In the den of Wembley, in London, Borussia Dortmund faces the mountain Real Madrid, Saturday June 1, in the final of the Champions League. The German club is not the favorite, but is counting on the talented Jadon Sancho, who has found color in recent months, to defy the predictions. But be careful, because the Spanish giant also has in its ranks a young English prodigy who is making sparks happen in the person of Jude Bellingham.
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Can Real Madrid fall in their quest for a 15th title in UEFA Champions League ? The Merengue club, still led by the master tactician Carlo Ancelotti, aims for nothing other than victory against Borussia Dortmund. This would therefore be the 15th big-eared cup in its history, but also a fifth victory in the last ten years, after those of 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022.
Suffice to say that it is an immense challenge that awaits the gang of Edin Terzic, the coach of Dortmund. All the winds are favorable to Real, the C1 expert, and the bookmakers are leaning in favor of the reigning Spanish champion.
But the Ruhr club has already proved the predictions wrong in this edition of the Champions League, notably by taking out Atlético de Madrid and especially Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. And then, for this final at Wembley, the BVB will be able to count on the returning Jadon Sancho.
Sancho found his football and his smile
Born in London, Sancho found the light again in Dortmund. In 2021, when he was only 21, the winger returned to England after four years at Borussia, where he was able to grow and reveal himself to the world. Recruited at a high price by Manchester United, the Englishman spent two and a half very complicated seasons with the Red Devils. Lost in a limping team, in conflict with his coaches, demotivated, Jadon Sancho needed an escape at the start of the year.
And so it was Borussia Dortmund which reopened its doors, on loan and for six months, to the young footballer who was looking to bounce back. Back in the yellow and black jersey, Sancho, now 24 years old, has regained good colors in Germany. His spring is excellent, and the Champions League allowed him to show why he was portrayed, a few years ago, as a crack in the making. Europe thought it would see a big performance from Kylian Mbappé in the semi-final, but instead saw Jadon Sancho shine and lift Borussia to the final.
Against Real, supporters hope that the Three Lions international will deliver another great performance. At the club, in any case, we are considering the future with him. Sancho’s loan is coming to an end, but the leaders would like the player to stay. “ He found a smile again here », noted the sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, at the beginning of May. Jadon Sancho is under contract at Manchester United until 2026, but Dortmund “ will try everything » to keep it.
Bellingham, a crazy first season in Madrid
If Dortmund has a lot of hope in its Englishman Sancho, Madrid also has in its ranks a formidable subject of His Majesty… whom the BVB knows very well. And for good reason: almost a year ago, Real Madrid recruited Jude Bellingham from the Ruhr club. He too, like many other young talents, had chosen Borussia to complete his training and discover the very high level. A few days before his 20th birthday, Bellingham answered Real’s call.
And it’s an understatement to say that his first season was a success. Number 5 in the back, like Zinédine Zidane a few years ago, the midfielder has risen to the top of the best players in the world over the last 12 months. Placed in attacking midfielder behind the two attackers in the team shaped by Carlo Ancelotti, Jude Bellingham is simply unplayable. Scorer 23 times and decisive passer 12 times in 41 matches in all competitions, the Englishman walks on water. Between him, who will celebrate his 21st birthday at the end of June, Vinicius (23 years old), Rodrygo (23 years old) and most likely Kylian Mbappé (25 years old) in a few weeks, Real Madrid will have a frightening offensive armada.
For Ancelotti, Bellingham has the profile to lift the Ballon d’Or at the end of the year. In the Spanish program El Chiringuito, the Madrid coach spoke of a “ fight between Bellingham and Vinicius » for the prestigious individual trophy this year, with the Champions League, Euro and Copa America as judges. The first objective is there for the English midfielder, with this final at Wembley. A stadium where, like Jadon Sancho, he dreams of erasing the bad memory of the Euro 2021 final lost with England against Italy, and to write a little more about the start of his beautiful story at Real.