A Por La 15: How off-colour Real Madrid landed Champions League as one man has most fitting farewell

Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior were the heroes for Real, scoring on 74 minutes and 83 minutes respectively to claim victory for Carlo Ancelotti and Co. Dortmund will slope back to North Rhine-Westphalia with their luggage loaded with regrets. Because for two-thirds of this match, they were the better team. Not just better, but superior in almost every department. The much-vaunted Jude Bellingham was muted. Dortmund created chances but did not take them. And it proved costly.

Real Madrid are the grand masters of this competition. In the 69th Champions League final, Wembley hosted for the eighth time. Before this, the La Liga winners had yet to land Europe's top prize on English soil but they can now add London to Glasgow as a holy city. This team is made of the finest minerals, able to ride out storms and then punish rivals for their profligacy.

It was a fitting finale for their German maestro Toni Kroos, playing the 718th and final club match of his career. He will retire in summer with six Champions League winners medals in his satchel. Not too shabby. His next assignment: Germany v Scotland on June 14. The 34-year-old signs off for good at the Euros. He was not at his best either but he helped haul Madrid back into this.

Wembley was packed and noisy right from the off. The match was halted just two minutes in as three pitch invaders strayed on to the surface. It was an embarrassing moment for the security staff, who struggled to take the trio down. Eventually they removed the interlopers from the field of play, with Dortmund's Marcel Sabitzer helping out with one of them. After the trouble at the Euro 2020 final, in which ticketless fans stormed gates to gain access to the stadium, this was not what the host venue would have wanted with all eyes on the showpiece of the European club season.

The opening stages were competitive but lacking in any clear-cut moments. Dortmund forced an early corner but could do little with it. Vinicius tried a couple of runs against Julian Ryerson but got little joy. Then, on 14 minutes, Niclas Fullkrug got in behind Antonio Rudiger. He cut the ball back to Julian Brandt but the German midfielder's effort was sclaffed and drifted harmlessly wide of Thibault Courtois' post.

They had a far better moment on 21 minutes. Karim Adeyemi bent his run beautifully to surge on to an Emre Can through ball and found himself bearing down on goal. With just Courtois to beat, he went round the Belgian but the angle narrowed quickly and he was unable to net as Carvajal raced back to block. It was a concerning moment for Real Madrid, who were sliced open too easily.

It happened again on 23 minutes. Adeyemi's slide-rule pass sent Fullkrug racing into the box. The burly German striker got his shot away but it cannoned off the inside of the post. Courtois was beaten. The Yellow Wall behind the goal roared and then wailed. So close to the opener once again. Then Adeyemi burst through and Courtois saved, with the rebound spooning just out of Fullkrug's reach.

Real were rattled. They were struggling to get control of the match now. Vinicius hunted down Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel ten minutes from the break and was booked for a sliding tackle on the Swiss keeper. He was perhaps fortunate not to pick up a second caution moments later for a blatant act of simulation on the touchline.

Madrid needed the break. Sabitzer unleashed a driven low shot that Courtois palmed away for a corner. It was Dortmund's eighth attempt of the first half and they went back into the sheds, surely lamenting having not opened the scoring. Los Blancos would likely re-emerge as a different animal.

Ancelotti's team had the first chance after the restart. Kroos stood over a free-kick just outside the box and curled it towards the top corner. Kubel leapt across and saved. From the corner, Carvajal headed over. It was Madrid's most threatening chance, 48 minutes into proceedings.

The match then experienced its first lull. That Kroos chance was an aberration, as Real slipped back into their torpor. Dortmund's intensity had dropped but they still looked the more assured team, with Kroos and Bellingham being superseded by their opponents. Just after the hour-mark, Adeyemi pinged in another cross and Fullkrug launched himself head first at the ball. Courtois fisted the effort away. Another opportunity missed for the Germans.

Bellingham had been completely anonymous but that should have changed in 68 minutes. Vinicius swung in one of those teasing crosses that was just begging to be converted. The 20-year-old rose in front of Kobel but missed the ball completely from eight yards out. Any contact would have resulted in a goal.

That was a wee warning to Dortmund: Real Madrid are still alive, still dangerous despite being totally off-colour. They did not heed it. A German set the goal up. Of course it was Kroos. His corner kick on 74 minutes was laced with pace and a Madrileno met it. Carvajal bleeds white, such is his dedication to the club. He rose highest and glanced the ball home. The sucker punch, oh what a sucker punch. A stunned Dortmund has just over a quarter-of-an-hour to respond.

But Madrid had the momentum. Nine minutes later they netted their second. Ian Maatsen dithered and gave the ball away, Bellingham slipped in Vinicius and he finished past Kobel. A long, long way back from Edin Terzic's men now.

Fullkrug did have the ball in the net not long after but it was ruled out narrowly for offside. It summed up their night in front of goal. Despair for Dortmund, rapture for Real. They are kings of Europe once again.