With the UEFA Champions League final just days away, final preparations are no doubt underway for the last two teams remaining in Europe's top club competition. Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund will face off on June 1 at London's Wembley Stadium after a season worth remembering for both teams. The former won La Liga for the first time in two years this season, wrapping up the title with weeks left on the calendar thanks to their domestic dominance that saw them lose just once in the league. The latter, meanwhile, may have slumped to fifth place in the Bundesliga this season but have found plenty of success in European competition, reaching the final for the first time since the 2013 showcase that was also hosted at Wembley.
How to watch the Champions League final and odds
- Date: Saturday, June 1 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Wembley Stadium -- London, England
- TV: CBS | Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Borussia Dortmund +420; Draw +330; Real Madrid -165
Champions League final broadcast schedule
All times U.S./Eastern
- Morning Footy, 11 a.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)
- We Need To Talk, 12:30 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
- UEFA Champions League Today, 1 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network, Paramount+)
- UEFA Champions League Today pre-match, 1:30 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
- CBS Sports Golazo Matchday, 1:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid, 3 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
- UEFA Champions League Today post-match, 5:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network, Paramount+)
- Scoreline, 5:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)
- The Champions Club, 6:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Golazo Network)
Here's what you need to know about this season's Champions League finalists.
How they got here
Borussia Dortmund: Edin Terzic's side are the Cinderella story of the Champions League, in large part because they ousted a handful of high-profile teams to reach their first final in 11 years. Their tough journey to Wembley began by topping this season's most competitive group and began their campaign with a 2-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain but went undefeated for the next five games and topped a group that also included AC Milan and Newcastle United. Their first statement-making win was perhaps the 3-1 win in Milan, which all but guaranteed their first-place finish in Group F.
Though they lacked the luck of the draw in the group stage, the randomly selected ties in the early parts of the knockout stage favored Dortmund. They surpassed PSV with a 3-1 aggregate win in the round of 16 and overcame their own defensive weaknesses by beating an inconsistent Atletico Madrid team in a dramatic 5-4 aggregate win in the quarterfinals. Their most impressive feat, though, came in their semifinal win over PSG, demonstrating an impressive defensive resolve by keeping Kylian Mbappe's side goalless in a 2-0 aggregate win.
Real Madrid: While Dortmund's run to the final was improbable, Real Madrid's was unstoppable. Carlo Ancelotti's side has looked imbalanced all season long but has survived each and every challenge, and will now arrive in London as the favorites to win their 15th Champions League title.
Their Champions League campaign started with a fairly straightforward group stage, topping a group that included Napoli, Braga and winless newcomers Union Berlin. The margins of victory grew tighter in the knockout rounds, but Real Madrid's ability to outscore the opponent usually allowed them to prevail, as their 2-1 aggregate win over RB Leipzig in the round of 16 and their 4-3 semifinal win over Bayern Munich will demonstrate. Their toughest task, no doubt, was ousting reigning champions Manchester City in the quarterfinals. The 3-3 first leg demonstrated both sides' scoring ability but the 1-1 second leg required a defensive resolve from Real Madrid that allowed them to advance on penalties.
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