How Real Madrid rose to dominate the Champions League again

It was Ancelotti who started Real Madrid’s current era of dominance by leading the club to the 2013/14 Champions League title to end the 12 year wait for the trophy most Madridistas desire.

10 them^th overall title, it was nicknamed “la decima” by the club’s fans and media. Even a decade after that glorious night in Lisbon, this remains perhaps the most admired of the 15 European Cups Real Madrid have won. This was partly due to the anticipation that had gone into it, as well as the numerical feat achieved in becoming the first team to reach double figures.

Against city rivals Atletico, newly crowned champions of Spain, Real fell behind heading into second-half stoppage time, but icon Sergio Ramos emerged with his trademark late save to force extra time. Ramos’ goal was perhaps the most important goal in Real Madrid’s history and it sparked a comeback as Los Blancos scored three goals in extra time to win 4-1.

Although there would be no success in the following season which ended with Ancelotti’s departure, the backbone of the team that triumphed in 2014 would still conquer Europe several more times before the end of the decade.

Following Ancelotti’s exit, Real Madrid struggled in the first half of the 2015/16 season with a 4-0 home defeat against arch-rivals Barcelona being one of the factors that ultimately led to Rafa Benitez’s sacking in early January 2016.

This led to club legend Zinedine Zidane almost accidentally getting the job, despite his largely unimpressive stint as boss of the club’s B team.

Many doubt Zidane’s tactical abilities and ability to lead a squad that not only lacks quality, but also lacks ego. But as it turned out, the Frenchman earned the respect of the dressing room on day one and his appointment proved to be the unlikely catalyst for the first European Cup triple since Bayern Munich achieved the feat in the early 1970s.

In his first months in office, Zidane guided Real Madrid past Roma, Wolfsburg and Manchester City to the final where they again faced city rivals Atletico. This result was repeated in the previous two years, although this time a penalty shootout was needed to separate the two Madrid clubs in Milan.

Real beat Atletico again in the Champions League en route to the 2017 final in Cardiff where they proved too strong for Juventus. The 4-1 win, with Isco shining for Los Blancos, and Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice to end the competition on 12 goals for the season, was a fitting end to what was arguably Real Madrid’s most impressive and well-deserved recent Champions League title.

Zidane’s Madrid certainly found their luck in the following season, with narrow wins over Juventus and Bayern Munich sending them through to face Liverpool in Kyiv where some poor goalkeeping from Loris Karius, as well as a wonderful goal from forgotten man Gareth Bale were key factors. in a 3-1 win.

Although Zidane would leave after Kyiv, and return for a less successful second spell between 2019 and 2021, Real Madrid fans will have to wait for the return of Ancelotti who takes over again at the start of the 2021/22 season to get a taste of it. the feeling of winning in the Champions League again.

As was the case in his first spell, Ancelotti won the trophy at the first moment of asking, guiding Los Blancos through a series of miraculous comeback wins that at times defied all rational explanation.

A second leg hat-trick from Karim Benzema saw Real come back from two down to beat PSG in the last 16. Two more late goals decided the quarter-final against Chelsea before Rodrygo scored his 90th goal^th and 91^st minute-by-minute goals saved Los Blancos from a seemingly certain defeat against Man City in the last four.

In comparison, the final was not very exciting, but Real Madrid won again against Liverpool with Vinicius Junior scoring the only goal in Paris.

Ancelotti’s second season was less successful, but he and his team more than made up for it during a dominant 2023/24 campaign. Apart from a couple of defeats in derbies at the Estadio Metropolitano, Los Blancos are unbeaten in any competition, although their knockout games in the Champions League have been tight.

A penalty was needed for Real Madrid to beat fellow heavyweights and reigning champions City at the Etihad Stadium in the last eight. Meanwhile, another late performance as Joselu scored 88^th and 91^st minute goal to send Bayern Munich packing in the semi-final second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid also survived several scares in the final, before ultimately beating Borussia Dortmund to be crowned the 15th European champions.^th time.

With Kylian Mbappe and his quality on the pitch, in theory, Real Madrid should be stronger this season as they look to take on a competition that has seen a bit of change with the new league phase.

They have the opportunity to extend a period of unprecedented dominance, at least in the Champions League era.