#2 The midfield battle
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Dortmund and Real both enjoyed an equal share of possession in this game, as expected by a team that has settled down to a more cultured attacking style under Thomas Tuchel relying on greater amounts of ball possession.
But while the Rhinesiders had the ball in the middle third, they failed to play through Real Madrid, as the Spanish club’s fast and strong defenders repelled most of their attacks, barring a few tame shots saved by Keylor Navas.
Real, on the other hand, kept creating chance after chance by playing on the counter. The first goal was the result of some elaborate buildup play that left Dortmund chasing shadows.
All-in-all, the Real midfield ran the tempo of the game and kept Dortmund at bay, while being unlucky in terms of the finishing of some chances. They were able to dominate the game even away from home, while Dortmund were largely restricted to moments conjured up by their attackers’ individual brilliance.
