Borussia Dortmund will receive a significant windfall even if they lose the upcoming Champions League final against Real Madrid, all thanks to a former player.
Jude Bellingham joined Madrid last summer for an initial fee worth £88m, but a clause could be triggered in the event they are unsuccessful in their attempts to become European champions at Wembley Stadium next month.
The Key Clause
The clause states that Madrid must pay Dortmund £4.3m in additional fees should they win the Champions League within the first six years of the Englishman’s time at the club. In addition, Dortmund will also receive a further £1.7m if Bellingham is named in the Champions League Team of the Tournament.
That, alongside the £12.9m runners-up prize money, would lead to Dortmund pocketing a total of £19.3m if they were to lose their second Champions League final at Wembley, having lost to Bayern Munich in London in 2023.
The winners’ prize pool stands at £17.2m, meaning Dortmund stands to earn more money if they, in fact, lose to Madrid. Though desperate to win the competition for a second time, this silver lining windfall may serve as some slim form of compensation to the club’s board members.
Edin Terzic’s team has had to go the difficult route to reach this stage of the competition, first navigating this season’s ‘group of death’ featuring AC Milan, Newcastle United, and Paris Saint-Germain. In the knockout rounds, they eliminated PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid before taking on PSG once again to book their place in the final.
Bellingham’s Reaction
On the prospect of facing Dortmund in his home country, Bellingham told TNT Sports: “At Wembley, against Dortmund, it is a weird one. I can’t believe it. I am so looking forward to it, the atmosphere, the game itself. A Champions League final, man.“
He also told DAZN: “I can’t believe this is happening in my first year of all years. It’s my first Final, in England, against Dortmund. It will be nice to see some old friends. [My current team] earned our place in the Final and showed great character.“
Madrid are searching for their 15th victory in this competition and their second in three seasons, having defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the 2022 final in Paris. For Bellingham, this would be the third major honour of his senior career, having won the DFB Pokal with Dortmund in 2021 and this season’s La Liga crown with Madrid.
