Champions League final predictions: Our experts on Dortmund’s chance of beating Real Madrid

Dortmund’s path to the Champions League final at Wembley has been something of a fairytale. Standing in the way of their happy-ever-after ending are 14 times winners Real Madrid.

The Spanish champions go into today’s final as overwhelming favourites, but there’s a sea of yellow ready to celebrate an almighty upset in Wembley. Telegraph Sport’s football experts predict the outcome.

Dortmund’s best hope of victory

Counterattack

Sam Wallace: Both sides have had minority possession in big knockout games. Real had 36 per cent at the Etihad in the quarter-final second leg and Dortmund just 33 per cent in Paris in the semi-final second leg. Real are a brilliant fast counterattacking team who pounce on mistakes. Dortmund will seek to counterattack at Wembley as they did against PSG. That is the natural approach in a final of this nature that is obviously mismatched. The risk for Dortmund is that Real’s attack simply overrun them.

Double-team Vinicius Junior

Mike McGrath: Double up on Vinicius Junior. Yes, that might neglect focusing on Toni Kroos’ passing or Jude Bellingham’s late runs into the penalty area but Vini Jr is just frightening to defend against and I would take a chance on letting others run off opponents to keep him quiet.

Set up a low block

James Ducker: Defending compactly in a mid-to-low block and seeking to use their pace on the counterattack. Real should see a lot more of the ball than they did in their semi-final against Bayern and Dortmund need to be poised to strike decisively when the opportunity allows. Equally, I could see them having real problems with the quality of Real’s attack.

Rely on teamwork, not individuals

John Percy: Dortmund are all about the collective, a team better than the sum of its parts. You have Jadon Sancho and Marcel Sabitzer both jettisoned by Manchester United, Ian Maatsen unwanted at Chelsea, plus Mats Hummels and Niklas Sule dumped by Bayern Munich. If they can be the team, they could - and it is a big could - secure a shock win.

The one thing I want to see

A budget victory

Wallace: Two great sides and great players on both, but we all like an upset. A Dortmund win would be good for the Champions League and European football. Like Real, they are a club majority-owned by their fans but unlike Real, their debt is tiny. They do not have access to the kind of long-term sales of future revenue which have funded Real’s stadium renovation. In the 1990s, when Dortmund won their only European Cup, nine different clubs from eight different countries – including Real – won the competition. In the past ten years, six clubs from only three nations have won it and none on the relatively modest budget Dortmund work to.

Sancho setting Wembley alight

McGrath: Jadon Sancho enjoying his football and rising to the occasion at Wembley. He looked like he had a point to prove in the semi-finals and it would send a big message to Manchester United if he put in another big performance.

Sancho with a winner’s medal

Ducker: A season that could not have started much worse for Jadon Sancho after his public and bitter falling out with Erik ten Hag could yet end with the England forward, on loan at Dortmund from Manchester United, with a Champions League winners’ medal. It would be some story.

Ancelotti’s eyebrows

Percy: Carlo Ancelotti’s eyebrow in glorious high definition

The player who will take the limelight

Vinicius Junior

Wallace: Judging by his semi-final performance, Vinicius Junior is the most in-form player in Europe. He should be the star.

Ducker: There will inevitably be a huge amount of attention on Jude Bellingham, up against his old club, but Vinicius Jr has proven time and again he is a player who brings his best on the biggest occasions and I expect no different here.

Toni Kroos

McGrath: The veteran German is playing his last club game before retirement and there is more than a fair chance that he will dictate its pace with his passing in the middle of the park. He is pure class when he gets his passing right. The through-ball to Vinicius Junior in the semi-final at Bayern Munich was the best of the season. He still wears adidas’ Adipure 11pro boots - which makes me like him even more. He will be missed but will have one last go at glory at the Euros.

Mats Hummels

Percy: The focus will inevitably be on Jude Bellingham and Sancho, but this could be a significant night for Mats Hummels. At the age of 35, the old warrior may well be preparing for his last ever showpiece final. Hummels has been so consistent, and indeed arguably underrated, over the years and will be absolutely crucial at Wembley.

Scoreline?

Wallace: Hard to see past Real - could see them winning 3-1

McGrath: Borussia Dortmund 1 Real Madrid 3

Ducker: Hard to see beyond a 15th European Cup for Real. 3-1 to Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Percy: Real Madrid 2 Borussia Dortmund 1