LONDON — Whatever you call it, don't call it luck.
Real Madrid's unparalleled dominance in European club soccer, especially in the Champions League, is a testament to something much deeper than mere chance. On the eve of the Champions League final, Coach Carlo Ancelotti was asked to explain this phenomenon.
“There is something special in this club. It is important to study this,” Ancelotti said on Friday. “It is something special. For what reason I don’t know. History, conditions, quality of the players, character … it happened so many times it cannot be coincidence.”
This Saturday at Wembley Stadium, Borussia Dortmund faces a club renowned for its resilience, its defiance of the clock, and its knack for pulling off miraculous comebacks in a tournament it holds dear above all others.
One need only look at substitute Joselu’s two-goal blitz in the dying moments of the semifinal against Bayern Munich. With elimination looming, the 14-time European champions turned the tide, showcasing their trademark fight.
Two years ago, it was Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City who fell victim to Madrid's dramatic comebacks. Trailing in every round from the round of 16 through to the semifinals, Madrid's relentless spirit saw them lift the trophy in 2022.
“We would prefer to start (the match) winning,” captain Nacho remarked. “We also suffer on the pitch when we are losing.”
These dramatic turnarounds only add to the mystique surrounding Madrid and the Champions League.
A victory against Dortmund would mark a record-extending 15th European Cup for Madrid. Ancelotti himself stands on the cusp of a new benchmark with a record-extending fifth Champions League trophy as a coach.
The challenge for Dortmund is formidable. They’re not just up against Madrid’s star-studded lineup, but the weight of history itself. And Madrid’s players embrace this legacy with pride.
“Everyone that likes football knows Real Madrid is a special team in this competition,” Nacho said. “We haven’t invented that. When the (Champions League) anthem sounds, we feel a special feeling. It is something special to win so many trophies, but also a big responsibility.”
Madrid is the overwhelming favorite to secure their ninth title of the Champions League era and their second in three seasons. Dortmund, meanwhile, comes off a fifth-place finish in the German league, 27 points adrift of champions Bayer Leverkusen.
However, Dortmund is no stranger to upsets. Their lone Champions League triumph came in 1997, when they bested defending champions Juventus.
“We are ready to compete at the highest level,” Dortmund coach Edin Terzic said. “Maybe if you play 10 times against Real Madrid, it is very difficult. If you play 34 times, it’s impossible. But if you break it down to one game, a final, everything is possible.
“It is clear they have a role as favorites. We don’t care.”
Dortmund's path to the final saw them overcoming Atletico Madrid and PSG in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. This marks their third final, having previously lost to Bayern Munich at Wembley in 2013.
“If we are brave and ready to show that we are not here to see how Real Madrid lift the next trophy, if we are here to give them a game, then we have a chance,” Terzic declared.
As the stage is set for an epic clash at Wembley, the world will witness whether Dortmund can defy the odds against a club that thrives on them.
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