Late Reus Equaliser Means Dortmund Beat Real To Top Spot

Madrid took a 2-0 lead against Dortmund in Wednesday’s group-stage decider but – like their previous meeting in October – were ultimately pegged back by the Germans, who left the Spanish capital with a 2-2 draw and top spot in the pool.

“We haven’t won yet at Wembley, we want to finish with a win and give something back to the fans”, Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen said. / AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANOJAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images Dortmund players pose before the UEFA Champions League football match Real Madrid CF vs Borussia Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on December 7, 2016. “We played full of courage”.

Elsewhere Sevilla drew 0-0 away to Olympique Lyon to ensure the three times Europa League champions join Real Madrid, Barca and Atletico Madrid in the knockout stage of the Champions League.

Given the circumstances the draw might feel like a loss; however this result enabled Zinédine Zidane’s men to equal a club record of 34 games unbeaten.

They obviously have the talent to win any game against any team in the world, but they must play an excellent game, as Dortmund will be throwing everything they have in order to keep first place in the group. Zidane adds that “A player who doesn’t get enough game time, however, could ask to leave the club”. In the reverse fixture against Dortmund, they were three minutes from victory until an Andre Schurrle goal levelled things.

However, given Real can’t face Barcelona or Atletico Madrid even if they do finish second, as clubs from the same country are kept apart, winning the group could prove more risky with Bayern Munich or Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City potential opponents.

“Zizou has that kind of magic that dazzles you”, Real captain Sergio Ramos said of Zidane. You have to highlight the whole team’s work. Ronaldo was kept scoreless for the fourth straight game in the Champions League, again missing the chance to become the first player to score 100 goals in European competitions. His total remains at 98.

Dortmund’s chances dried up from there, and Lucas Vazquez did a fine job of engineering space down Real’s right flank, coming close to setting up their third with a storming run with just over 15 minutes left on the clock. Lost track of Aubameyang in the build-up to Dortmund’s equaliser and could not match the forward’s pace when attempting to recover. And if it scores two or more goals, it will surpass the mark set by Madrid in 2013-14, Barcelona in 2011-12 and Manchester United in 1998-99.

Karim Benzema doubled his Champions League tally this season with a goal in either half as Real overtook their opponents and moved into pole position.

Benzema had been criticised in some quarters recently, having not scored in La Liga since October and being quiet in last weekend’s Clasico at Barcelona, and said he himself had also been unhappy with his form.

Ronaldo then seemed in disbelief as he struck the base of the post with just Weidenfeller to beat.

Borussia Dortmund created a record for the most CL goals scored in a group.