Real Madrid leave it late to secure Champions League glory

Ruthless Real Madrid struck twice in the second half to beat Borussia Dortmund at Wembley and seal a 15th Champions League crown.

Outplayed for much of the evening, the tournament’s most successful team earned yet another European Cup as Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior scored to secure a 2-0 victory.

Carlo Ancelotti had warned his Real players on the eve of the final that they would play with fear and they certainly suffered from stage fright for large parts of the game – eventually finding a way to win.

Thibaut Courtois was making his first Champions League appearance of the season having recovered from two serious knee injuries and his saves kept Madrid in the game until they struck themselves.

Dortmund’s own profligacy ended up costing them dear after a string of first-half chances were missed, including Niclas Fullkrug hitting the post.

Wembley Stadium confirmed arrests were made after the game was halted inside the opening minute as three separate pitch invaders evaded security.

When the game got back under way it was Dortmund, watched on by former boss Jurgen Klopp, who were the better side but a gritty Real performance ultimately saw them come out on top once more.

Madrid have not lost a major European final since losing the Cup Winners’ Cup to Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in 1983 but there were times here when they looked set to fall short.

Julian Brandt had a decent early chance but fluffed his lines in what was to become a familiar feeling for Edin Terzic’s side.

They were soon left ruing a great opportunity to break the deadlock as Karim Adeyemi raced through a gaping hole in the Madrid defence but took a touch far too wide as he tried to round Courtois.

Still the chances came for the underdogs from the