Real Madrid will take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final on Saturday, 1 June at 9:00 pm at London’s Wembley Stadium. The team will go in search of the Decimoquinta against the German side. The game will be the first time Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund have gone head-to-head in a European Cup final. Dortmund will be hoping to clinch the trophy for the second time, in what will be their third final appearance. Edin Terzić’s team come into the clash after topping Group F and coming past PSV (Round of 16), Atlético de Madrid (quarter-finals) and PSG (semis).
18th European Cup final
Real Madrid are set to play in their eighteenth European Cup final. Their record to date reads 14 titles in 17 appearances, meaning a win rate of over 80%. They have been involved in more finals than any other club, winning more than any other as well. The legendary side led by Di Stéfano clinched the first five editions between 1956 and 1960. Their opponents were Stade de Reims (4-3), Fiorentina (2-0), Milan (3-2), Stade de Reims (2-0) and Eintracht Frankfurt (7-3). After defeat to Benfica and Inter in 1962 and 1964, La Sexta came in 1966 with a win over Partizan (2-1).
In 1981, Madrid were unable to lift the trophy, losing to Liverpool. Since that night, they have won every one of the finals they have played. Juventus were the opposition for La Séptima, won in Amsterdam in 1998 (1-0). In the following years, La Octava came against Valencia in Paris (3-0) and La Novena against Bayer Leverkusen in Glasgow (2-1 in 2002) with Zidane’s unforgettable volley.
Recent titles
In 2014, with Ancelotti in the dugout, La Décima was won in Lisbon thanks to Ramos’ legendary goal (4-1). In 2016, against Atlético once more, Real Madrid lifted La Undécima in Milan. In 2017, it was La Duodécima in Cardiff with a 4-1 win over Juventus. In 2018, they came past Liverpool to get their hands on La Decimotercera (3-1) and in 2022 they beat the English side again (0-1) to clinch La Decimocuarta in Paris.A further good omen for Real Madrid is that they have played Dortmund in four of their Champions League-winning campaigns. They will hope to make that five, and secure their 15th European crown in the process. First, they need to get back Bayern.
