Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
All roads will lead to the Wembley stadium in London when 14-time champions Real Madrid attempt to further extend their European invincibility against German giants Borussia Dortmund.
Vinicius Jr has been very immense for his side. He has been a very mobile outlet down the left flank for Los Blancos. Though he alongside Jude Bellingham has been the most pronounced and praised of the group, other players have also contributed their quota to the success of the team. His English teammate, Jude Bellingham has been impressive this season with 23 goals in 40 games.
The German giants also have a couple of superstars on show, with Matt Hummels being the most experienced of the lot. The veteran defender has been immense in shoring the holes at the back. BVB legend Marco Reus will be saying goodbye to the yellow and black army, and you can get Borussia Dortmund tickets to watch the final at Wembley and join them.
This preview aims to give you insights into what to expect come the 1st of June, 2024 and the players to look out for.
The fast-maturing English midfielder has become one of the bright lights in his generation. His highly intelligent gameplay with a knack for crunch tackles, and recently a hunger for goals has earned him comparisons with legendary midfielders of old. He is the complete definition of a centre midfielder, and Borussia Dortmund will surely be scratching their heads on how to stop him from marauding the centre of the park.
He was sold last summer for nearly £100 million, and that sum is already looking like a bargain given the massive return on investment he has been to the Madrid giants. He will hope to replicate some of the magic he has created all through the season and extinguish the yellow light in his old team.
Niclas Fullkrug offers more than just a physical presence in the opposition box, he seems to be a threat whenever he holds the ball, even outside the box, his ability to bring other players into the game is also quite remarkable, which explains his 11 assists this season. The German centre-forward may not be as globally pronounced as his attacking counterparts in Real Madrid, but he has been quite effective. The 31-year-old striker has hit 15 goals this season and has notched 8 assists. Antonio Rudiger will face an uphill task in containing the aggressive striker. His lack of pace though a concern, is relatively covered by his intelligent gameplay and standard hold-up play, also with the creative force of Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt and Marco Reus, he should get some chances. He has just three goals in the Champions League this season to show for all his efforts.
The magical Brazilian has been on fire for Real Madrid this season. The 23-year-old has come into his own on that left flank and will be a most potent force down that wing. His pace, exceptional dribbling and pinpoint crosses have been immensely useful to his side. Of course, he had to add goals to his game, which he was dutifully obliged to do. The Brazilian has 26 goals this season, with 10 assists. It will be quite interesting to see how the Borussia Dortmund side deal with this threat. Meanwhile, the combination of Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo has been so effective that even without a natural striker, they have been racking in goals. If Real Madrid is to win this game, surely they will need their star man to step up to the plate and deliver some magic just as he has always done.
The serial winner mentality the veteran defender possesses has been useful and will even be more useful in propelling his side to European glory. His defensive intelligence covers for his loss of pace, and his exceptional leadership is also a great help. He alongside the more youthful Ian Maatsen has been the stand-out performer in the BVB defence. The defensive solidity of this team was visibly on display in the semi-final tie against Paris Saint Germain, they were able to shut out the firepower of Kylian Mbappe and co and just nicked the tie.
The 34-year-old German has decided to call it quits with football at the end of the season, but one would be ignorant to think this call was done to fatigue or poor form. The midfield general has bossed the midfield for his team for years now and this season has not been an exception. His vision and incredible passing accuracy are invaluable to the team. Such passing and creative force has not been adequately reflected in his stats this season, as he has just 9 assists all season to show for it. Real Madrid's style of play dictates a playmaker of his stature to give passes for willing runners like Vinicius Jr, so Borussia Dortmund will have to be wary of his threat.
From training with the U18 reserves at Manchester United to starring in Champions League matches the story of Jadon Sancho gives a messianic vibe. The 23-year-old knows he has so much to prove, not just to Manchester United and their fans, but to himself. The once mercurial talent became a pulp and so ineffective at Old Trafford. However, a return to familiar grounds has been refreshing. He will hope for continuity of the form he has to hurt a football Goliath in Real Madrid.
Both sides are not evenly matched, but this is football and the game is always open to everyone at the blast of the whistle. It will be interesting to see how the Dortmund defence shut out the firepower of Los Blancos, and how the Real Madrid midfield finds spaces in such a tightly-knit Dortmund side.
My daughter's first ever football match - Orlando City v Atlanta United, August 2019. Written for Izzy to read when she gets old enough. Vamos Orlando
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