As Borussia Dortmund became the latest team to discover, facing Real Madrid in a European final almost always ends the same way.
There was an inevitability about Madrid's record-extending 15th European crown at Wembley on Saturday, as they won 2-0 after being outplayed for 70 minutes.
Madrid have won the Champions League six times in the past 11 years and last lost a European final in 1983.
Getting the job done when it matters most is what they do, and their stronghold over the continent is set to tighten further this week when they announce the signing of Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
Mbappe has been the natural heir to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the superstar of world football, and the prospect of him linking up with Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr will scare the rest of Europe.
The France captain is the most devastating forward in the world. His 364 goal contributions in 308 matches for PSG will now be added to a front three featuring Vinicius and Rodrygo.
Bellingham is set for a deeper role at Madrid next season, with Brazilian prodigy Endrick also joining in a £51million deal from Palmeiras.
Those five players have an average age under 22 and Madrid could, perhaps should, dominate European football for the next decade. Their combined potential is frightening.
Mbappe will immediately become the jewel in their star line-up. The feeling is that he will have to play as an out-and-out No9 — a role he has not particularly liked with PSG or France. Mbappe prefers to play from the left flank, but Vinicius is set to be retained there, with Rodrygo on the right.
Bellingham will drop into a midfield three alongside Federico Valverde and either Aurelien Tchouameni or Eduardo Camavinga.
"Bellingham will score fewer goals next season," former Madrid manager Jose Mourinho said while working as a pundit for TNT Sports on Saturday. "The system is going to change, the position of Bellingham is going to change."
Mbappe's arrival will bring a different dynamic to the squad, but if any coach can make it work, then it is Carlo Ancelotti.
The Italian has now won the Champions League five times as a manager and yesterday recreated his cigar celebration with the Madrid players during their celebrations in the Spanish capital.
Madrid will be favourites to retain the Champions League next season, and Bellingham is excited about the prospect of working with Mbappe.
Speaking after the game on Saturday, he said: "Tonight, the only little thing we were missing was that clinical No9. And if he [Mbappe] was to come and give us that, we'd be in a really great place. He'd take us to another level."
For the rest of Europe, that is a daunting prospect.
