Ancelotti: Real Madrid keen for more glory after 15th Champions League win

Posted Sunday, June 02, 2024 by PA

Carlo Ancelotti insists he and his Real Madrid players remain hungry for more glory following their record-extending 15th Champions League success with victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.

Ruthless Real struck twice in the second half, having been outplayed for much of the evening.

The tournament’s most successful team earned yet another trophy as Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior scored to secure a 2-0 victory.

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.

Ancelotti: Real Madrid keen for more glory after 15th Champions League win — Real Madrid’s Ferland Mendy and Jude Bellingham celebrate after winning the UEFA Champions League final (Joe Giddens/PA)

The Italian also holds a record five Champions League successes as a manager but does not want the trophy haul to stop under the Wembley arch.

“There is no danger in that respect of us having a full belly, if you like,” said Ancelotti.

“In this club, there is a continuous demand. We are never satisfied. We will have a fantastic day with our fans tomorrow.

“Then we will go to rest, my players will be at Euros and Copa America. We will come back with the same eagerness and excitement as before.”

Carvajal, Modric, Nacho and the retiring Kroos all celebrated winning a record-equalling sixth European Cup with the latter set to hang up his boots following a home Euros with Germany.

Ancelotti, though, remains open to the idea of Kroos changing his mind: “I am really grateful to him. He has finished at the very top,” he said.

“There is no way of finishing in a higher position than this. He had the balls to finish it. He is a legend in this club and all the Real Madrid fans are grateful to him for what he has done – not only for his game, but his attitude or professionalism.

“I said to him: ‘We are waiting if you change your mind, we are still here!’”

Dortmund’s own profligacy cost 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, Dortmund, watched on by former boss Jurgen Klopp, were the better side, but a gritty Real performance ultimately saw them come out on top once more.

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 Bundesliga underdogs, this time Fullkrug hitting the inside of the post after Ian Maatsen had too easily won the ball back from the otherwise impressive Federico Valverde.

“We played a fantastic game and were close to taking the lead,” said Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic.

“But then the game turned around and Madrid showed why they are champions of this competition. We had good chances in the first half, like Madrid in the second, but we didn’t take them.”