This is a repeat of the 2024 Champions League final to enjoy on Tuesday night as 15-time European champions Real Madrid welcome Borussia Dortmund to the Spanish capital.
Dortmund were made to rue a wasteful first half at Wembley in June as Madrid scored twice in the second half to secure yet another European crown. They seemingly only got richer over the summer with Kylian Mbappe’s arrival, but Carlo Ancelotti’s side are yet to kick into gear this term.
Madrid lost in Mbappe’s absence on Matchday 2 of the league phase in Lille and currently trail Hansi Flick’s Barcelona at the top of La Liga. They did, however, secure an important victory on the road at Celta Vigo on Saturday with Mbappe and Ballon d’Or favourite Vinicius Junior both on the scoresheet.
The man who led Dortmund to the showpiece event at Wembley last season, Edin Terzic, has been usurped by former assistant Nuri Sahin in the BVB dugout. Sahin has endured a mixed start to his tenure, but they have opened their Champions League account with a pair of wins against inferior opposition, including a 7-1 beatdown of Celtic on Matchday 2.
BVB currently sit seventh in the Bundesliga having squeezed past the newly promoted St. Pauli at home on Friday night.
Hot Stats: Borussia Dortmund have failed to win any of their seven away matches against Los Blancos in the UEFA Champions League.
Real Madrid vs Dortmund: Team News
Dani Carvajal – scorer against Dortmund at Wembley – suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament tear before the October break, so Lucas Vazquez will continue down Madrid’s right flank.
David Alaba continues to nurse his long-term knee injury, with the Austrian’s recovery taking far longer than expected. However, Ancelotti recently reveals he believes the defender will be fully fit soon.
Brahim Diaz should be back in contention having missed Saturday’s win in Vigo, but the dynamic Morocco international is unlikely to start Tuesday’s game. Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy should return to Ancelotti’s XI.
The visitors enter this clash with an array of injury concerns.
Matchday 2 hat-trick hero Karim Adeyemi is currently nursing a hamstring strain and could be out of action until after the November international break. Giovanni Reyna, Yan Couto and youngster Julien Duranville are also poised for returns next month.
Niklas Sule missed Friday’s win over St. Pauli due to illness but could be okay to feature on Tuesday, while Pascal Gross picked up a knock during Dortmund’s recent victory and is a doubt for the trip to Madrid.
