, summed it up.

"We played with courage and bravery, but we failed to score. Then, we made small mistakes and Real score. They have been doing it like that for what feels like 100 years," he said.

Carvajal has now won the Champions League six times with Real Madrid, as has Luka Modric, who came on as a substitute for Kroos, matching the feat of Madrid great Paco Gento.

For Kroos, it was the best way to bring to an end his glittering Real career. But, while players come and go, for this soccer dynasty, what never changes is its knack for delivering when it really matters.

Ancelotti does not believe in the idea of luck.

"There's something special at this club," Ancelotti, who also has two European Cup winners' medals as a player, said before the final.

"Maybe it's the history, maybe it's the tradition — or the class. But, there have been so many, that it can't be just chance."

REUTERS