"I scolded him" - Carlo Ancelotti confirms Real Madrid attacker got a dressing down at half-time in Champions League final
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has admitted to reprimanding Vinicius Junior at half-time during their 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday, June 1.
Los Blancos secured their record-extending 15th Champions League trophy following a hard-fought win against Dortmund at the Wembley Stadium. The Bundesliga outfit failed to make the most of their opportunities in the first half, being denied by the woodwork and Thibaut Courtois.
Vinicius also struggled to make an impact in the first half due to being tightly marked by Dortmund's Julian Ryerson. Ancelotti revealed he wasn't pleased with the way his side played the first half, telling Movistar (via METRO):
‘I scolded him [Vinicius] a little because I think that in the first half we were a little lazy and we had losses that we normally haven’t had. They played how they wanted and they were very dangerous."
The Italian tactician also disclosed his message to his Real Madrid squad.
"I didn’t need to get angry I needed to clarity a few things because it was pretty clear how Dortmund wanted to play. They played a fantastic game in transition and we lost our balance a bit and we had to manage their transition better," he stated.
"We lost may balls when arriving in the opponent’s half and we thought about changing the system would be better for us and concentrate a few more players in midfield," Ancelotti added.
Real Madrid transitioned to a 4-3-3 formation in the second half, with the move paying dividends. Dani Carvajal broke the deadlock with a fantastic header in the 74th minute before Vinicius doubled their advantage nine minutes later with a calm finish to secure the Champions League trophy.
How did Real Madrid fare in their 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the UCL final?
Despite struggling in the first half, Real Madrid secured a 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund to get their first-ever win at Wembley.
Los Blancos dominated possession with 58 percent of the ball, attempting 549 passes with an accuracy of 91 percent. In contrast, Dortmund had 42 percent possession and attempted 403 passes with an accuracy of 85 percent.
Even though they had less of the ball, the German side looked more likely to score for most of the game. They landed 13 shots in total with four being on target, boasting an xG of 1.86 compared to Real Madrid's 1.15.
On the other hand, Real Madrid had 13 shots with six being on target, making the most of their opportunities in the second half.