Hans-Joachim Watzke (64) has felt for weeks how big the stage is on which Borussia Dortmund operates. After such big victories as the 1-0 win at Paris Saint-Germain and the associated entry into the Champions League final, his cell phone vibrates constantly. The BVB boss usually receives more than 400 congratulatory messages – from Uefa President Aleksander Čeferin (56) to CDU boss Friedrich Merz (68) to singer and BVB fan Marius Müller-Westernhagen (75). But it’s not just Watzke’s phone that’s glowing. The entire BVB is in a feverish frenzy. It’s been Wembley madness for a long time!
BVB received around 400,000 ticket requests for the final against Real Madrid on June 1st in London. Both clubs have a quota of 25,000 tickets available, with UEFA distributing the remaining 40,000 tickets. Borussia will raffle the tickets among the fans.
BVB’s marketing department is already running out of material. The special “Yellow Wonder Wall” shirts that the players wore to celebrate reaching the final found 100,000 buyers. And: Almost all jerseys from the current season are now sold out. Only individual copies in special sizes are still available.
As a coach, Edin Terzić (41) is automatically the focus. He can make himself virtually immortal with a triumph in the premier class and achieve what cult coach Jürgen Klopp (56) was denied eleven years ago against FC Bayern (1:2): leaving London as a winner. The fact that Terzic would even be able to experience the exciting days as Dortmund coach was extremely uncertain at the beginning of March.
Was about to be kicked out and now in the final of the Champions League: Edin Terzić
What: REUTERS
According to SPORT BILD information, before the game at Union Berlin (2-0 for BVB), the club seriously considered relieving Terzic of his duties if he did not win the away game or only got a draw after a poor performance. Terzic himself was also aware of this delicate situation. Karim Adeyemi (22) and Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen (22) prevented this step with their goals – and cleared the way to the English capital. Eindhoven, Atlético, PSG – Terzic managed them all afterwards. And thus drew attention to himself.
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West Ham United recently contacted Terzic and asked whether he could imagine a move after this season. The Scot David Moyes (61), the current coach, will leave the London club. However, Terzic immediately blocked the request. Firstly, because he couldn’t use any distractions in such an important phase of the season. And secondly, because he would see a move from BVB to West Ham as a step backwards.
Reus’ crowning farewell?
The final against Real – it should also be the crowning farewell to Marco Reus (34). In twelve years at BVB, he was denied major titles and won two DFB Cups. Last May, the German championship was within reach, after the draw against Mainz (2-2) on the last match day, Reus sat petrified in the dressing room and cried.
And now? Not only could he win his biggest title, but he could also become the protagonist of a photo for the ages. Internally, there is the idea of asking captain Emre Can (30) whether he would let Reus go first in the event of a triumph: that the crowd favorite receive the pot with handles and be the first to hold it up to the sky. Can replaced Reus as captain before this season. Both are very good friends, so a short-term change in boss shouldn’t be ruled out.
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That leaves Jude Bellingham (20), who makes the final even more special. The Englishman moved from BVB to Real about a year ago. The transfer fee was 103 million euros, with bonuses the sum could rise to around 134 million euros. Curious: If the Spanish record champions prevail in the final, there will be an extra bonus for Dortmund. According to SPORT BILD information, this additional payment only amounts to around 1.5 million euros. For comparison: For the Spanish championship, the Revier club receives around 5.5 million euros in extra bonuses for Bellingham. To explain: The BVB bosses deliberately negotiated the additional payments so that they were as realistic as possible and were transferred as quickly as possible. The Champions League triumph was significantly less likely for them than the championship title, hence the big difference.
In total, Borussia will receive between eight and nine million euros in additional payments for the midfielder this summer. The club has learned from mistakes. In the case of Ousmane Dembélé (26), for example, who moved from BVB to FC Barcelona in 2017 for a fixed fee of 105 million euros, the clause was anchored that a high bonus rate (around 7.5 million euros) would be paid if Dembélé either leaves Barça or extends his contract there. The Frenchman signed a new contract in 2022, and the invoice from Dortmund came immediately. Things should go faster at Bellingham. From BVB’s perspective, the 1.5 million euros can still stay in Madrid. Especially since the final winner receives 20 million euros, around 4.5 million euros more than the loser.
Can Dortmund crack Real?
Meanwhile, Dortmund’s Champions League final opponent Real Madrid seems overwhelming at first glance – only two defeats in 51 games. They have long been champions in the league, Bayern and Manchester City have been thrown out in the premier class – can the Bundesliga fifth-place team crack the world club? WELT and the experts from spielverkation.de explain which tactics the Wembley miracle is possible.
The key: BVB has to stress the partner of midfield director Toni Kroos (34). Tactics expert Constantin Eckner (34) says: “When building up the game, Kroos often drops back into the left half-space in order to shape the game from there. As a result, sometimes only his midfield partner – recently often Aurélien Tchouaméni – is in the center. Short passes to him can cause him problems because he is suddenly surrounded by several opponents. Tchouaméni came close to losing the ball to Jamal Musiala and Co. several times in the second leg against Bayern. Occasionally they were even able to win the ball around the halfway line.”
Former Dortmund Jew Bellingham is the driving force in Real Madrid’s midfield
Quelle: Getty Images/Clive Brunskill
Marcel Sabitzer and Julian Brandt will be particularly important (see diagram). Eckner: “Dortmund’s eighth Sabitzer and Brandt showed a strong defensive performance in the second leg against Paris. Sabitzer in particular showed a good feel for pressing.”
Yussuf Poulsen (29) also sees it that way. The striker had Real on the verge of elimination with Leipzig in the round of 16 (0:1/1:1). He says: “Dortmund has some players who can make the difference against Real, my old team-mate Marcel Sabitzer is really turning up the heat at the moment. With his ability to organize games, combine aggressiveness and footballing quality, Sabi can become the decisive man on the pitch.”
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Nuri Şahin (35), who has been taking care of the offensive and early ball wins since he was hired as an assistant coach in the winter, will take care of the right tricks in the preparation. Sahin was at Real himself from 2011 to 2012. Eckner: “Dortmund must not press too wildly so as not to open up too much space behind their own midfield rows – into which Kroos can play with his precise passes.”
This depends on the wing pairing of Jadon Sancho (24) and Karim Adeyemi (22). On the one hand, because their dribbling can become a weapon in attack. On the other hand, because, like against Paris, they have to help defend the opponent’s wingers. Poulsen: “In our games against Real we had Dani Olmo (attacking midfield, the editorial team) did so much defensive work that is rarely necessary otherwise. You have to do that because players like Vinícius Júnior have to be doubled in many situations.”
