Dortmund vs Real Madrid prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-05-31 19:00.
[p]It’s the end of an era for the UEFA Champions League (UCL), as Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid clash in the last final before the tournament switches to its controversial new format which includes an expanded league phase next season. Both have already booked their place in next season’s competition, and will now seek to end this current campaign by winning European club football’s greatest prize on Wembley’s hallowed turf.[/p]
[p]Dortmund are chasing their first piece of silverware since 2021, while Real are hunting for their third trophy of the season, with the Supercopa de España and La Liga in the bag. For the Black and Yellows, a fifth-placed finish in the Bundesliga – their worst since they were seventh in 2014/15 – means their run to the UCL final has been a season saver, but a two-week break between their 4-0 win over Darmstadt and this final suggests there could be a few cobwebs to shake off in London.[/p]
[p]They’ll need to show the big-game mentality that got them over the line in a thrilling semi-final with PSG, and although they’re winless across the last four H2Hs with Los Blancos (D2, L2), their last victory over Madrid was in a UCL knockout fixture, winning 2-0 at home in 2013/14. Now preparing for their seventh European final, they’ve an underwhelming conversion record, only winning two of them, the last of which came some 27 years ago in 1997 against Juventus.[/p]
[p]By contrast, Real Madrid have been utterly dominant once reaching the final stage of Europe’s premier club competition, winning all eight of their Champions League finals, including one against German opponents (vs Leverkusen in 2002). An unbeaten six-match run against three German sides en route to the final this term is also a good omen for Carlo Ancelotti’s side of serial winners (W4, D2).[/p]
[p]He expects his team to have to “suffer and fight” to win the final and a record-extending 15th European crown, and Ancelotti is well placed to make that call given his patchy H2H return against Dortmund from the dugout (W7, L6). Meanwhile, another ex-Bayern man, Toni Kroos, prepares for his final game in a Madrid shirt looking to match club legend Paco Gento by winning a joint-record sixth European Cup/Champions League title.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Niclas FĂĽllkrug netted in two of Dortmund’s last three UCL fixtures, with five of his last seven strikes in all club competitions arriving after the 70th minute. VinĂcius JĂşnior has scored for Real against two German sides already this campaign (Bayern and Leipzig) – three of his four UCL goals this term were Madrid’s first of the game.[/p]
[p]Hot streak: The last four UCL finals were each decided by a single goal between the 40th and 70th minute.[/p]