It was more Wembley heartbreak for Borussia Dortmund who, despite an impressive performance, were put to the sword by 15-time winners Real Madrid.

Borussia Dortmund 0-2 Real Madrid
Goals: 0-1 Carvajal 74' (assist: Kroos) 0-2 Vinícius Jr 83' (assist: Bellingham)

Once You’ll Never Walk Alone and Hala Madrid had simmered down, it was clearly the BVB anthem that had the biggest effect with the Bundesliga side by far the best team of the first half. The early warnings were there for Real and then their defence was finally breached in the 21st minute when Mats Hummels played an absolutely glorious pass through Los Blancos’ midfield and defence, finding Karim Adeyemi through on goal. The winger collected the ball, rounded Thibaut Courtois, but just overdid things and saw a huge chance go to waste. Two minutes later, with Real still shaking, Ian Maatsen turned provider, prodding through for Niclas Füllkrug. The Germany international improvised brilliantly to get his shot away, but hit the post, with the ball bouncing agonisingly across the six-yard box. While everyone expected the record winners to settle, Dortmund kept going, continually finding space down the wings. Adeyemi tested Courtois minutes later, and then with four minutes to play in the opening period Marcel Sabitzer forced the Belgian into a crucial long-range stop. The opening 45 minutes ended 8-2 in terms of shots, and for once in a major final, Real looked worried.

After an uncharacteristically poor first-half, Madrid started the second with their first shot on target, and it was the familiar figure of Toni Kroos whipping a free-kick straight towards the top corner in his final club game. Unfortunately for him, there was Gregor Kobel to take flight and tip it around the post. Madrid started to settle, but their spells of possession were punctuated by Füllkrug flying through the air like a battering ram to blast a header at Courtois. Again, the Belgian was up to it, but had to palm the effort away. Madrid recovered well though, and after troubling Dortmund once with a smart corner routine, the second time it paid off. Kroos found Dani Carvajal and the flying full-back out-jumped Füllkrug to nod-in the game’s opening goal. As quickly as they had one, it was nearly two, Eduardo Camavinga found Jude Bellingham in the box, and the Englishman spared his former side by dribbling a shot just wide. Kroos and Camavinga then tried their luck from range, but Kobel kept his side in the match for the final 10 minutes with a trio of stellar stops. That potential platform was destroyed in the 83rd minute, though, with a Maatsen pass inside collected by Bellingham, who shifted to Vinicius Jr and it was game over.

Match stats

• Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Nacho, Lucas Vazquez and Dani Carvajal have joined club legend Paco Gento with six European Cups, the most of all time.
• With Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho both playing, this was the first time two Englishmen had faced off in a European Cup final for non-English sides.
• Reus is one surviving member of the team that lost to Bayern at Wembley 11 years ago. He made his 430th and final appearance for the club.
• Vinicius has been involved in 22 goals in the Champions League knockout stages, only Lionel Messi has as many before turning 24.

Teams

Dortmund: Kobel - Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen - Sabitzer, Can (c) (Malen 80') - Sancho (Bynoe-Gittens 87'), Brandt (Haller 80'), Adeyemi (Reus 72') - Füllkrug
Unused subs: Meyer, Lotka, Özcan, Nmecha, Wolf, Moukoko, Süle, Wätjen
Out: Bensebaini (knee), Duranville (muscular), Morey (cold)
Coach: Edin Terzić

Real Madrid: Courtois - Carvajal, Rüdiger, Nacho (c), Mendy - Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos (Modrić 85') - Bellingham (Joselu 85') - Rodrygo (Militão 90'), Vinícius (Lucas Vázquez 90+4')
Unused subs: Lunin, Kepa, Alaba, Ceballos, Fran García, Brahim, Arda Güler
Out: Alaba (knee), Tchouaméni (foot)  
Coach: Carlo Ancelotti

As it happened ...

0 - 2

(0 - 0)

Dortmund

FINAL

Madrid

Champions League
Final Final Wembley, London

Terzić philosophical after loss

BVB coach Edin Terzić: "We played a great game and perhaps deserved a little more. Especially in the first half you had the feeling that we had it. We played a really, really good game. We showed that we did so many things right and the only difference is that they had that killer instinct and then you see what quality they have. That's why they're deservedly the champions again."

© ADRIAN DENNIS

Full-time: BVB 0-2 Real Madrid

Borussia Dortmund came up just short in their attempts to win a second Champions League after Real Madrid survived a first-half onslaught before going on to win the trophy for a 15th time. Goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior won the day for the Spanish side but for BVB, there is plenty to feel proud of.

© IMAGO/Svein Ove Ekornesvåg

90'

+ 4

Substitution

Lucas Vázquez

Vinícius Júnior

90'

Substitution

Militão

Rodrygo

87'

Substitution

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens

Jadon Sancho

86'

BVB goal ruled out

Füllkrug powers home a header from Malen's centre from the left but the striker was just offside.

85'

Substitution

Joselu

Bellingham

85'

Substitution

Modrić

Kroos

83'

Real settle it

Bellingham rolls a pass to his left, where Vinícius is in acres of space. The Brazilian has all the time in the world to pick his spot in the far corner.

83'

Vinícius Júnior

GOAL!

0:2

80'

Substitution

Donyell Malen

Emre Can

80'

Substitution

Sébastien Haller

Julian Brandt

79'

Yellow card

Mats Hummels

79'

Kobel once more

Camavinga looks to score a worldie, but instead Kobel tips over: a fantastic save. The goalkeeper is at it moments later, scooping away Nacho's glancing header.

79'

Kobel saves

Kroos curls over the wall and towards the corner. Kobel gets across to save.

79'

Kroos free kick chance

Hummels brings down Camavinga on the edge of the box. Dortmund are really up against it here in the closing stages of this game. Carvajal's goal has instilled Madrid with immense belief and sucked the air out of BVB.

77'

Bellingham should finish it

Camavinga gets to the endline and cuts all the way back for Bellingham, who has the goal at his mercy. The former Dortmund player's shot takes a nick, which sends the ball spinning wide.

73'

Real Madrid lead

After such an intense battle, Madrid's lead is all a little too simple. A Kroos corner from the left is headed home by Carvajal, who was free to rise and glance in.

73'

Carvajal

GOAL!

0:1

71'

Here comes Reus

Marco Reus comes on in place of Karim Adeyemi. It's one last hurrah for the Dortmund legend. He couldn't find a winner here, could he?

71'

Substitution

Marco Reus

Karim Adeyemi

68'

Question of inches

Vinícius sends an inviting, flighted ball into the Dortmund box. Bellingham rises. If the ex-BVB man makes contact, this is in. He does not make contact and instead throws his hands to his face. That was a big chance.

Tensions high

"BVB, BVB" chant the Dortmund fans. The tension is palpable out on the pitch and it's impossible to predict which way this game will go.

© ADRIAN DENNIS

64'

Vinícius off target

Kroos's initial corner is headed back to the Madrid player by Hummels. A second attempt at a cross reaches Vinícius, who heads over the crossbar.

61'

Courtois in command

Füllkrug sends a powerful header at the target which Courtois decides to push out as opposed to catch, such was the strength of that hit from BVB's striker.

56'

Carvajal denied

Carvajal swipes a right-footed volley towards goal. Maatsen gets the slightest of touches that takes the pace off the ball and allows Kobel to gather.

49'

No let up

Back we go up the other end. Maatsen's shot from outside the area is deflected wide by Camavinga. Brandt sends the set-piece into the area but Madrid deal with that handily enough.

48'

Kobel saves BVB

Kroos's free kick is struck with power towards Kobel's near post. The goalkeeper makes it across to palm wide. From the resulting corner, Carvajal sends an angled header just over the top.

48'

Madrid free kick

Vinícius is dumped to the floor by Hummels and Madrid have a free kick in a dangerous position. Toni Kroos places the ball wide on the left ...

46'

Game back on

Real Madrid kick off the second half at Wembley!

45'

+ 4

Half-time: BVB 0-0 Real Madrid

And breathe! What. A. Half. We've not had any goals but there has been a ton of action, with BVB arguably the better team here. The Bundesliga side have certainly created much the better chances and probably should be in front. Don't go anywhere.

45'

+ 2

Dortmund seek opening

Adeyemi pops a pass up over Courtois and towards the far post. Mendy is there to boot out for a corner, which Madrid clear. But not completely. Maatsen wins another off Bellingham on the other side. BVB cannot take advantage.

45'

Time added on

We'll have four minutes of added time tacked onto the end of this first half.

43'

Sabitzer booked

Sabitzer is the latest player for BVB to go into the book for protesting.

43'

Yellow card

Marcel Sabitzer

41'

Sabitzer has a go

And what a go! The Austrian's shot from range has Courtois scrambling, before the keeper pulls off a two-handed stop.

39'

Schlotterbeck sees yellow

A non-existent foul by Hummels on Vinícius is called and BVB are understandably very unhappy. Schlotterbeck makes his unhappiness known to the referee and is shown a yellow card.

39'

Yellow card

Nico Schlotterbeck

35'

Vinícius booked

The Madrid forward goes into the book for sending Kobel into the air after BVB tried to build out from the back following a goal kick.

35'

Yellow card

Vinícius Júnior

All action

You just cannot take your eyes off this game. BVB have come closest to scoring with that prodded Füllkrug effort that came back off the base of the post.

© Dan Mullan

29'

Carvajal alert

Adeyemi is menacing once more but Carvajal gets a strong shoulder on the Germany international, who goes down claiming a penalty. Nothing doing, says the ref.

26'

Adeyemi again

BVB break after a Madrid attack. Brandt races through the centre and slides a tasty pass into the path of Adeyemi. Dortmund's No. 27 takes a touch and shoots low. Courtois gets down to make a crucial stop. Füllkrug can't quite get to the rebound.

Colossal contest

This has been an immense game of football with chances at both ends. The action only lets up to allow Emre Can to receive some treatment.

© Lars Baron

23'

BVB hit the post!

It's all happening up Madrid's end. Füllkrug stretches and pokes a superb, rolling shot past the despairing Courtois. The striker looks on as the ball strikes the inside of the post and away to safety.

20'

Huge Adeyemi chance

Karim Adeyemi bursts through and suddenly has a one-v-one with Courtois. The BVB attacker has a think and decides to try and go around the goalkeeper. He pushes it just to wide, allowing Carvajal time to get back and cut out a weak shot. That was a monumental chance for the Black-and-Yellows.

15'

Vinicius wide

The action sweeps back the other end with Vinicius the latest player to have a pop. The Brazilian's effort zips wide.

14'

Brandt miss

Suddenly Füllkrug finds himself in huge amounts of space inside the Madrid area. The Germany international cuts back for the onrushing Brandt who scuffs well wide of the far post when well placed. You'd have expected Brandt to find the target there. That said, Füllkrug may have been just offside.

11'

Valverde off target

Kroos releases Valverde on the right with a flighted pass and the Madrid attacker runs at BVB's defence. He combines with Carvajal before slamming a shot high and wide.

8'

Big battle

The centre of midfield is packed and already looks set to be a huge battleground in this final. Whoever takes control here will have a big edge in this game.

5'

BVB pressure

It's Dortmund's turn to push forward and Ryerson wins a corner which Brandt takes. The ball eventually ends up in Courtois' hands.

3'

Real on the front foot

After a pitch invader is cleared away, Vinicius tries a sprint down the left but the Madrid attacker is ushered out by Ryerson.

1'

Peeeeeep!

Dortmund kick off the UEFA Champions League final.

Champions League anthem

Here we go! The teams are on the pitch and the Champions League anthem is belting out. We're all set for what looks set to be a magnificent final between the Bundesliga's Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid of La Liga.

Teams in tunnel

Both sides are lining up inside the tunnel and are all set to make their way out onto the pitch.

Lenny Kravitz on stage

A Champions League final probably would be the same without a Lenny Kravitz pre-kick off show, but a rendition of Are you gonna go my way never did anyone any harm. It all means we're just minutes away from kick off.

Club anthems time

Dortmund opt for You'll Never Walk Alone (cut to Jürgen Klopp in the stands singing along). Real Madrid's Hala Madrid is next to play out. Superb atmosphere inside Wembley.

© IMAGO/Sebastian Räppold/Matthias Koch

Score predictions

Will we have a different result to the last four UEFA Champions League finals, which all finished 1-0? Something to take into account when making your big-game predictions.

© IMAGO/pepphoto / Horst Mauelshagen

Real Madrid join BVB

The Spanish champions have taken to the field to go through their warm-up. All eyes on Toni Kroos, the Germany international who is making his last appearance for the 14-time European Cup winners. Lest we forget, BVB's Marco Reus is also bowing out for Real's opponents. Reus is on the bench for Borussia while Kroos makes the starting line-up for Madrid.

Dortmund warming up!

The Bundesliga giants have taken to the pitch for their pre-match warm-up. Huge noise of support from behind the goal at the end the BVB players head to to go through their paces.

0:53

Fan prediction time!

So, what do the BVB fans think the result of the UEFA Champions League final will be? Our roving reporters have been out and about in London, assessing what supporters of the Black-and-Yellows are expecting at Wembley. (Spoiler: there's a 3-0 to Dortmund prediction in there 🔥)

More on those teams

No great surprises in either team here, as Edin Terzić and Carlo Ancelotti name strong starting XIs. Look for BVB's attacking trident of Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt and Karim Adeyemi to cause the La Liga side problems. Striker Sébastien Haller, meanwhile, has shaken off an ankle complaint to be fit enough to be named among the Dortmund subs. Real opt for Thibaut Courtois in goal and although the injured David Alaba and Aurélien Tchouaméni are among the Madrid replacements, neither will take part here.

© IMAGO/Anke Waelischmiller/Sven Simon

BVB starting XI

Kobel - Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen - Sabitzer, Can (c) - Sancho, Brandt, Adeyemi - Füllkrug

BVB subs

Meyer, Lotka, Özcan, Nmecha, Haller, Reus, Wolf, Moukoko, Malen, Süle, Wätjen, Bynoe-Gittens

Real Madrid starting XI

Courtois - Carvajal, Rüdiger, Nacho (c), Mendy - Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos - Bellingham - Rodrygo, Vinícius 

Real Madrid subs

Lunin, Kepa, Militão, Alaba, Modrić, Joselu, Lucas Vázquez, Ceballos, Fran García, Brahim, Arda Güler

Jürgen Klopp in the house

The man, the legend. Former Bundesliga winning coach with Borussia Dortmund and Champions League winner at Liverpool, Jürgen Klopp is at Wembley Stadium and all set to take in tonight's final.

© IMAGO/Kieran McManus/Shutterstock

0:53

Carragher gauges BVB mood

Former Liverpool FC Champions League winner and CBS pundit Jamie Carragher joins the Borussia Dortmund fans ahead of kick-off.

0:42

BVB bouncing!

The atmosphere is electric among Borussia Dortmund fans right now as we approach just two hours to kick off!

Early team news

Somewhat surprisingly, Real coach Carlo Ancelotti has revealed his starting XI well ahead of kick-off. There are no shocks in the record tournament winners' team, but still, ordinarily line-ups are revealed an hour ahead of start time. Thibaut Courtois is preferred to Andriy Lunin in goal while Aurélien Tchouaméni (foot) and former Bayern Munich defender David Alaba (cruciate ligament) are Real's only absentees, although both are named on the bench for medal purposes should the Spanish side win.

© Angel Martinez

Incredible runs

Between the two finalists this season, there has only been one combined loss on their road to the Champions League showpiece. Real are unbeaten in the competition this term while BVB's only reverse came way back on Matchday 1 away to PSG.

© FRANCK FIFE

0:34

Goosebumps!

As we mentioned before, You'll Never Walk Alone was always bound to get a run out in the build up to this final. (click play)

0:37

Familiar face

Just voted La Liga's Player of the Season in the Spanish La Liga, Jude Belingham has been on fire for Real since signing from Borussia Dortmund last year. The 20-year-old scored 24 goals and provided 25 assists in 132 games across all competitions for BVB. It's also where that famous celebration of his first became famous. Just not tonight, please, Jude 😉.

Wembley again

Dortmund played at the iconic London venue in the all-Bundesliga Champions League showpiece against Bayern Munich back in 2013 while tonight's encounter against Real Madrid represents the eighth time Wembley Stadium will host a European Cup/Champions League final game.

© Justin Setterfield

Man in the middle

Slovenia's Slavko Vinčić is taking charge of tonight's contest. The 44-year-old is overseeing his first Champions League final but he did officiate the 2022 Europa League final and will be among the refereeing contingent at EURO 2024 in Germany.

© David Ramos

Pre-game fun

Rock legend Lenny Kravitz will serenade Dortmund and Real Madrid fans in a pre-game show inside Wembley Stadium. BVB will 'want to fly away' with the Champions League trophy later, but Edin Terzić's team will be all to aware they're coming up against a side that know, 'It ain't over 'til it's over'. (Apologies 🤦‍♂️)

© VALERIE MACON

History makers

A Real Madrid victory tonight would mean that Paco Gento is no longer alone as the only man with six European Cups. Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Dani Carvajal, Nacho and Lucas Vazquez would all join him on that number with a win.

© IMAGO/Oscar J. Barroso

You'll Never Walk Alone

Of course, one of the BVB big fan favourites is the song You'll Never Walk Alone. Those of a Black-and-Yellow persuasion will no doubt be giving Wembley Stadium a special rendition of the Gerry and the Pacemakers' cover of the classic Carousel track ahead of kick-off.

© Paul Harding

1:02

Reus's emotional farewell

A couple of weeks ago, Marco Reus was in among the Dortmund fans celebrating his last home game at Signal Iduna Park. Tonight, it's Wembley and one more game in a remarkable 12-season run with Borussia Dortmund for the 35-year-old.

Yellow Wall in London

BVB fans are making plenty of noise in and around the capital as we edge ever closer to kick-off in tonight's European showpiece game. Knowing the immense support the Dortmund contingent bring to every encounter, should we expect the supporters in Black-and-Yellow to outroar Real fans when the teams take to the pitch? 🤩

© Paul Harding

Kroos' special boots

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos will be playing his final game of club football tonight before retiring after EURO 2024. In celebration the Real Madrid megastar will be wearing special boots with the name of his wife, three children and two dogs.

© IMAGO/ULMER

Dortmund 300 up!

What a fitting time for Die Schwarzgelben to make it 300 games in European competition. The Bundesliga giants will celebrate that number when the opening whistle sounds in London later this evening. Incredibly, Dortmund have added the last 100 games in that sequence in only the last ten years.

© IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Meusel

Lunin reunited

Goalkeeper Andrey Lunin, one of the stars of Real Madrid's run to the final, has been reunited with his teammates. The Ukrainian travelled separately after falling ill, and Carlo Ancelotti has already confirmed that Thibaut Courtois will replace him in goal tonight.

4:02

BVB and the route to the big one

What a season it's been for the Black-and-Yellows in Europe! Now just one game away from ultimate glory in the Champions League, there's no better time to look back over BVB's run to Wembley.

2:43

Watch: Dortmund train at Wembley

0:13

Watch: BVB fever in London

Do or die for Terzić

"You don’t play a final, you win a final - and that's our clear goal. We're happy to be here, but we have to win at Wembley Stadium against Real Madrid to hold that trophy in our hands. … "I have the biggest respect for Carlo Ancelotti. He's made it with different teams, in different countries and cultures and, over two decades, he's been successful. The way he manages teams, he's a role model, and he's one of my role models in this business. … "We know they're by far the most successful team in this competition. We've had only two defeats this season, but we also see we're ready to compete on the highest level. If you break it down to one game, then everything's possible. They have a role as the favourites, but we weren't favourites against Atlético or Paris either. If we're brave and not here to see Madrid win their next trophy, then we're going to have a chance. … "We're the team with the most clean sheets in the competition. You need to keep the opposition as far away from goal as possible. We weren't at our highest level when we conceded goals in September, but we are a totally different team now and have shown we are ready to compete for the trophy."

Julian Brandt on Kroos, Reus and more

"We had our last game of the season two weeks ago. Is that such a big problem now? I wouldn't say so. It makes no difference to me. We've trained hard and intensively, and are well prepared. … "Our Champions League season gives us courage. Now we have the final opponent, as our coach has already said. That's as good as it gets – but we all have absolute faith. If it were any different, we might as well have stayed at home. … "We try to remain calm. Of course, everything now is on a much bigger scale. You can't completely ignore it. But you can make everyday life as normal as possible. It's normal for there to be anticipation and excitement. Nevertheless, we try to take it as another match. … "I was able to play with both [the retiring Marco Reus and Toni Kroos]. Toni's an absolute icon and a sensational guy who has won everything. Marco is also one of the reasons why I play for BVB. He was an idol for me as a child and teenager. It's still a lot of fun to train and play with him. They're both big names that speak for themselves. … "Few players have had contact with Jude [Bellingham]. Everyone is in the zone and concentrating on their task. … "Despite all the pressure, we simply have to enjoy this game. It couldn't be better: playing a final against one of the best opponents in the world in one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world. You rarely experience that, maybe only once."

© Lars Baron

Nico Schlotterbeck ahead of the game

"Mats [Hummels] has already experienced and won everything in his career. I'm always happy to play next to him. He can do everything, both with and without the ball. He gives me a lot of stability. He used to be a role model, now he's a friend and teammate. … "We'll have to see how we defend tomorrow. Their front three have enormous quality. Jude can do everything: shoot, dribble and head. There's not much to say about the two wingers [Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo] either. They've caused problems for every opponent in the world. We can't stop them on our own, only as a team. … "We kept a clean sheet against Paris twice. That's not normal. We now also know that we can beat any opponent in the world. If we all believe that tomorrow, we also have a good chance of winning. … "I spoke to Mats and Marco about the 2013 final. It's a football match, but it's a very special one. We have to concentrate on preparing and enjoy it, but we can't let too much pressure get to us. If you let too much pressure get to you, you'll lose."

Press conference

Julian Brandt, Nico Schlotterbeck and Edin Terzić met the media ahead of Saturday's showpiece. Video below (with German commentary).

Pre-match press conference

Julian Brandt, Nico Schlotterbeck and Edin Terzić met the media ahead of Saturday's showpiece.

More on those squads

The BVB pack is very much as we expected but Sébastien Haller's name on the list does raise hopes that the Ivory Coast striker (pictured, scoring against Real rivals Atlético in the quarter-finals) could be fit enough to feature in some capacity. As for Madrid, don't be fooled by the inclusions of David Alaba and Aurélien Tchouaméni, the injured duo are essentially travelling as cheerleaders.

© Clive Brunskill

Borussia Dortmund squad

Kobel, Lotka, Meyer - Hummels, Maatsen, Ryerson, Schlotterbeck, Süle, Wolf - Brandt, Can, Nmecha, Özcan, Reus, Sabitzer, Wätjen - Adeyemi, Bynoe-Gittens, Füllkrug, Haller, Malen, Moukoko, Sancho

Real Madrid squad

Courtois, Fran, Kepa, Lunin - Alaba, Carvajal, García, Mendy, Militão, Nacho, Rüdiger, Vázquez - Bellingham, Camavinga, Ceballos, Güler, Kroos, Martín, Modrić, Tchouameni, Valverde - Díaz, Joselu, Rodrygo, Vinícius Jr.

Squads are in...

Some big news on the eve of the final as both sides have officially named their squads that have travelled to London. We'll start with Real, who travel with 25 players, compared to Dortmund's 23-man party...

Hummels gives Real assessment

Dortmund's veteran defender offered his two cents on BVB's final opponents when talking to UEFA recently. "The UEFA Champions League final at Wembley against Real Madrid: it's almost too perfect," the 35-year-old said. "(Real) are the biggest club in the world. They don't get nervous no matter what happens in a game. It's impressive to see that even if the first 15 minutes don't go well, they don't change or get restless. It's fantastic to play a final against them and have a chance to beat them."

© IMAGO/Sébastien Muylaert

Goals almost guaranteed

This always-entertaining fixture has produced 43 goals in the 14 previous games between the sides. The head-to-head shows BVB with three wins to Madrid's six, with the teams also playing out five draws.

© imago sportfotodienst

Something has to give?

Incredibly, Real Madrid have won each of the last eight finals they have appeared in in the UEFA Champions League. Will Dortmund break that sequence this weekend? The Black-and-Yellows have reached the showpiece twice before, memorably lifting the trophy in 1997.

© IMAGO/SVEN SIMON

1:45

Klopp's Reus praise

Handkerchiefs out 🥹. From one legend to another, former BVB coach Jürgen Klopp recently paid this emotional tribute to Marco Reus ahead of the player's final game in Black-and-Yellow this weekend.

Friendly test

Dortmund also report that the first team took part in a friendly game against the club's U23s, with Edin Terzic's men taking advantage of the opportunity to fine-tune their game plan ahead of Saturday. "The friendly match did everyone good and energised them," Salih Özcan told BVB's media team. "We’ve rehearsed all the scenarios (like) how we’re going to start (and) how Real Madrid are going to start."

© Stuart Franklin

Brandt playing down hype

"I’ll sleep in a hotel in London and the next day I’ll play a football game." Julian Brandt has been speaking with BVB's club website, attempting to quell the hysteria surrounding this weekend's massive Champions League showpiece. "When 10 to 15 of my loved ones are there watching the game, that’s something special, you can’t deny that," the attacking midfielder continued. "But I think it’s really good how the club has done it and that everything is carrying on as normal."

© Alex Grimm

Madrid's Lunin doubt

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has decided to travel to London with his entire squad but one, despite injuries. Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin has been suffering with flu and will stay behind in Spain recover. The Ukrainian will only travel on the morning of the game against Dortmund should he shake off his dose in time. Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni (foot) and former Bayern Munich defender David Alaba (cruciate ligament) are Real's injured players.

© Stuart Franklin

Terzić on Real

The Dortmund coach has also been talking to UEFA this week, saying of his Spanish opposition: "We're up against an extremely strong team who have had this experience frequently, but we know that anything is possible in one match. If we played against Real Madrid ten times, it would probably be a stretch [to win overall], but in one match... we're capable of beating any opponents in the world."

© Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Bundesliga

Ancelotti on Dortmund

Former Bayern boss Ancelotti has been speaking to UEFA.com ahead of his Real side's showdown with BVB: "They have put in some great performances in the previous rounds, defeating very strong teams like Atlético de Madrid and Paris. They are a very solid and close-knit team with great players. Their defensive display against Paris surprised me."

© THOMAS COEX

4:03

Watch: Dortmund one win from glory

Can the BVB dream become reality this weekend?

Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid

The UEFA Champions League final is almost upon us, with Dortmund going in search of history when they meet Real in London on 1 June (kick-off: 9pm CEST). Stay with bundesliga.com throughout the days building-up to the showpiece for all the latest updates as well as live coverage on matchday.

© DFL

How they got here: Dortmund

Despite finishing fifth in the Bundesliga, Dortmund have been mightily impressive in the Champions League. After topping the fabled 'Group of Death' ahead of Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle United, BVB recorded a 3-1 aggregate win over PSV Eindhoven in the last 16. They suffered only their second defeat in this season's competition in the first leg of their quarter-final tie with Atlético Madrid, only to roar back and win 4-2 at Signal Iduna Park. A reunion with PSG followed, with Edin Terzić masterminding a pair of 1-0 wins to book Dortmund's place in their third Champions League final.

© FRANCK FIFE

How they got here: Real Madrid

The record winners scraped past Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, recovering from a goal down in the second leg to record a 3-2 aggregate win. Prior to that, they knocked out holders Manchester City on penalties, having edged past RB Leipzig 2-1 on aggregate in the round of 16. In the groups, Carlo Ancelotti's team beat Union Berlin, Braga and Napoli home and away.

Welcome!

It's Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League final at Wembley Stadium. Stay tuned for build-up, match coverage and reaction!

Want more Bundesliga Action?

GET THE UPDATES!

About the clubs

Borussia Dortmund

SIGNAL IDUNA PARK