If the hype were to be believed then the 14-time winners Real Madrid may as well be crowned Champions League kings now.
The reality is that the 1997 winners, Borussia Dortmund, are far from dark horses.
Madrid, who lifted their 33rd LaLiga title this season, have reached the 70th European showpiece with an unbeaten record in the competition, something they have never done before.
Dortmund, similarly, are in fine form and second only to Madrid in the competition this season with only one defeat in their last 11 European matches.
Escaping the Group of Death with flying colours
Dortmund were drawn in a group with Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle United. The Germans recovered from a 1-0 opening defeat in Paris to top the group with flying colours, recording three wins and two defeats thereafter, and finishing three points clear of French and Italian giants, PSG and Milan.
PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands were swept aside in the round of 16 but another Madrid club awaited Dortmund in the quarterfinals where Atletico claimed a 1-0 lead after the first leg in Spain. A 4-2 win at Signal Iduna Park ushered the home side into the last four.
PSG would await Dortmund once again in the semifinals and, even after their display in the group, the French champions were the favourites one again but 1-0 wins in each leg saw the Parisians’ European dreams end yet again.
Madrid, who last lifted the Champions League trophy two seasons ago, stormed to the top of their group with a maximum 18 points beating Italian champions Napoli into second while Sporting Braga and Union Berlin were eliminated.
The knockout stages provided far sterner tests with Leipzig, Manchester City and Bayern Munich all pushing Madrid to the brink, the latter two requiring penalties and a last-minute turnaround respectively to progress.
For Dortmund, their task is not only to take down the latest crop of Galacticos on a relentless road to the final but also, arguably, the competition’s greatest manager. Carlo Ancelotti has won six of his seven appearances in Champions League finals.
The 64-year-old Italian has won a record four titles as a coach and two as a player but will not be taking this game, or the latest shot at extending his own record haul, lightly.
“It’s the same as it was the first time,” Ancelotti said. “First there is the joy of being here, then the concerns will come and the fear will come. The cold sweat will arrive Saturday afternoon, it’s normal, I’m already prepared for it.
“[But] this team gives me a lot of confidence, I see them focused on the match, they are in Champions [League] mode.”
Ancelotti guided Madrid to the Champions League trophy in 2014 and 2022 and having previously won the competition as a player and manager with AC Milan.
In the other dugout, Edin Terzic who, at 41 years of age, is at the other end of his managerial career. Indeed in 2013, when Dortmund won their only European crown, Terzic was a fan in the stands and only beginning to forge his way as a coach having never played professionally.
“We have our own story,” Terzic said of Dortmund’s challenge, much as his own, in facing proven European winners. “We have the story of ups and downs of the last years. We are a team that builds up to compete every year, but now we are there and we are facing teams that are built to win the Champions League.”
Team news
Real Madrid are boosted by the return of Thibaut Courtois in goal. The Belgium international has played only four times this season and has not featured in the Champions League.
His stand-in during that period, Andriy Lunin, missed the flight to London with flu but is expected to link up with the squad ahead of the game. David Alaba is absent through injury while fellow defender Eder Militao is struggling to prove his fitness after a long layoff.
Sebastien Haller is Dortmund’s only doubt as the Ivorian striker struggles to regain full fitness following an ankle problem. Julien Duranville and Ramy Bensebaini are both definitely out.
Predicted line-ups
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen, Can, Sabitzer, Adeyemi, Brandt, Sancho, Fullkrug
Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Nacho, Rudiger, Mendy, Valverde, Kroos, Camavinga, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior
Source: Al Jazeera
