This Saturday, Wembley Stadium will be electrified as Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund clash in a high-stakes showdown. Madrid is on the hunt for their 15th European Cup, while Dortmund aims to secure their second. Though it’s their first final face-off, these two giants have a rich history of thrilling encounters in the Champions League.
Over their 14 previous meetings, Real Madrid has emerged victorious six times, with five matches ending in draws and three wins going to Dortmund. Their rivalry began in the 1997-1998 Champions League semi-finals. Real, eager to end a 32-year title drought, faced an unexpected challenge when one of the goals at the Bernabeu collapsed due to an accident just before kick-off. In a dramatic turn, the club’s delegate sped off on a motorbike to retrieve a replacement goal. Despite the chaos, Madrid triumphed 2-0 thanks to goals from Fernando Morientes and Christian Karembeu, eventually winning the title in Amsterdam.
Their next encounter came in the 2002-2003 group stage, where Madrid won 2-1 at home and drew 1-1 in Dortmund. A decade later, in the 2012-2013 season, they faced off four times. In the group stage, Dortmund won 2-1 at home and drew 2-2 in Spain. But it was the semi-finals that left an indelible mark. Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski stunned the world with four goals in a 4-1 thrashing of Madrid. Despite a spirited second-leg effort with late goals from Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos, Madrid fell short.
The last knockout encounter was in the 2013-2014 quarter-finals, a season that saw Madrid lift their tenth Champions League trophy. Madrid dominated the first leg with a 3-0 win, courtesy of Gareth Bale, Isco, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Although Dortmund mounted a fierce comeback at home, Marco Reus’ brace wasn’t enough to overturn the deficit.
Their most recent meetings have been in the group stage, with a pair of 2-2 draws in 2016-2017, followed by back-to-back wins for Madrid in 2017-2018, 3-1 in Dortmund and 3-2 at the Bernabeu. This Saturday’s final promises to be another unforgettable chapter in their storied rivalry.
