Real Madrid will play the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
Should Madrid win, they will secure a double after winning La Liga for the 36th time. Borussia Dortmund finished fifth in the Bundesliga. The German team was also defeated in the eighth finals of the German Cup.
Real Madrid have won 14 more European Cups than any other club, while Dortmund were winners in 1997 when Lars Ricken’s famous chip helped them beat Juventus from distance.
New security measures at Wembley will be put to the test, with millions being spent to prevent a repeat of the chaos surrounding the Euro 2020 final.
What happened in the Champions League semi-finals?
In the semi-final between Madrid and Bayern Munich, Joselu came off the substitutes’ bench to score twice and end Bayern’s hopes of winning a seventh European Cup.
Borussia Dortmund secured their place when Mats Hummels scored the only goal of their second leg to secure a 2–0 aggregate victory over Paris St-Germain.
First leg: Bayern Munich 2 Real Madrid 2
First leg: Borussia Dortmund 1 PSG 0
Second stage: PSG 0 Borussia Dortmund 1; total 0-2
Second stage: Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 1; total 4-3
When is the Champions League final?
This year’s Champions League final is on Saturday, June 1. Kick-off is 8pm (BST).
What channel is it shown on TV in the UK?
TNT Sports has the British rights to the Champions League and will show the final.
Viewers in Britain can watch for free on Discovery+, which is available via an app or on a smart TV. However, you will need to register for an account. EE customers and Sky customers can also get Discovery+ as part of their package.
Where is it held?
The 2024 Champions League final will be held at Wembley Stadium in London.
The European Cup final returns to the famous venue for the eighth time, and the third time in the Champions League era after the 2011 and 2013 finals.
Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in an all-German match in 2013, while Manchester United lost 3-1 to Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona in 2011.
A young Pep Guardiola helped Barcelona win the 1992 European Cup final at the old Wembley in a 1-0 victory over Sampdoria.
Hosting the showpiece event at Wembley will also be a chance for English football to put the ignominy of hosting the Euro 2020 final at the same venue behind it.
How can I watch in the US?
In the United States, the Champions League is shown on CBS and CBS Sports Network.
How to buy tickets for the final
Good luck. But theoretically you can still apply to buy hospitality tickets for the final on UEFA’s official ticket website.
Who are the current champions?
Manchester City won the Champions League last season, beating Inter Milan 1-0 in the final to complete a Treble. City was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Real Madrid this year.
Latest news
FA promises no repeat of the chaos in 2021 as it increases Wembley’s safety
The multi-million pound safety improvements at Wembley since the chaos at Euro 2020 will be put to the test in Saturday’s Champions League final.
The Football Association has invested £5 million in measures including extra closed circuit television, reinforced doors, more fencing and a new ‘Zone X’ control room.
Chris Bryant, the FA’s director of tournaments and events, acknowledged that “a lot of people” will be thinking about 2021 as he promised such scenes will be avoided this time. “We are doing everything we can to ensure fans have a smooth arrival process and an enjoyable experience when they come to the stadium,” he said of a coordinated plan, which includes the now regular drinking ban on Wembley Way.
An independent review by Baroness Casey identified more than 20 ‘near misses’ that could have resulted in serious injury or death as a result of unticketed individuals attempting, and in some cases succeeding, in the England vs. Italy in July 2021. .
In a briefing at the stadium ahead of the final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, Bryant said it is “obviously our duty to ensure that we have learned the lessons and implemented additional measures”.
A “robust and comprehensive testing plan” regarding digital ticketing and controls was in place during the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals. The governing body has also pumped money into more cameras and additional locking systems for doors and gates.
Entry to the stadium will be allowed four hours before kick-off instead of two, and Transport for London will run additional services to support the flow of supporters to and from the pitch.
Acknowledging that the supply of stewards at the Euro 2020 finals was at an all-time low due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bryant said Saturday’s match would see “the highest ever stewarding deployment in the history of Wembley Stadium”.
“One thing in particular in the European Championship final was the stewarding offering, which I can say was at an all-time low after the back of Covid,” he said. “We’re confident that the stewarding offerings you’ve seen in the industry have returned.”
On the investment, Bryant continued: “The investment is spread across a number of areas. We increased the strength of all the doors, because people tried to tear open the doors at the European Championship final. Those doors are closed with a magnetic lock system and we have placed another lock system on every door in the stadium.
“We never anticipated such events for the European Championship finals and I am not sure this will happen again, but lessons have been learned and additional measures have been taken.
“We have provided new gates and fences around the stadium. There is a significant investment in the B2 area under the steps and that provides stability to implement additional security measures should anything happen.
“Also the Zone X control room – we now have a special room with cameras, eyes and ears. We can see as much as possible on camera what is happening in (nearby) pubs in the stadium and that gives us a much better insight into what exactly is happening there. We have also increased the number of body cameras that stewards wear.”
What is the prize money for the Champions League?
The winner of the final will receive €20 million (£17.1 million) from UEFA. However, with the cumulative prize money on offer as a team progresses through the tournament, the winner can earn up to €85.14 million (£72.69 million) depending on their results. Last year, Man City earned around £85 million for winning the trophy for the first time.
Who has won the most European Cups?
Real Madrid have won the European Cup the most times (14), AC Milan (7) are in second place, while Liverpool and Bayern Munich are in third place with six wins. Barcelona have five wins, Ajax four, Manchester United and Inter Milan three each, while five teams have won the competition twice: Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Juventus, Benfica and Porto. Ten teams have ever won the title: Man City, Aston Villa, Celtic, Borussia Dortmund, Hamburg, Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven, Marseille, Red Star Belgrade and Steaua Bucharest.
What are the latest odds?
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Borussia Dortmund: 15/4
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Real Madrid: 13/20
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To draw: 16/5
The odds are correct as of May 28