During the press conference, Zidane addressed the media with measured restraint.
"Every time Real Madrid visits this stadium, we face immense pressure from Dortmund," Zidane stated. "Tomorrow will be no different. Dortmund are in spectacular form, but my players are prepared to fight. It will be a brilliant match."
In stark contrast to his manager's diplomacy, Theodore projected unwavering certainty.
"We will beat Dortmund. It is that simple," Theodore declared. "They have talented players, but we possess the quality to defeat them. The home fans will create a hostile environment, but noise does not win football matches. I will give everything on the pitch."
...
Matchday.
Borussia Dortmund versus Real Madrid.
Hours before kickoff, the streets surrounding the Westfalenstadion transformed into a sea of yellow and black. Dortmund supporters marched together, their voices united in a booming rendition of Das Vereinslied.
The atmosphere crackled with raw, electric energy.
Amidst the home supporters, pockets of Real Madrid fans navigated the crowds. Dortmund had allocated five thousand away tickets, but the traveling Madridista contingent far exceeded that number.
The pre-match buildup remained passionate but peaceful.
By seven in the evening, the starting lineups circulated through the press boxes.
In the English broadcast booth, Rob Palmer and Terry Gibson prepared to call the action.
"Welcome to the first leg of this Champions League Round of 16 heavyweight clash!" Palmer announced.
"Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid. The lineups are in."
"Zidane sticks to his trusted 4-3-3," Gibson noted.
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Raphaël Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo
Midfielders: Theodore Bjorn, Casemiro, Luka Modrić
Forwards: Vinícius Jr., Karim Benzema, Martin Ødegaard
"This is Madrid's strongest possible configuration," Palmer added. "Zidane is hunting for an away victory."
"Edin Terzić counters with a Christmas tree 4-3-2-1 formation for the hosts," Gibson continued.
Goalkeeper: Marwin Hitz
Defenders: Raphaël Guerreiro, Mats Hummels, Manuel Akanji, Mateu Morey
Midfielders: Mahmoud Dahoud, Emre Can, Jude Bellingham
Attacking Midfielders: Jadon Sancho, Marco Reus
Striker: Erling Haaland
"It is a remarkably young Dortmund side," Palmer pointed out. "Haaland is twenty, Sancho is twenty-one, and Bellingham is only seventeen!"
Down in the concrete tunnel, the tension mounted.
Before stepping into the cauldron, Ødegaard and Theodore shared a brief, friendly exchange with Haaland.
Jude Bellingham spotted Theodore and took the initiative to walk over.
The young English midfielder had begun his career at Birmingham City—the fierce local rivals of Aston Villa.
During Bellingham's rise to the Birmingham first team, he had watched Theodore orchestrate Aston Villa's historic Premier League title run.
That exposure had turned Bellingham into a quiet admirer of the Norwegian's game.
"Theodore, I finally get to share the pitch with you," Bellingham said, his voice carrying a trace of excitement.
"Can we swap shirts after the whistle? I'm a huge fan."
"Of course. No problem," Theodore nodded.
He recognized the immense potential in the seventeen-year-old.
Led by the officiating crew, the teams marched out of the tunnel and into the deafening roar of eighty thousand fans.
The famous Yellow Wall unveiled a massive, towering tifo depicting a giant peering through binoculars over the pitch.
The visual spectacle pushed the stadium's atmosphere to a fever pitch.
The referee blew the whistle.
Real Madrid kicked off and the match ignited at a frantic pace.
Benzema tapped the ball back to Theodore in midfield.
Theodore assessed the pitch and immediately launched a sweeping diagonal pass to Ødegaard on the right flank.
The Norwegian playmaker drove the ball toward the Dortmund penalty area.
Raphaël Guerreiro tracked the run with laser focus. As Ødegaard prepared to cut inside, Guerreiro executed a precise standing tackle, dispossessing the winger.
The loose ball fell to Jude Bellingham. The seventeen-year-old wasted no time. He looked up and bypassed the midfield entirely with a driven, long-range pass over the top.
The ball sailed toward the Madrid half.
Erling Haaland engaged in a physical footrace with Raphaël Varane.
Haaland utilized his massive frame, dropping his shoulder and outmuscling the French center-back, shoving Varane off balance.
With the defender trailing, Haaland engaged his terrifying top speed. His long strides ate up the grass as he surged into the penalty area.
"He's through!" Palmer roared into the microphone. "Haaland bodies Varane! He's one-on-one!"
The pressure fell squarely on Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian goalkeeper did not hesitate.
He abandoned his goal line and rushed out to close the angle.
The moment Courtois rushed off his line, Haaland unleashed his shot.
The ball flashed past Courtois' right hand.
The Belgian reacted as fast as humanly possible, throwing his towering frame into a dive, but the strike curled firmly into the net.
1–0!
Home side Borussia Dortmund had taken the lead.
Haaland erupted.
He swung his fist, gritting his teeth in a guttural roar. In unison, the Yellow Wall rose to their feet, screaming the Norwegian's name.
Less than five minutes into the tie, Real Madrid were experiencing the sheer terror of the Westfalenstadion!
In the broadcast booth, Rob Palmer called the action. "Dortmund strike first! Erling Haaland uses his raw physical power to brush Varane aside! Facing the onrushing Courtois, he opts for a thunderous finish!"
Terry Gibson added his analysis. "The Westfalenstadion is living up to its reputation as Madrid's kryptonite. Bellingham's long pass cut the defense wide open. The seventeen-year-old assisting the twenty-year-old—Dortmund's future is terrifying."
The early setback forced Madrid into action.
Following the restart, they pressed into Dortmund territory.
A pinpoint long pass from Modrić found Vinícius Jr. on the left flank. The young Brazilian isolated his marker and cut inside onto his right foot.
Facing a double-team, the winger refused to back down. After a rapid sequence of stepovers, he accelerated.
Mats Hummels stepped across to intercept.
The two collided, and Vinícius was sent tumbling to the turf.
The referee waved play on. It was a firm but fair challenge; replays confirmed the veteran German center-back had taken the ball first.
"No foul!" Palmer narrated. "Dortmund recover possession! It's the teenager, Bellingham, driving through the middle! A quick shift of pace, and he leaves Casemiro behind!"
The home crowd roared. They sensed blood.
Bellingham charged to the edge of the penalty arc.
He glanced up, preparing to shoot.
At that critical moment, Theodore tracked back and caught up.
Realizing the immediate danger, Theodore shoved Bellingham in the back, sending the Englishman to the turf.
Peep!
The referee blew the whistle and immediately produced a yellow card.
The official for tonight's fixture was Michael Oliver.
Having spent a season in the Premier League, Theodore was well acquainted with the English referee.
"A cynical foul, and Oliver reaches straight for his pocket," Palmer noted. "Less than fifteen minutes in, Theodore is into the book. And Dortmund have a free-kick in prime territory."
On Football Twitter, the timeline panicked:
@MadridCentral: Our defense looks like they are asleep!
@LaLigaWatch: What is Casemiro doing? Beaten by a teenager.
@RM_Insider: It all starts from Vini losing the ball. He has to release it quicker!
@BlancoTalk: If this keeps up, we are getting buried in Germany.
At the edge of the box, Bellingham, Marco Reus, and Emre Can stood over the ball.
After a brief discussion, the veterans stepped aside, leaving the set-piece to the seventeen-year-old.
The deafening noise of the Westfalenstadion faded into a tense, expectant hush.
The supporters wanted absolute focus for their young star.
Behind the goal, a sea of phone screens lit up the stands, recording the moment.
Peep!
Oliver blew the whistle.
Bellingham stepped up and whipped his right foot through the ball. The Real Madrid wall leaped in unison, attempting to block the trajectory.
The strike curved with pinpoint precision over the jumping defenders, dipping viciously toward the top-left corner.
Courtois sprang across his line. Using his two-meter frame, the Belgian extended his left arm and managed to get his fingertips to the leather.
But the shot carried too much pace.
Despite the contact, the ball crashed into the back of the net.
2–0!
"They've scored again!" Palmer shouted. "Dortmund lead Real Madrid two-nil! Jude Bellingham is running the show! An assist and a goal in fifteen minutes!"
"Madrid's defensive structure is completely exposed," Gibson analyzed. "Every time Dortmund break forward, they look capable of scoring."
The Westfalenstadion erupted.
Fans waved their scarves and shirts, transforming the stands into a bouncing sea of yellow and black.
A thunderous roar rolled through the stadium.
@BVB_Army: This is the team with a 25-match winning streak? Overrated!
@GermanFooty: Bellingham is sinking the Galácticos on his own! Where is Theodore? Where is Modrić? Jude is outplaying them all.
@YellowWall: Crush them! Make this their graveyard!