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UCL Final Preview: Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid
Soccer Sports

UCL Final Preview: Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid

May 31, 2024

David vs Goliath, the Jude Bellingham Derby, Kroos vs Reus in the battle for the best retirement story; exciting Champions League season all comes to a head this weekend at Wembley as the all-time European juggernauts take on the perennial dark horse. 

After the myth of a season that Jude Bellingham has just had, the uncanny football fairy tale that kids everywhere dream of continues as he faces his former club in his first Champions League final – of all games – the very season after he left them. From game-winning goal after game-winning goal, winning LaLiga and cementing his place in the midfield of the biggest club in the world all at 20 years old, this game will probably feel like any other to him, but path he and everyone around him has paved for his career thus far is extraordinary.

Both German legends, Toni Kroos and Marco Reus announced before the end of the season that this game would be the last they play for their respective clubs. Kroos looks on to retirement from football altogether after the coming European Championship and Reus looks to leave Dortmund as the twilight of his career settles. A Champions League title would of course make for the ultimate climax and leaving ceremony for either player, it’s a shame that it can only go to one. 

Kroos’ career is vastly illustrated with silverware. A treble at Bayern, another with Madrid – including multiple LaLiga titles and being among the first team to win multiple consecutive Champions Leagues – and a FIFA World Cup Medal; a win in this final would romantically tie his illustrious career with a golden bow.

Toni Kroos and Florentio Pérez (left) pose with all the trophies Real Madrid have won while Kroos was at the club
Photo: Real Madrid

Marco Reus, on the other hand hasn’t been as fortunate, though not at all for a lack of talent and ability. It’s hard to believe he’s never won a league title but that stat remains. He made it clear to every club in the world that Dortmund would be his home for all of his best footballing days, but unfortunately his career has been marred by injuries and poor luck at the worst of turns. Losing in the final to Bayern Munich in 2013 in the final minutes via an Arjen Robben winner, a bad ankle injury just weeks before the 2014 World Cup that Germany won and last year losing the Bundesliga title on the final day to Bayern Munich of course. His trophy cabinet isn’t empty, he’s picked up a couple of domestic cups throughout his great career, but the big ones have always just eluded him. So to see him have the opportunity to lift Ol’ Big Ears is heartwarming to football fans across the world.

Marco Reus is consoled by then manager Jürgen Klopp after their loss in the UCL final in 2013 | Photo: Getty

This final feels so much like the culmination of a whirlwind of narratives and stories that the actual football funnily seems to be the more inconsequential aspect of conversations surrounding this game. Simply put, Real Madrid are the overwhelming favourites to win and are vastly expected to do so, claiming their 15th Champions League title in the process and widening the already impossible gap between them and every other club that’s ever competed in the competition. Making Borussia Dortmund the elected underdog that everyone has accepted will be forgotten soon because Los Blancos will most likely be celebrating La Decimoquinta.

Real Madrid players wear shirts that read ‘A Por La 15’ meaning ‘All out for 15’ after beating Bayern Munich to celebrate a chance at winning 15th Champions League title | Photo: Real Madrid

Real’s path to the final has been demanding but familiar for them, coming across the heavyweights of the competition in consecutive fixtures. After a sort of fraught performance in the Round of 16 against what should’ve been a manageable RB Leipzig, they stretched their legs, flexed their muscles and began performing to the title-winning level their recognized for. There was hard-fought quarterfinal against last year’s winners, Manchester City, was testing – especially in the second leg, where they had to really dig deep and play some defensive and rather ugly football. The following semifinals, they showcased a masterclass in adaptation and perseverance. Learning Bayern Munich in the first leg and picking their moments to controlling the second leg and scoring two late goals  (in typical Real Madrid fashion) to advance to the final. Vinicius Jr’s performance in that second leg will live on in the minds of those who watched, he was tormenting Joshua Kimmich for the entire game. Dribbling in and out, running across the backline, creating chances for teammates. He easily cemented himself as one of the world’s best in that game and will probably be Madrid’s X-factor in the final. 

Vinicius was the best player on the pitch in the semifinal against Bayern Munich | Photo: Jose Breton/AP Photo

Dortmund has admittedly had the easier route to the final, but that doesn’t make them less deserving to be here. They beat who was in front of them at every stage, all they can do. First it was a comfortable win over two legs to Eredivisie champions PSV. Then they toppled Atlético Madrid in an exciting, back and forth quarterfinals fixture and then, they outfought and made their own luck in the semifinals against a PSG side who just couldn’t find a way to score, they hit the woodwork 5 times across both legs and scored no goals at all. It was as if whatever force that’s been propelling Real Madrid late in games to tip the scales in their favour was working against them. 

Borussia Dortmund celebrate beating PSG and advancing to the Champions League Final in Paris
Photo: Frank Augustein/AP Photo

Real Madrid haven’t lost a European final since 1981, a 1-0 loss to Liverpool. Since then they’ve played in eight finals and won all of them. Some record. Sergio Ramos’ late header in Lisbon against Atleti, Ronaldo’s hat trick against Juventus, Gareth Bale’s overhead stunner that broke Liverpudlian hearts, Courtois’ unbreakable performance four years later that broke Liverpudlian hearts – again. Their best players always find a way to take them over the edge and triumph. They’re the best side in the history of the competition. Which may be daunting for Dortmund, but by way of resilience, team structure and a little luck, they find themselves at what could be the end of their own fairy tale. Jadon Sancho’s return to England, vindicating himself and proving the naysayers and doubters wrong by being instrumental to BVB’s progression in the tournament. Neutral fans globally will surely be partial to Dortmund in this game despite the talent disparity. They’re the lowest rank team to make the final in a long time, but before them, it was Chelsea in 2012 and before them, it was Liverpool in ’05 – bodes well. 

So, it remains to be known – the habitual winners to get their storied 15th? Or the underdogs with a chip on their shoulder to slay Goliath? Who Knows.

Either way, one will write history.

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