A rematch of the 2023-24 Champions League final sees holders Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund at the Bernabeu on Tuesday. Five months ago, Madrid triumphed over Dortmund to secure their 15th European title.
Real Madrid’s form has slightly declined this season, suffering their first Champions League loss since May 2023 against Lille. They rebounded with two La Liga victories against Villarreal and Celta Vigo. Despite a solid record at home in Europe, they haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last five matches at the Bernabeu.
In contrast, Dortmund enters the match after a dominant performance against Celtic, where Karim Adeyemi scored a hat-trick. However, they’ve struggled in the Bundesliga, losing their last two away games. Historically, Dortmund has never won at the Bernabeu in seven attempts, making their task more daunting.
In terms of team news, Madrid welcomes back Kylian Mbappe but will miss Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, and Brahim Diaz due to injuries. Dortmund’s Adeyemi is sidelined with a hamstring injury, joined by Julien Duranville and Giovanni Reyna, while Pascal Gross is doubtful.
With both teams showing contrasting fortunes, Madrid looks poised to extend Dortmund’s winless streak at the Bernabeu.
