UEFA Champions League Final Best Bets: Dortmund & Madrid Do Battle for the Most Coveted Prize

European soccer reaches its pinnacle regarding club competition, and the most anticipated fixture of the season is upon us: the Spanish giants, Real Madrid, who’ve won the competition fourteen times, compete versus an overlooked underdog, Borussia Dortmund. 

This Saturday, June 1, the Champions League final goes down at Wembley Stadium. It’s more than a game; it’s 90 minutes of football that is already etched into the history books before kick-off, as a battle between a long-standing king of European soccer takes on a relentless challenger eager to position themselves in the tournament’s history.

Picks Summary

• Both Teams to Score (-133)
• Over 2.5 Goals (-143) 
• Jose Vinicius Junior Anytime Goalscorer (+150) 

*All odds from Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)

Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid

Saturday, June 01, 2024 – 03:00 PM EDT at Wembley Stadium

Team Preview – Borussia Dortmund

How about those die Schwarzgelben’s? They’ve been an overlooked underdog since the UCL tournament started in September 2023. Still, they impressed the masses after qualifying in the first position of Group F—a group tipped as the most talent-stacked of the entire competition.

Fans, critics, and sportsbooks didn’t give BVB much hope during the final sixteen fixtures, but with wins over PSG, Atletico Madrid, and PSV, they locked in their UCL final position. In stark contrast, Edin Terzic’s squad couldn’t deliver the same consistency in the Bundesliga, where they finished the campaign in fifth position.

It’s a historic moment for this German club, which hasn’t seen a UCL final since a 2-1 defeat to their rivals Bayern Munich crushed dreams in 2013. Impressively, the likes of Marco Reus and Mats Hummels bring that 2013 experience to this year’s final over a decade later, as they were part of that lineup.

BVB’s aforementioned experience will be crucial when pitted against a club in Real Madrid that is more than familiar with UCL finals and has notably been defeated in just one of their previous 20 meetings versus German sides, a statistic that includes 13 wins and six draws.

Borussia Dortmund: Last 6 UCL Games

Team Preview – Real Madrid

With 18 points and six consecutive wins over Napoli and Braga, Los Blancos sailed through this year’s group stage without a dent. However, the level of competition in their final sixteen meetings proved challenging and included four draws in 90 minutes. Games versus Man City required a penalty shootout win, and a semi-final clash with Munich could only separate the sides by one goal over two legs (4-3).

Despite the challenging opponents, Real Madrid succeeded and heads into their 18th Champions League final. Dissimilar to their weekend UCL final foes, Los Blancos enters with domestic confidence since Carlo Ancelotti guided his team to an effortless lifting of the La Liga title.

As far as UCL football goes, Madrid has managed to stay unbeaten in all twelve fixtures, and this marks the first time in their club history that they’ll enter a European Cup final without a loss on their record. However, while they’re obviously heavy favorites due to this, BVB is also unbeaten in their 11 most recent European outings (won 7, drawn 3) while also boasting six clean sheets.

Real Madrid: Previous 6 UCL Games

Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid: At the Bookmakers

• Borussia Dortmund to Win (-154)
• Real Madrid to Win (+375)
• Draw (+333)

*Odds from Bet365

It shouldn’t be surprising that Real Madrid is priced at a premium to win the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund. That said, having drawn four of their last six UCL clashes, it’s a worrisome price to back for those seeking value in the outright markets.

As BVB have heavily relied on their defensive power to reach the final, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the German underdogs force extra time or a penalty shootout from a Los Blancos side plagued with draws of late.

Dortmund vs. Real Madrid: H2H Stats

Breakdown & Best Bets

Dortmund’s Bundesliga struggles seemed to have stemmed from a similar opponent this term: squads that implement a defensive approach. However, and fortunately for Terzic’s style of play, they’ve excelled versus offensive teams, and we can’t help but think Real Madrid will enter the game behind such a formation.

BVB is no joke when they play counterattacks, and it’s no secret that Los Blancos have struggled at the back in recent games. While I’m not claiming victory for the German unit, finding themselves on the score sheet is highly probable, in my opinion.

When Madrid’s defense has caused issues this term, some of that can be attributed to fatigue and a hellish schedule. That said, Real’s best defense has been their offense, and they enter the UCL final in exceptional form. With players like Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, each providing top-tier quality in the final third, it’s difficult to fade this squad, who is undoubtedly the most potent strike force in Europe.

Expect BVB to get on the score sheet, but this won’t prevent the kings of European football from doing what they do best: breaking down defenses and finding a way to score more… even if it is just one.

Score Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 1 – 2 Real Madrid 

Soccer Pick: Both Teams to Score (-133) at Bet365

Soccer Pick: Over 2.5 Goals (-143) at Bet365

Soccer Pick: Jose Vinicius Junior Anytime Goalscorer (+150) at Bet365

*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.