Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid: Complete head-to-head record

  • Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid are two colossal forces in European football
  • The clubs have battled on the continent plenty of times in the 21st century
  • Two teams to meet in the 2023/24 Champions League final at Wembley
Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund in the 2023/24 Champions League final
Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund in the 2023/24 Champions League final / Anadolu/GettyImages
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After Borussia Dortmund's resurgence under Jurgen Klopp in the early 2010s, meetings with record European champions Real Madrid became far more frequent.

While the first meeting between the German giants and Spanish kings came in the late 1990s, the bulk of the history in this fixture spans the last 15 years. The Champions League has been the arena in which they have duelled, with some high-profile clashes in the latter stages of the competition.

Real Madrid boast the better record in this battle over the years, as they tend to do in any European fixture, but their have been some notable Dortmund scalps. However, one things is almost certain when they lock horns: drama.

Here is the complete head-to-head record between these two sides and some of their best match-ups.



Real Madrid 2-0 Borussia Dortmund - April 1998

SOCCER-MADRID-DORTMUND
Real Madrid triumphed in the first meeting between the sides / DOMINIQUE FAGET/GettyImages

The debut of this fixture came in the 1997/98 Champions League semi-final. Dortmund had lifted the trophy for the first and only time in their history the year before, but Real Madrid would ensure that they were dethroned in the final four.

Jupp Heynckes, who went on to manage Dortmund's arch rivals Schalke and finished his career with plenty of trophies with Bayern Munich, led Los Blancos to a 2-0 victory in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Goals from Fernando Morientes and Christian Karembeu downed the European champions and a goalless second leg sent Real Madrid through to the final, where they beat Juventus 1-0 in Amsterdam.


Borussia Dortmund 4-1 Real Madrid - April 2013

Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski grabbed four in the semis / Boris Streubel/GettyImages

Klopp's high-energy Dortmund faced Real Madrid four times in the 2012/13 Champions League campaign. The first two clashes came in the group stage - a win and a draw for the German side - with the latter duels coming in the semi-final.

This time it would be Dortmund who would book their ticket to the showpiece event, winning 4-1 in the first leg at Signal Iduna Park. There have been some memorable individual Champions League performances over the years, but not many come close to Robert Lewandowski's four-goal haul against Jose Mourinho's side.

All four strikes came from a collective distance of approximately 25 yards, with the Pole netting a second-half hat-trick in the space of just 17 minutes. Real Madrid rallied in the second leg and managed to beat Dortmund 2-0, but it was Klopp's men that would secure a trip to Wembley in the final, where they would lose to Klassiker rivals Bayern.


Real Madrid 3-0 Borussia Dortmund - April 2014

Cristiano Ronaldo
A big win for Real Madrid en route to glory / Clive Rose/GettyImages

During Carlo Ancelotti's first spell at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid would face Dortmund in the quarter-final of the Champions League just a year after their semi-final exit at the hands of Klopp's men. However, their fortunes would change this time around.

It took Real just three minutes to take control of the tie in the Spanish capital, Gareth Bale's sharp feet putting the hosts ahead, and Isco's accurate low drive doubled their advantage halfway through the first half.

Cristiano Ronaldo would add the crucial security blanket of a third during the second half, with Dortmund unable to complete a remarkable comeback in the second leg despite managing a 2-0 victory. In the end, it was Real Madrid who would lift the trophy after beating their city rivals Atletico Madrid in the final.


Real Madrid 2-2 Borussia Dortmund - December 2016

Marco Reus
An impressive comeback from Dortmund in Spain / Denis Doyle/GettyImages

The two teams clashed once again in the 2016/17 Champions League group stage, with the first meeting finishing 2-2 in Germany. That's exactly the scoreline the second match would serve up as well.

Real looked to be cruising to victory over Thomas Tuchel's side with Karim Benzema providing two poacher's goals either side of half-time. But Dortmund would fight back despite overwhelming pressure from the hosts, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tapping home to reduce the deficit.

The Spaniards could have, and almost certainly should have, been out of sight in the closing stages but Dortmund punished their profligacy when Marco Reus provided an 88th-minute equaliser. It was only the second time that BVB had avoided defeat at the Bernabeu, but Real cared little as they went on to be crowned European champions come the end of the campaign.


Real Madrid 3-2 Borussia Dortmund - December 2017

Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund: UEFA Champions League
Lucas Vazquez proved an unlikely match-winner / Anadolu/GettyImages

The two clubs couldn't get enough of each other during the 2010s, drawn against one another in the 2017/18 Champions League group stage. However, while both duels were competitive, it was Real that finished as victors in the two meetings.

The first finished 3-1 to the capital side in Dortmund and the second looked to be heading in an equally comfortable direction, with the hosts racing into a two-goal lead after just 12 minutes. But the Germans, now under the guidance of Peter Bosz, would show their resilience once more, with Aubameyang continuing his fantastic goalscoring record against Real with a brace.

But it was stalwart Lucas Vazquez who proved the unlikely hero for Real, striking in the 81st minute to claim all three points. Yet again, the Spanish giants went on to win the Champions League final later in the season.


Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid - Complete H2H record

  • Games played: 14
  • Borussia Dortmund: 3 wins
  • Draws: 5
  • Real Madrid: 6 wins

Top scorers in Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid fixtures

Player

Club represented

Goals

Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid

7

Robert Lewandowski

Borussia Dortmund

5

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Borussia Dortmund

5

Marco Reus

Borussia Dortmund

4

Karim Benzema

Real Madrid

3


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