adminNo complaints here. Why should there be? It is nigh impossible to dispute the top two clubs in the Bundesliga as also the best in Europe right now, and while they might be 20 points apart domestically, to see them go at it hammer and tongs, donner und blitzen, for 90 minutes will still be a privilege.
After Bayern Munich took Barcelona apart on Tuesday, Wednesday night saw Borussia Dortmund dominate Real Madrid in a manner few thought possible, given the legendary cussedness of their coach, Jose Mourinho. An incredible, scarcely believable four goals from Robert Lewandowski sealed the deal, but this was no mere one-man show.
Dortmund won the midfield, the defensive battle, had the better goalkeeper and Lewandowski was head and shoulders the best forward on the field, closely followed by team-mate Marco Reus.
It comes to something when Germans give up the right to take a penalty, but Dortmund’s nationals stood aside for Lewandowski to claim number four. It is hard to imagine Madrid have a way back from here, needing to win 3-0 to progress on away goals. It is not impossible, but it is unlikely.
For the plain fact is that Borussia Dortmund are a better team than Real Madrid. They were last night, and they have been this season. Madrid have played Dortmund three times in this campaign, losing twice and drawing once. The aggregate score between the clubs reads Borussia Dortmund 8 Real Madrid 4.
And between the countries after the first round of Champions League semi-finals: Germany 8 Spain 1. Even his Specialness sounded beset by gloom as he raked over the ashes of his most humbling night in European competition. ‘‘Dortmund were the best team by far,’’ he said.
“They deserved it. We lost easy possession. Many of our boys didn’t perform, many didn’t have a good night. They were stronger collectively and in every individual duel. We had so many difficulties. They were better physically and mentally. How did it go from 1-1 to 4-1? I don’t know. Everything happened in such a short space of time. We couldn’t cope with their counter attack and their transition.”
This was hardly comfortable viewing for England manager Roy Hodgson, either, considering his defenders must find a way of containing Lewandowski in the shirt of Poland later this year. He was immense, his three second-half goals coming in the space of 17 minutes, Madrid shaken to the core throughout by his movement and clinical finishing.
He could have added a fifth were it not for a fine save from Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez late on.
It was Dortmund who dictated the tempo of the game and Lewandowski who set the standard in front of goal.
He is the first player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League against Real Madrid and only the fifth player to score four in one game in this competition in the quarter-finals or beyond. Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis and Lionel Messi are the others. Some roll call. Some player.
Pepe is Mourinho’s rock in defence and not the type to take prisoners but he was exposed almost from the opening. It did not matter to them that Mario Gotze’s £31.5m transfer to rivals Bayern Munich had just been announced. It did not seem to trouble them, even before he supplied such a superb pass. There had been protests earlier in the day but the locals had decided that beating Real Madrid was a bigger issue on the night.
And by the end, they were all one. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter