Jadon Sancho, a Manchester United loanee, played 87 minutes in the Champions League final at Wembley as Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund.
Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior scored late goals in the 74th and 83rd minutes, respectively, to seal the cup for Real Madrid and cause sorrow for Dortmund.
The Bundesliga team had the better of the game for extended periods of time and had several good opportunities, particularly in the first forty-five minutes, but their finishing was lacklustre. Over time, Carlo Ancelotti’s team improved and ultimately reappeared as winners.
Sancho began the game in a 4-3-3 shape on the right wing. He was a member of an attacking trio that included Niclas Fullkrug in the front and Karim Adeyemi on the other flank.
The United loanee was not as effective and dangerous as he was in the semi-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain.
Apart from one or two instances in which he came up against Ferland Mendy and tried to put the ball inside the box, Sancho didn’t offer very much in terms of attacking Madrid. He however did the simple things well and produced some nice combinations with Julian Ryerson on the right flank.
Sancho was eventually taken off by Edin Terzic and replaced by Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
During the time he was on the pitch, Sancho failed to register any shot, whether on-target or off-target.
He embarked on three dribbles and completed just one. Sancho had 39 touches of the ball and successfully delivered 26 of the 31 passes he attempted, managing an individual pass completion rate of 84%.
The 24-year-old failed to register a key pass or cross.
The Englishman found his intended target with the one long ball he tried to ping. He didn’t attempt a cross. Sancho won two of the seven ground duels he delved into and made one interception.
Sancho, who was so good against PSG, probably wouldn’t have imagined this kind of performance. Now that his future at United has been determined, the forward is scheduled to return.
Another spell with Dortmund – whether on loan again or on a permanent basis – is firmly on the cards for Sancho. Remaining at United in an attempt to save his career at Old Trafford is also a possibility and shouldn’t be completely ruled out.
