The European club season draws to a close on Saturday but it does so with a bang as Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid go head to head in the 2024 Champions League final at Wembley.
Aside from the prize on offer, there are a raft of additional narratives to keep an eye on: Jude Bellingham facing his former club; Marco Reus making his final Dortmund appearance; the battle between Champions League don Carlo Ancelotti and relative novice Edin Terzic.
In this article, we will examine the two sides, identify where the game could be won and lost and provide you with some of the best betting offers available should you wish to have a wager.
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🏴 LONDON CALLING#UCL | #APorLa15 pic.twitter.com/JS7Nw04ozx
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) May 30, 2024
Which team is the favourite?
Madrid are odds on to claim a record-extending 15th Champions League crown.
They come into the contest as champions of Spain after winning the annual tussle with Barcelona with relative ease having finished 10 points above their Catalan rivals.
Dortmund, in contrast, had a mixed season domestically. Terzic’s men were never really in the title race as Bayer Leverkusen blazed a trail with Bayern Munich in pursuit. They ended up fifth, 27 points behind Leverkusen.
The odds listed below were provided by bet365 and were correct at the time of publication. However, they are subject to change.
Real Madrid to win @ 8/13 with bet365
Dortmund to win @ 4/1 with bet365
Given Madrid’s odds, it may be worth exploring some other markets for value.
We particularly like Bellingham @ 7/4 to score anytime. The recently crowned La Liga player of the season has scored 23 goals in all competitions this season and, given his Dortmund background, it would be typical to see him get on the scoresheet.
If you’re looking for an outside bet then remember Dortmund kept Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain at bay across both legs of the semi-final, although their 1-0 win at the Parc des Princes was not without its moments of fortune.
A goalless draw is 12/1 after 90 minutes with bet365 with a 1-0 Dortmund win even longer at 14s.
Match Preview
On paper, it seems Madrid have a pretty significant advantage. Thibaut Courtois is back and available in goal, as is Eder Militao at the heart of the defence. In front of him, Toni Kroos will play his final club game before retirement alongside the attacking brio of Bellingham and Vinicius Jnr.
The relative ease with which they won La Liga – and the lack of a challenge from Barca – means Ancelotti’s achievements this season have flown a little under the radar. Madrid have not lost a game in any competition in 90 minutes since September when they went down 3-1 at Atletico Madrid.
They also have the Champions League knack – an intangible way of getting it done.
It amounts to a formidable challenge for Dortmund who are unlikely to have expected to be in this position at the start of the season.
Terzic has done a wonderful job to get the club to the Wembley showpiece. It is a different Dortmund to their teams of old. They have had to beg, steal and borrow to bring in the likes of Jadon Sancho and Ian Maatsen – unwanted at Manchester United and Chelsea respectively – while their ability to hoover up the best young talent in Europe appears to have vanished.
Instead, theirs is a team made up of wily veterans. Mats Hummels at the back, Emre Can and Reus in midfield. Add in other players that have had opportunities at big clubs and failed, such as Julian Brandt and Marcel Sabitzer, and you get the feeling this is a team some way short of elite.
The reunion. pic.twitter.com/vBvXvr0R9b
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) May 29, 2024
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