A final with great emotions and a curious bonus clause

When the Champions League final between record winners Real Madrid (14 titles) and challenger Dortmund takes place today (9 p.m., Servus TV, ZDF, Sky) in front of around 90,000 spectators at London’s Wembley Stadium, there will perhaps be even more emotions than usual. For two legends, it is time to say goodbye to the clubs that have shaped them for years: Toni Kroos (34), who has been with Real since 2014, is playing his last match for the “White Ballet” and will end his active career after EURO 2024 in Germany.

On the BVB side, Marco Reus (35) is retiring after twelve years in the black and yellow jersey and is looking for a new challenge – preferably in the USA. Reus and Mats Hummels were part of the Dortmund team that reached the final of the “Champions League” in 2013 – also at Wembley. Back then, FC Bayern won 2-1 thanks to a stroke of genius from Arjen Robben in the 89th minute.

This time, BVB, who finished fifth in the German Bundesliga and 27 points behind champions Leverkusen, are the outsiders. But that doesn’t change the ambitions of ÖFB team player Marcel Sabitzer, who has been in top form recently.

“We will do everything we can because we really want to do it. If I actually win the Champions League with Dortmund, then my football life would be very fulfilled,” said the 30-year-old Wels native. An Austrian duel with David Alaba (Real Madrid), who is recovering from a cruciate ligament tear, is canceled as expected.

Jude Bellingham: How much Dortmund earns with the Real star

For the Madrid team, it’s not just Kroos or the lightning-fast winger Vinicius Junior who are in the spotlight, Jude Bellingham also catches the eye. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder is meeting his former employer. In the summer of 2023, the Englishman left Dortmund after three years for a hefty transfer fee of 103 million euros. This amount can rise to up to 133.9 million through bonus payments.

This results in the following curious situation: If Bellingham and Real beat Dortmund, BVB would receive even more money from the transfer. Allegedly five million euros.

The Germans, who won the Champions League in 1997 (3:1 in the final against Juventus), still have a clear preference: the trophy with the “giant ears” comes first. If they win, they get 20 million euros, while the loser has to console himself with 15.5 million.