As Borussia Dortmund prepare for their first Champions League final appearance since 2013, manager Edin Terzic has a boost of not having any major selection issues in the squad. Terzic's starting lineup is the same as the one that got past PSG in the knockouts which means that Marco Reus' final game for the Black and Yellow will begin from the bench.
During the knockout stages, Reus' last start was the first leg against PSV where he logged 62 minutes, and since he has been coming off the bench with Julian Brandt pulling the strings in midfield. Since that match, Reus has come off the bench in every knockout match for Dortmund but he has only logged 63 minutes total since acting more as a super, or at least adequate, substitute.
Another player who has been in a similar role for the Black and Yellow and will also start the match from the bench is Donyell Malen. The winger has played fewer minutes since Jadon Sancho's return to Dortmund and may also have to settle for a place on the bench as Terzic has no reasons to mess around with what worked against Paris Saint-Germain. While that required Dortmund to soak up pressure and rely on Gregor Kobel and Mats Hummels to save them, it's something that has worked until now.
In their biggest game in years, there is no reason to tinker with the XI as Reus won't even be the only legend playing the final game for their club. As Toni Kross looks to ride off into retirement with another Champions League title for Real Madrid there will be a clash of narratives on the pitch at Wembley. Dortmund will keep running with what got them here.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Saturday, June 1 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Wembley -- London, England
- Watch: Paramount+ and CBS
- Odds: Dortmund +400; Draw +300; Real -154
Lineup
Starters: Gregor Kobel, Ian Maatsen, Nico Schlotterbeck, Mats Hummels, Julian Ryerson, Emre Can, Marcel Sabitzer, Karim Adeyemi, Julian Brandt, Jadon Sancho, Niclas Fullkrug
Reserves: Alexander Meyer, Marcel Lotka, Salih Ozcan, Felix Nemcha, Sebastian Haller, Marco Reus, Marius Wolf, Youssoufa Moukoko, Donyell Malen, Niklas Sule, Kjell-Arik Watjen, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens
Prediction
Despite Dortmund's best efforts, it will be a former player who comes back to haunt them at Wembley as Jude Bellingham continues his excellent debut season for Real Madrid. Scoring the line goal for Los Blancos in the match, Bellingham will sink his former team. Score: Real Madrid 1, Borussia Dortmund 0
Champions League final TV schedule
All times U.S./Eastern
- 11 a.m.: Morning Footy - UCL Final Special, CBS Sports Golazo Network
- 12:30 p.m.: We Need To Talk, CBS and Paramount+
- 1 p.m.: UEFA Champions League Today Pre-Match Show, CBS Sports Golazo Network and Paramount+
- 1:30 p.m.: UEFA Champions League Today Pre-Match Show, CBS and Paramount+
- 3 p.m.: Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid, CBS and Paramount+
- 5:30 p.m.: UEFA Champions League Today Post-Match Show, CBS Sports Network and Paramount+
- 6:30 p.m.: The Champions Club, CBS Sports Golazo Network
