Dortmund 4 Madrid 1: Lewandowski runs riot on Real with FOURsome display as Spanish Wembley dreams are shredded

By Martin Samuel

Published: 16:38 EDT, 24 April 2013 | Updated: 03:16 EDT, 25 April 2013

Just what everyone was hoping for at Wembley next month. The first all-German European Cup final. Fussball’s coming home, everybody. Enjoy.

And we will. No complaints here. Why should there be? It is nigh impossible to dispute the top two clubs in the Bundesliga as also the best in Europe right now, and while they might be 20 points apart domestically, to see them go at it hammer and tongs, donner und blitzen, for 90 minutes will still be a privilege.

After Bayern Munich took Barcelona apart on Tuesday, last night saw Borussia Dortmund dominate Real Madrid in a manner few thought possible, given the legendary cussedness of their coach, Jose Mourinho.

Scroll down to see Mourinho comments in the press conference

On fire: Robert Lewandowski scored all four goals as Dortmund crushed Real Madrid in their semi-final first leg

Helpless: Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho

Dejected: Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo

An incredible, scarcely believable four goals from Robert Lewandowski sealed the deal, but this was no mere one-man show.

Dortmund won the midfield, the defensive battle, had the better goalkeeper and Lewandowski was head and shoulders the best forward on the field, closely followed by team-mate Marco Reus.

It comes to something when  Germans give up the right to take a penalty, but Dortmund’s nationals stood aside for Lewandowski to claim number four.

It is hard to imagine Madrid have a way back from here, needing to win 3-0 to progress on away goals. It is not impossible, but it is unlikely.

For the plain fact is that Borussia Dortmund are a better team than Real Madrid. They were last night, and they have been this season.

Madrid have played Dortmund three times in this campaign,  losing twice and drawing once. The aggregate score between the clubs reads Borussia Dortmund 8 Real Madrid 4.

And between the countries after the first round of Champions League semi-finals: Germany 8 Spain 1.

Perfect start: Lewandowski put Dortmund ahead as early as the eighth minute

Even his Specialness sounded beset by gloom as he raked over the ashes of his most humbling night in European competition. ‘Dortmund were the best team by far,’ he said.

‘They deserved it. We lost easy possession. Many of our boys didn’t perform, many didn’t have a good night. They were stronger collectively and in every individual duel.

‘We had so many difficulties. They were better physically and mentally. How did it go from 1-1 to 4-1? I don’t know. Everything  happened in such a short space of time. We couldn’t cope with their counter attack and their transition.’

Lead: Lewandowski peeled away at the far post to guide Mario Gotze's cross into the far corner

This was hardly comfortable viewing for England manager Roy Hodgson, either, considering his defenders must find a way of containing Lewandowski in the shirt of Poland later this year.

He was immense, his three second-half goals coming in the space of 17 minutes, Madrid shaken to the core throughout by his movement and clinical finishing. He could have added a fifth were it not for a fine save from Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez late on.

It was Dortmund who dictated the tempo of the game and Lewandowski who set the standard in front of goal. He is the first player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League against Real Madrid and only the fifth player to score four in one game in this competition in the quarter-finals or beyond.

Level: Cristiano Ronaldo equalised for Real Madrid just before half-time

Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis and Lionel Messi are the others. Some roll call. Some player.

Pepe is Mourinho’s rock in defence and not the type to take prisoners but he was exposed almost from the opening. Dortmund’s first chance came after seven minutes when Sven Bender won a fierce tackle in the heart of  midfield and released Reus on a run full of possibility.

He seemed to glide with the minimum of effort past a succession of white shirts before attempting a delicate finish to which Lopez got a hand. It was only temporary  respite. From the next attack, Dortmund were ahead.

Mario Gotze supplied an outstanding cross and Lewandowski’s use of space was quite superb,  giving Pepe the slip and making room at the far post to force the ball past Lopez. The Yellow Wall, as the south terrace is known at this most colourful of grounds, went wild.

Ahead again: Lewandowski held off Raphael Varane's challenge to give the Germans a 2-1 lead

It did not matter to them that Gotze’s £31.5m transfer to rivals Bayern Munich had just been announced. It did not seem to trouble them, even before he  supplied such a superb pass. There had been protests earlier in the day but the locals had decided that beating Real Madrid was a bigger issue on the night. And by the end, they were all one.

Before that, however, came 60 seconds that could have changed the game. Reus broke into the Madrid penalty area, at which point Raphael Varane appeared to latch on to his arm.

It was not the most forceful contact, but Reus fell and referee Bjorn Kuipers could easily have awarded a penalty. Instead, from the  resulting counter-attack, Madrid equalised.

No 3: Lewandowski smashed home in the 55th minute to complete his hat-trick

To be fair, it also required a horrendous mistake by Mats Hummels to do the harm, under-hitting a back pass which Gonzalo Higuain seized like a cheetah on a stricken antelope. He drove at goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, but at the last unselfishly squared for  Cristiano Ronaldo to convert into an empty net.

It could have ripped the heart from lesser teams. Instead, Dortmund emerged for the second half spoiling for a fight.

There was vengeance in their play, and verve, and helped by some pretty pitiful defensive work they ripped Madrid to shreds.

Straight and hard: Lewandowski fired home a penalty to score his fourth goal and complete the rout

Drilled: Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez was left with no chance of saving the clinical penalty

The second half was five minutes old when a lame shot by Reus was inexplicably ignored by the back line of white, Mourinho’s players preferring to seek an offside flag against Lewandowski.

In vain, as it transpired. Sami Khedira,  sluggish to push up, played him on and the ball rolled to the striker who, realising his good fortune, made no mistake, turning it expertly past Lopez.

If that goal had a hint of fortune, Lewandowski’s third was high art. Marcel Schmelzer hit a low ball across the face of goal, it was deflected into Lewandowski’s path and he held off Pepe before completing a breathtaking manoeuvre, dragging the ball back in one deft, fluent exercise before firing a shot into the top of the net.

Jubilation: Lewandowski leads the celebrations at the final whistle on a famous night for Dortmund

Pat on the back: Manager Jurgen Klopp and Jakub Blaszczykowski congratulate the Polish striker

Embrace: Mario Gotze celebrates as Lewandowski hugs team-mate Ilkay Guendogan

The gasps soon gave way to a sound more raucous.

At that stage a 2-0 win in the Bernabeu would still have seen Madrid through. The goal that may have taken the tie away from them came as the Spaniards  collapsed in disarray. Xabi Alonso clattered into the back of Reus going for a header, referee Kuipers awarded the penalty and Lewandowski finished it in style.

It was the best of times and for those hoping to celebrate an English occasion at Wembley next month, maybe the wurst of times, too.