- What: 2024 Champions League Final
- Who: Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund
- When: Saturday, June 1 at 3 p.m. ET
- Where: Wembley Stadium in London, England
- How to watch: Paramount+ and YouTube TV
The wait is finally over. After a long and tremendous Champions League season, only two teams are left to try and capture the glory. That's right, on Saturday, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are all set to face off with the silverware on the line. Fans are fired up to see which side will get the job done. With that said, Real Madrid are heavy favorites in the 2024 Champions League Final. Will history be made by the La Liga side?
We're about to find out. Madrid has been on fire of late, which has been great to see. In the quarterfinals, Real Madrid took on the defending champions Manchester City. A lot of people thought Man City would move on to the semifinals, but the opposite turned out to be the case, with Real Madrid taking them down in the second leg via a penalty shootout. It's still a game that people are talking about. Then in the semifinals, Real Madrid took down Bayern Munich.
Champions League Final | |||
---|---|---|---|
Real Madrid to win | -350 | -350 | -350 |
Borussia Dortmund to win | +250 | +250 | +250 |
Over 2.5 goals | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Under 2.5 goals | -110 | -110 | -110 |
On the other side of things, Borussia Dortmund has been the Cinderella story of the tournament. No one expected them to get this far. In the semifinals, they were matched up with Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappe. The expectation there too was that PSG would be able to dominate, but Dortmund stunned us all by punching their ticket to the final. Will another upset be on the way for them?
According to the top-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, Real Madrid holds -350 soccer betting odds to post a win, while the best soccer betting sites have Dortmund placed at +250. Time and time again, Dortmund has posted an upset that has left people speechless. They're going to hope to do so once again this weekend, but we just don't see it happening. We're going with Real Madrid as our pick to win the Champions League Final.
🖤 @BellinghamJude ⚔️ @Camavinga 🩷#UCL | #APorLa15 pic.twitter.com/PlrjihCOnN
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) May 27, 2024
Will extra time be needed between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund?
A question a lot of people have on their minds right now is will extra time be needed between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund? It's a fantastic question and one we can't wait to find out. On paper, yes, Real Madrid is the better team and we do think they're going to come away with a win. However, whenever there's a final on the way, you really can't rule anything out. We have a feeling this game is going to be a lot closer than people expect.
Take a look at the recent FA Cup Final for example. Manchester City and Manchester United faced off at Wembley Stadium, the same location for this weekend's Champions League Final. Man City were big-time favorites and not many people thought United would win. However, MUFC posted a 2-1 victory in shocking fashion. While we don't think Dortmund will come out on top, we do think they'll have the tactics to force Madrid to be at their very best to post a victory.
"We're not on holiday yet."
Carlo Ancelotti was in good form in his Champions League final press conference 😅 pic.twitter.com/cu95pQyBuf
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 27, 2024
"The fear, that's normal. I have experience," Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said this week leading up to the final. "My team gives me confidence and hope. They look focused on the game. They're in Champions League mode. It's always the same ahead of these games. Excitement, happiness, being involved in the most important game of the season. We're not on holiday yet, and the other teams are. They'll see the game on TV."
Per the oddsmakers, which includes the popular BetOnline review, there are -165 betting odds for Madrid to win in 90 minutes, with +310 odds that extra time will be needed. Remember that if the game is tied after 90 minutes, there will be 30 minutes of extra time and then a penalty shootout if needed. Will that be the case? We don't think so, as we expect Madrid to win this game in normal time.
Vinicius Jr. has great anytime scoring odds
Leading up to the final, it's important to remember that Vinicius Jr. has great anytime scoring odds for the final. Vini Jr. as he's best known has proven to be one of the top players on the planet this campaign and he's hoping to end things in style. Real Madrid has already captured the La Liga title, but they're ready to make things even better with Champions League glory. If that happens, Vini Jr. will surely play a big role in things.
He has +150 betting odds to score on Saturday, which speaks to how great of a player he is. A lot of people are also expecting quite a lot from Jude Bellingham, as the star midfielder has been a tremendous addition to this team. Funny enough, Bellingham used to be a superstar for Borussia Dortmund, but he's now on the other side of things. How great would it be if Bellingham provided the assist for a Vini Jr. goal? It will be interesting to see if that happens or not, but we do think Vini Jr. will score.