Bundesliga powerhouse Borussia Dortmund and Spanish champions Real Madrid will meet in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday (June 1). Both teams have bested some of the finest European teams to reach the showpiece event.
Journey So Far
Edin Tarzic’s Dortmund topped arguably the toughest group in the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League season — featuring Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), AC Milan, and Newcastle United — to set up the Round-of-16 clash with Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. They claimed a fairly straightforward 3-1 aggregate win and moved to the quarter-finals, where they faced Diego Simeone’s gritty Atletico Madrid. Los Rojiblancos beat Dortmund 2-1 in the first leg but fell to a 4-2 defeat in Borussia Dortmund’s backyard. In the semi-finals, Dortmund overcame PSG once more, bagging a 2-0 aggregate victory.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, topped with their group in style, doing the double over Union Berlin, Napoli, and Braga. In the Round of 16, Los Blancos secured a 2-1 aggregate win over RB Leipzig, setting up a mouth-watering quarter-final with reigning champions Manchester City. The two teams were tied at 4-4 at the end of extra time in the second leg, leading to a nail-biting penalty shootout. Madrid, thanks to their unwavering confidence, came out on top, securing a 4-3 shootout win.
Finally, in the semi-finals, they crossed paths with familiar foes Bayern Munich. After holding them to a 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena, Madrid beat them 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Now, it all boils down to the showdown at Wembley Stadium, and it is almost impossible to predict which way this one will go. Yet, under no duress, we will stick our neck out and make five bold predictions for the UEFA Champions League final. Let’s begin!
#5 Julian Brandt Will Create The Most Chances
The final on Saturday will feature some of the most creative players on the planet, but we believe, Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Brandt will outshine them all. The attacking midfielder is an excellent passer, can slide into little pockets of space, and rarely makes a mistake in the final third. In the 2023-24 Bundesliga season, Brandt completed 133 shot-creating actions. He also registered 74 progressive carries and played 116 progressive passes. His initiative helped him snag seven goals and 11 assists in 32 games.
He has also proven his mettle in the UEFA Champions League this season, recording two goals, two assists, 44 shot-creating actions, and three goal-creating actions in 11 outings.
#4 Vinicius Jr. Will Score The First Goal
Arguably the best winger in the world, Vinicius Jr. has been enjoying his best-ever season in 2023-24. The Real Madrid superstar has scored an impressive 23 times and claimed 11 assists in only 38 matches, helping his team to the La Liga title, the Supercopa de Espana trophy, and, of course, to the final of the UEFA Champions League.
Like Brandt, Vinicius also likes to take initiative. He always tries to take defenders on, go on a vertical charge, and make himself useful in the final third. His best performance of the season came in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich, where he scored a brace to restrict the Bavarians to a 2-2 draw.
His first goal, which came in the 24th minute, showed the world his technical ability. The way he engineered space to allow Toni Kroos to play a defense-splitting through-ball was a thing of beauty. Vinicius Jr. does not need a second invitation to punish opponents, and we feel Dortmund will feel his wrath the first time they fail to mark him.
#3 Thibaut Courtois Will Be The Busier Goalkeeper
Vinicius Jr. and Co. will certainly keep Gregor Kobel on his toes, but we believe Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will have a busier night.
With Eder Militao still finding his feet and first-choice holding midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni out with a foot injury, Los Blancos will not be at their best in defense. This should allow Borussia Dortmund to be more adventurous and take the fight to the 14-time European champions.
Courtois is excellent at organizing his back line, but even then, we see him rushing into action at least four or five times over the course of the 90. Carlo Ancelotti will hope his goalkeeper has not lost his sharpness after spending 90% of the season on the treatment table (ACL).
#2 Jude Bellingham Will Be The Man Of The Match
The UEFA Champions League final will be an emotional event for Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham. Not only will he play his first-ever Champions League final, but he will also do it against his former club Borussia Dortmund at the iconic Wembley Stadium — the England national team’s official stomping ground. Bellingham will give everything in his power to deliver the performance of his lifetime, and we are backing him to succeed.
Bellingham has enjoyed a sensational debut campaign at Real Madrid. Since his switch from Dortmund in July 2023, Bellingham has played 41 games across tournaments, bagging 23 goals and 12 assists. The 20-year-old had a quiet semi-final by his lofty standards, but we expect him to be back to his very best for the final game of the 2023-24 season.
#1 Real Madrid Will Win The Game 2-1
Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund have done superbly to book a place in the UEFA Champions League final. Both deserve to take the European crown home, but, unfortunately, only one team can. After careful consideration, we have decided to give the edge to Real Madrid, thanks to their head-to-head record with Dortmund and unbelievable Champions League pedigree.
Madrid and Dortmund have crossed paths 14 times in the UEFA Champions League so far. The Spaniards have won six times, the Germans three times, and five games have ended all square. Their last UEFA Champions League meeting came around seven years ago. Los Merengues did the double over Dortmund in the group stage of the 2017-18 season, beating them 3-1 and 3-2 respectively. Madrid are also unbeaten in the UCL finals since the tournament got a facelift in 1992, winning the competition eight times.
Borussia Dortmund will do everything in their power to soil Real Madrid’s 100% record, but we do not expect them to be successful. We predict the European giants will beat Die Borussen 2-1 at Wembley Stadium to claim their record-extending 15th Champions League trophy.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
