Real eliminates BVB in the quarter-finals, despite BVB's late resurgence
On July 5, 2025, the Club World Cup quarter-final match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid delivered an exciting spectacle, culminating in a 3-2 victory for the Spanish giants.
The early stages of the game saw Real Madrid assert their dominance, with Gonzalo García and Fran García scoring in the 10th and 20th minutes, respectively, to give Real a commanding 2-0 lead. Fran García made it 2:0 ten minutes after the first goal, with the entire Dortmund defence seemingly asleep.
The second half began with Dortmund's coach, Kovac, making three substitutions: Nmecha, Yan Couto, and Maximilian Beier came on for Pascal Groß, Niklas Süle, and Karim Adeyemi. These changes brought some fresh wind, but Dortmund remained harmless until stoppage time.
The dramatic final phase of the match began in the 93rd minute, when Maximilian Beier scored for Dortmund to reduce the deficit. However, Kylian Mbappé restored Real's two-goal lead with a stunning bicycle kick in the 94th minute.
The match was not without incident, as Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen was sent off for a foul, and Serhou Guirassy earned a penalty after being fouled by Huijsen. Guirassy converted the penalty to make it 3-2. In the ninth minute of added time, Thibaut Courtois made a crucial save to deny Marcel Sabitzer, ensuring Real's victory and a semifinal spot against Paris Saint-Germain.
Dortmund's Julian Brandt described their defeat as "bitter." Kovac, in his first game as Real coach against a German team, had little to do from the sidelines. Surprisingly, Sabitzer started in place of Felix Nmecha, with Kovac explaining before the game that Sabi is more suited to the role of a defensive midfielder than Felix.
The Club World Cup in the USA is now in its final week without German participation. Alonso, the 39-year-old 2018 Ballon d'Or winner, led Real Madrid to victory in his first game as their coach. Luka Modric, another key player for Real, will be leaving the team after the Club World Cup and 13 years of service.
This thrilling encounter between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid will be remembered for its early dominance by Real Madrid, a dramatic finish filled with goals and drama, and the significant role of substitutes in turning the tide for Dortmund.
The following European leagues are keenly awaiting the return of key players like Luka Modric, who will be featuring in the Club World Cup despite announcing his departure after the tournament. The upcoming Premier League season might witness a new dynamic with Modric's departure from Real Madrid, a team that recently secured a thrilling victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup. Despite their bitter defeat, Dortmund's tactical substitutions in the quarter-final match, especially Maximilian Beier's entry, demonstrated the potential impact of sports strategy in high-stakes championships like the Club World Cup and the Champions League.
