UEFA Champions League Final 2023/24 Tactical Analysis: Real Madrid Vs Dortmund

The 2023/24 UEFA Champions League has concluded with European giants Real Madrid adding a 15th trophy to their already jam-packed cabinet, increasing the gap between themselves and second-placed AC Milan to eight titles.

At the same time, Carlo Ancelotti has become the first manager to lead a team to the summit of European football on five separate occasions — a fitting achievement for the 64-year-old expert in elite leadership and high performance at the very top level.

On the losing side were Borussia Dortmund, who last finished as runners-up in the UEFA Champions League 11 years ago. Fans of BVB had the privilege of seeing their players lift the illustrious trophy just once—the 1996/97 campaign.

This triumph occurred under the tutelage of Ottmar Hitzfeld, who would go on to lead a team to European glory once more in 2000/01, then with BVB’s Der Klassiker rivals, FC Bayern.

On paper, it was Real Madrid’s final to lose.

The stage had been set for Europe’s most successful team and coach to see off the challenge of perennial underdogs on the grandest stage BVB under 41-year-old relative newcomer to elite management, Edin Terzić.

However, the game itself played out in a far different manner, with a key half-time tactical switch from Los Blancos and their experienced mastermind proving vital to a momentum shift that would ultimately see Real Madrid over the line by the end of 90 minutes, having been on the back foot for much of the first 45.

This Real Madrid tactical analysis breaks down how this game played out in the first half, why Borussia Dortmund entered the midway break with momentum on their side, and how Real Madrid formation turned things around in the second half to ultimately come away victorious.

Lineups

Before moving on to providing an analysis of the tactics of both sides from the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League Final, we’re going to quickly run through the formations and lineups from both teams.

Dortmund primarily lined up in a 4-1-4-1, as depicted above, during Saturday’s game, with Gregor Kobel in goal behind a back four consisting of Julian Ryerson at right back, Mats Hummels at right centre-back, Nico Schlotterbeck at left centre-back, and Ian Maatsen at left-back.

Emre Can captained BVB and started in the holding midfield position with Julian Brandt just to his left and Marcel Sabitzer just to his right in central midfield.