Football fans would have hoped for a UEFA Champions League final between defending champions Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City and European heavyweights Real Madrid but that ‘final’ happened at the quarterfinal stage itself with Pep Guardiola’s men going down valiantly.
Nonetheless, this season’s final showdown still promises to be a cracker with record European champions Real Madrid going toe to toe against German giants Borussia Dortmund.
It has all the portents of a great contest with both these clubs jousting to be called the best club in Europe. And England’s most famous venue — Wembley — is the stage for this riveting encounter.
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Here is all you need to know about the final:
Which teams are contesting the final?
Spanish giants Real Madrid and German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund are facing off in the title showdown.
Where is the match being played?
The venue for the game is the historic Wembley Stadium in England. The venue in London is hosting the Europe’s elite club competition’s final for the eighth time.
What time is the match?
The game kicks-off at 11pm UAE time.
How can you watch the match?
Fans in the UAE can watch the live telecast on beIN Sports.
What is at stake?
Apart from the glittering trophy, the winners also have bragging rights of being called the best club in Europe. The champions also get to play against the winners of the Europa Cup final in the Uefa Super Cup.
Have any of these teams won the title previously?
Yes. Real Madrid have won it a record 14 times — 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, apart from finishing runners-up thrice — 1962, 1964, 1981.
Borussia Dortmund have had their hands on the glittering trophy once in 1997 and were runners-up in 2013 when they were coached by German tactician Jurgen Klopp.
Have these two teams previously met in the Champions League?
Yes. They have met 14 times in different stages of the competition.
Path to the final
Real Madrid:
They were involved in an entertaining 3-3 draw against defending champions Manchester City in the first leg of the quarterfinals at the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid’s fortress. The return leg in Manchester to ended in a 1-1 stalemate before Madrid progressed 4-3 on penalties.
They drew 2-2 against German giants Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in the first leg of the semfinals before earning a 2-1 (4-3 on aggregate) win at home and set up a final date with Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund:
They lost to Atletico Madrid 1-2 in the first leg of the quarterfinals at Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid but bounced back to win 4-2 at the Westfalenstadion and go through 5-4 on aggregate.
In the semifinal first leg, Dortmund beat French giants Paris Saint Germain 1-0 at home before winning by an identical margin at the Parc des Princes, to progress to the final 2-0 on aggregate.
Who is the top scorer in the competition?
Bayern Munich’s English striker Harry Kane is the top scorer with eight goals.
Who are the coaches?
Real Madrid: Coached by celebrated manager Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian can become the first coach to clinch the trophy a record five times if they win on Saturday. He previously won it twice with Madrid in 2014 and 2022 and with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007.
Borrusia Dortmund: Coached by German-Croatian Edin Terzic.
What the coaches said?
Carlo Ancelotti: “We’ve had so many problems, so many big injuries, not just the guys who were out long term. We lost Vinícius Júnior, Bellingham and others for decent spells and nobody really talked about that. We have fantastic ability and character in this squad.”
Edin Terzic: “It’s almost surreal. I think in the grand scheme of things we deserved to reach the final. I know we won’t be favourites and it will be extremely difficult. But it’s just one match and, over the course of one game, anything is possible. We’ve proven that already.”