The stage is set - continental supremacy will be on the line at Wembley Stadium this Saturday, 1 June 2024, as underdogs Borussia Dortmund face off against seasoned Champions League veterans Real Madrid in the highly anticipated final.
For the Bundesliga giants in Black and Yellow, a victory would end a 27-year drought and secure their second Champions League title. Meanwhile, Real Madrid aim to etch their name on the European Champion Clubs' Cup for the 15th time.
Edin Terzic's squad earned their place in the final by triumphing over Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals, while Carlo Ancelotti's team orchestrated a dramatic second-leg comeback to deny an all-German final against Bayern Munich.
Dortmund and Real Madrid are no strangers to each other, having clashed 14 times in previous Champions League campaigns. Unsurprisingly, Los Blancos lead the head-to-head with six victories compared to BVB's three.
Real Madrid's most recent victories over Borussia Dortmund came during the group stage of the 2017-18 campaign. Dortmund's last triumph was a 2-0 win in the 2013-14 quarter-final second leg, which ultimately proved futile due to Real Madrid's 3-0 first-leg advantage.
However, the stakes have never been higher as these two teams prepare to meet at Wembley with the trophy on the line. They have previously met in two semi-final ties, with the Spanish side dethroning Dortmund in 1997-98, while Jurgen Klopp's Borussen won in 2012-13, but this will be their maiden final clash.
Having won their sole European Cup in the 1996-97 season under Ottmar Hitzfeld with an unforgettable 3-1 victory over Juventus, The Black and Yellow have not reached the final since their loss to Bayern over a decade ago.
Borussia Dortmund aim to exorcize past Champions League demons at Wembley Stadium today, 11 years after witnessing Arjen Robben's decisive goal in a Der Klassiker final against Bayern Munich in London.
Rejuvenated center-back Mats Hummels and club icon Marco Reus are the only remaining players from that silver medal-winning squad - Hummels having had a stint at Bayern Munich in between, yet none of Edin Terzic's first-time finalists need a reminder of the significance of June 1.
Borussia Dortmund's journey to the final has been nothing short of remarkable. They navigated the so-called 'Group of Death', mounted an impressive comeback against Atletico Madrid, and held off Kylian Mbappe's Paris Saint-Germain over two legs. Despite some luck against PSG's missed opportunities, Dortmund's place in the final is well-deserved.
Triumphing in the challenging Group of Death alongside Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, and Newcastle United hinted at Borussia Dortmund's potential. They then comfortably dispatched Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven before experiencing a minor setback in their first leg against Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.
Dortmund's only defeat of the 2023-24 tournament at the Wanda Metropolitano didn't hinder their European aspirations, though. An impressive second-leg comeback was followed by two impressive 1-0 victories over PSG, shutting them out both at Signal Iduna Park and Parc des Princes a few weeks ago.
Thanks to their coherency and defensive discipline, plus PSG's missed opportunities, Dortmund booked their third-ever Champions League final appearance. Veteran Mats Hummels' decisive header in the second leg sealed PSG's fate, setting Dortmund on a path to potentially historic glory.
Domestically, despite Bayern Munich losing their Bundesliga hegemony, Dortmund and the rest of the league could not catch the Bayer Leverkusen juggernaut. Despite a 4-0 win over SV Darmstadt 98 in their final league match, Edin Terzic's side finished a disappointing fifth in the league.
However, due to Germany's superior UEFA coefficient, Borussia Dortmund will still compete in next year's Champions League regardless of Saturday's outcome. They also seek to achieve four consecutive Champions League victories for the first time in nearly a decade.
While their overall trophy drought isn't as long as the 27-year wait for a second continental crown - BVB won the German Cup in 2020-21 - and a Champions League glory would be a fitting end for legendary Marco Reus before he bids farewell to Signal Iduna Park.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund's medical team is working to bring a few players back to full health, including Ramy Bensebaini, Julien Duranville and Mateu Morey. However, Morey was not included in Dortmund's Champions League knockout squad anyway.
The only uncertainty in the Bundesliga outfit is striker Sebastien Haller, who has resumed team training and is in the squad after recovering from an ankle issue. Yet, the glorious Ivory Coast striker, who scored some major goals including the tournament winner during Ivory Coast's Africa Cup of Nations campaign earlier this year, is expected to remain on the bench tonight.
Ten of the eleven starters from the second-leg victory over PSG also began the final-day Bundesliga win over Darmstadt. The only exception was Marco Reus, who replaced Julian Brandt in that match and fittingly scored in his final Bundesliga appearance for the club.
While Edin Terzic might be tempted to stick with Reus - undoubtedly the fans' favorite to finally add a Champions League title to his resume - he is likely to reintroduce Brandt into the starting XI, maintaining an otherwise settled XI.
Possibly playing his last game for the German club amidst speculation about his future, Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho - who completed a remarkable 12 dribbles in the semi-final first leg against PSG - will aim to torture Ferland Mendy on the right flank of Dortmund's attack.
Real Madrid's iconic logo will grace the Champions League final program for the 18th time, with only three of their previous 17 appearances ending in defeat. Remarkably, it has been 43 years since they lost in the final, triumphing in each of their last eight appearances since their 1981 defeat to Liverpool in Paris.
As has been normal throughout his record-breaking Champions League career, there will be no room for sentiment for Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti. Already in a league of his own with four European Cup triumphs as a head coach, the Italian tactician now seeks to further solidify his legacy.
Tonight, (still?) 14-time winners Real Madrid will bid farewell to their long-serving German midfielder, Toni Kroos, who will play his final club match before his Euro 2024 swansong. The 34-year-old Kroos, who already experienced Champions League final glory against Borussia Dortmund with Bayern Munich, will aim to end his Real Madrid tenure on a high note.
Kroos and his fellow key players didn't drop a single point in the group stage, facing Portuguese outfit Braga, then reigning Serie A champions Napoli, and Bundesliga newcomers Union Berlin. However, their 2-1 aggregate win over RB Leipzig in the last 16 was far from convincing.
In typical Blancos fashion, Ancelotti's men found a way to prevail against defending champions Manchester City, exacting revenge on their 2022-23 semi-final conquerors through a penalty shootout at the Etihad. Their journey continued with a dramatic victory over Bayern Munich, thanks to a stunning brace from Espanyol loanee Joselu, which secured their place in the final.
A victory on Saturday would complete a treble for the reigning La Liga and Supercopa de Espana champions. Despite ending their league campaign with draws against Villarreal and Real Betis, Ancelotti's Blancos are unbeaten in 25 matches since a Copa del Rey loss to city rivals Atletico in January. They have also scored in every away match this season, a promising sign ahead of the final.
As Real Madrid aim to secure their 15th European title, they bring a blend of experienced veterans and rising stars to Wembley, determined to maintain their unparalleled success on the continental stage.
However, Real Madrid will be without versatile Austrian international David Alaba, who is sidelined with an ACL injury, dashing his Euro 2024 dreams, as well as Aurelien Tchouameni, who has not recovered from a foot injury. This means Nacho Fernandez is expected to captain the side in what could be his final appearance for the club.
The rest of Ancelotti's squad is in good shape, including former Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham. However, goalkeeper Andriy Lunin has come down with the flu and had to travel separately to London, though Ancelotti has already confirmed that Thibaut Courtois will start.
Toni Kroos is expected to line up alongside Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde in a Luka Modric-less midfield.
Up front, despite Joselu's heroics in the semi-final against Bayern Munich, the Brazilian duo of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo are certain to lead the line. But can Joselu be the golden substitute one more time?
Borussia Dortmund: Gregor Kobel - Julian Ryerson, Mats Hummels, Nico Schlotterbeck, Ian Maatsen - Marcel Sabitzer, Emre Can - Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt, Karim Adeyemi - Niclas Fullkrug. (4-2-3-1)
Real Madrid: Thibaut Courtois - Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, Nacho, Ferland Mendy - Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Toni Kroos - Jude Bellingham - Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior. (4-3-1-2)
Saturday's final promises to be another thrilling encounter, for sure. Each of the last four Champions League finals have been decided by a single goal, and we can expect another closely fought battle as Real Madrid aim to reclaim their status as European champions.
