The Champions League final on June 1st will be a historic rematch at Wembley Stadium in London. Spanish giants Real Madrid will take on German powerhouse Borussia Dortmund with European glory on the line. While Dortmund are no strangers to Wembley after their 2013 Champions League final loss to Bayern Munich, this will only be Real Madrid’s second-ever visit to the famous English venue.
Real’s Lone Previous Wembley Trip
Madrid’s solitary previous Wembley appearance came back in November 2017. At the time, Tottenham Hotspur were temporarily calling Wembley home while constructing their new stadium. Los Blancos visited the English capital for a Champions League group stage clash, with the star-studded Spanish side falling 3-1 to the upstart Spurs in front of 83,000 fans.
It was an unexpected result at the time, with Zinedine Zidane’s Real side boasting the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. Only a handful of that team’s starters are still with Madrid and likely to feature in this year’s final – captain Nacho Fernandez, Modric and Kroos.
On that November night in 2017, it was the Spurs who rose to the occasion. Dele Alli bagged a brace, with Christian Eriksen (now at Manchester United) adding a third. Ronaldo pulled one back late, but it was little consolation as Real tasted their first and still only defeat at England’s national stadium.
Ancelotti’s Wembley Successes
While Real’s experience at Wembley is limited, their current manager Carlo Ancelotti has enjoyed considerable success there during his Chelsea days. The Italian has visited the venue four times previously, coming away with three wins and just one loss.
His first Wembley trip came in 2009, leading Chelsea to Community Shield glory over Manchester United after a dramatic 4-1 penalty shootout win. Later that season, the Blues defeated Aston Villa 3-0 in the FA Cup semi-finals before a 1-0 final victory against Portsmouth.
Ancelotti tasted defeat at Wembley just once, falling 3-1 to Sir Alex Ferguson’s United in the 2010 Community Shield. But overall, his record of three wins from four visits to the home of English football bodes well ahead of the Champions League final.
Bellingham’s Wembley Dominance
One player who knows the Wembley turf like the back of his hand is Real’s teenage English midfielder Jude Bellingham. The 19-year-old prodigy has an incredible 15 England caps already at Wembley, with a record of 12 wins, two draws and just one defeat.
That lone loss for Bellingham at his national stadium came in March, when fellow future Real star Endrick scored a late winner for Brazil’s under-20 side. But Bellingham quickly bounced back, netting a 95th minute equalizer for a 2-2 draw against Belgium in his most recent Wembley performance.
Clearly comfortable on English soil, Bellingham could prove to be a key weapon for Real Madrid in their quest to conquer familiar territory and hoist the European Cup at Wembley on June 1st. For Dortmund, trying to prevent a teenager from shining on one of his favorite stages will be a major challenge.
An Intriguing Final in Familiar Territory
While Real Madrid are European royalty with a record 14 Champions League titles, their limited history at Wembley is an anomaly. Ancelotti’s strong managerial record there provides optimism, as does Bellingham’s individual Wembley dominance in an England shirt.
For Dortmund, their 2013 final defeat to Bayern gives them more recent experience at the venue compared to their Spanish opponents. But knocking off the reigning European champions in such familiar territory for Real will be a stern test, even for the talented German side.
When the final whistle blows at Wembley on June 1st, the winner will etch their name into the history books with their success at one of the world’s most iconic sporting cathedrals. For Real Madrid, returning to London provides a shot at more European glory and redemption from that 2017 group stage setback on English soil.
