Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund Set for Champions League Showdown at the Bernabeu

In a highly anticipated rematch of the 2023-24 Champions League final, Real Madrid will host Borussia Dortmund in a crucial league phase encounter on Tuesday. The German giants will be hoping to avenge their heartbreaking loss at Wembley, where missed opportunities allowed Carlo Ancelotti’s side to clinch their 15th European Cup.

Real Madrid’s winning pedigree in the Champions League was on full display last season, as two second-half goals shattered Dortmund’s dominance in the final. However, Los Blancos have faced a slightly tougher road this season, suffering a 1-0 defeat to Lille on matchday two, their first loss in the competition since May 2023.

Despite the loss, Real Madrid’s earlier victory over Stuttgart leaves them with three points, though currently sitting outside a seeded knockout spot in the 36-team league table. Since that setback, Ancelotti’s side has bounced back with La Liga wins over Villarreal and Celta Vigo, setting up an important week ahead as they prepare for El Clasico against Barcelona at the weekend.

Dortmund, meanwhile, are on fire in Europe, topping the league table after a 7-1 demolition of Celtic, where Karim Adeyemi grabbed a hat-trick. Despite their European form, Dortmund’s domestic struggles have persisted, with losses to Stuttgart and Union Berlin recently marking inconsistency away from home.

Injuries will play a role in the upcoming match, with Real Madrid missing Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, and Brahim Diaz. Dortmund will be without Adeyemi, Giovanni Reyna, and Julien Duranville, while key players Pascal Gross and Niklas Sule remain doubtful.

As history shows, Dortmund have never won at the Bernabeu, and with Real Madrid’s imposing European home record, a narrow victory for Los Blancos looks likely in this rematch.

Predicted Lineups:

• Real Madrid: Courtois; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Bellingham, Tchouameni, Valverde; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr.
• Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Ryerson, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Can, Sabitzer; Malen, Brandt, Gittens; Guirassy.

Score Prediction: Real Madrid 1-0 Borussia Dortmund.