What seemed to be just another Champions League night at Santiago Bernabéu became an unforgettable spectacle carried through by no other than the hands of Vinícius Júnior. Real Madrid completed an incredible comeback against Borussia Dortmund, beating it 5-2 after being two goals down at half-time. The standout player? Vinícius, of course, with a second-half hat-trick that got the Spanish club back in control of the game.
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This was sweet-the epic performance of Brazil's mercurial forward, one of the top contenders for the 2024 Ballon d'Or, at a very critical moment. But beyond his own brilliance, what made this victory special was Real Madrid's collective spirit that simply would not be blunted-even after a difficult first half.
Dortmund Dominates First Half
In the first 45 minutes, Borussia Dortmund showed a real pentathlon of strength. First, the German team opened with Malen, and shortly after, Gittens scored the second goal, which really beamed the fans of Real Madrid. The Spanish were lost on the pitch, and during halftime, it seemed as if the match had already gone out of their grasp.
But one of the trademarks of Real Madrid, especially in the Champions League, is just that: the ability to fight back in tough situations. And this time was no different. Even with the adverse score, crystal clear was the fact that with the support of their fans and the quality of their squad, the comeback was doable.
Vinícius Júnior's Show
The second half kicked off with an evident change in attitude from Real Madrid. They came back more organized from the break and hungry to win. Then, ten minutes into the half, Rüdiger scored the first goal for the merengues, bringing a glimmer of hope that something almost magical was about to happen. Then, the show of Vinícius Júnior started.
Vini Jr then took over the game with a performance that will live in the annals of the club. The first was through a very quick move down the left, blowing past Dortmund's defense to finish with precision. The stadium erupted. From then on, it was never going to be anything but a comeback.
Then came the equalizer through Lucas Vázquez, before Vinícius sealed the match with two more in quick succession. Absolutely no answers were provided by the Borussia Dortmund defense to the Brazilian's pace and dribbling. A third got him his hat-trick, sealing the 5-2 victory and adding to his growing collection.
A Ballon d'Or Favorite
This performance couldn't come at a better time for Vinícius. A week shy of the 2024 Ballon d'Or, the Brazilian forward nailed his candidacy with this display. It was his third hat-trick for Real Madrid, and it couldn't have come at a better time. Those who had doubts about him being the front-runner were put to rest as he lit up the night at Santiago Bernabéu.
Over the last couple of years, Vinícius has firmly positioned himself as one of the best in the world, especially in the most important games. And against German teams, it was not his first good performance. All of the last five goals of Vini Jr in the Champions League were scored against German sides. He found the net against Leipzig, Bayern Munich, and now again against Borussia Dortmund. It seems like he enjoys playing against them.