Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic says his players “have to win” when they face 14-time titlists Real Madrid in the Uefa Champions League final 2024 on Saturday.
The German side are considerable underdogs, having lost twice during a surprisingly long European campaign which has come in spite of their underwhelming fifth-placed finish in the Bundesliga.
While Madrid are the most successful club in the history of the competition, Dortmund have gone beyond the quarter-finals for the first time since losing against Bayern Munich in the 2012/13 final, which was also held at Wembley Stadium.
“You don’t play a final, you win a final – and that is our clear goal,” said Terzic. “We’re happy to be here but we have to win at Wembley Stadium against Real Madrid to hold that trophy in our hands.
“We know they are by far the most successful team in this competition. We have had only two defeats this season but we also see we are ready to compete on the highest level. If you break it down to one game, then everything is possible.”
Dortmund ‘different’ v Real Madrid
Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel’s six clean sheets mean he will finish the Champions League season with the most shut-outs of any of his contemporaries.
Dortmund overturned a 2-1 first-leg deficit to beat Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals and reached the final with successive 1-0 wins over a Paris St-Germain side containing the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
Jamie Carragher is Black and Yellow ⚫️🟡
(via @CBSSportsGolazo) pic.twitter.com/gRvXyiCFdZ
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) May 31, 2024
“They have a role as the favourites but we weren’t favourites against Atletico or Paris either,” observed Terzic. “If we are brave and not here to see Madrid win their next trophy, then we’re going to have a chance.
“We are 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.”
Terzic’s only trophy as a coach is the German Cup in 2020/21, and he has “the biggest respect” for counterpart Carlo Ancelotti, a four-time European champion as a manager alongside two triumphs as a player.
“He has made it with different teams, in different countries and cultures,” said Terzic. “Over two decades, he’s been successful. The way he manages teams, he is a role model. He is one of my role models in this business.”
