Borussia Dortmund’s head coach, Edin Terzic, lamented his team’s loss in the Champions League final, feeling they deserved more after a strong performance against an ‘ice-cold’ Real Madrid.
The German side dominated the first half, creating several scoring opportunities and even hitting the post.
However, their failure to convert these chances came back to haunt them in the second half.
Real Madrid capitalized on their opportunities, with goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr securing a record 15th Champions League title for the Spanish giants.
Terzic’s disappointment was evident as he believed his team had performed admirably and deserved a better outcome.
“We put in a great display and I think we deserved more than losing 2-0,” Terzic told ZDF. “From the first second we showed the whole world that we weren’t just here simply to play a final – but to win it.
“We did so many things right, but they were ice cold at the right moment, which is what we lacked today.”
Before the match, Dortmund were considered huge underdogs, having won the competition only once before in 1997 and making their first final appearance in 11 years.
Their season in the Bundesliga was also less than stellar, finishing fifth and trailing champions Bayer Leverkusen by 27 points.
Despite these odds, Dortmund’s performance in the final was commendable, showcasing their resilience and talent on the big stage.
“Performance wise we showed a great game but we also found out why they [Madrid] just became European champions for the 15th time,” added Terzic to TNT Sports.
“They have been so effective and this is something we missed. We were very close and it’s been small things missing. Congratulations to them. To keep this kind of hunger to go and win it again, you see why they are the true champions.”
Dortmund defender Mats Hummels expressed his pride in his team’s performance, describing himself as “super proud” despite their loss in the Champions League final.
“We played bravely, with heart, and played quality football,” he said. “We only just missed out on scoring a goal. Real Madrid then strike, as they’ve done many times before.”
