Real Madrid news conference before Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund – BBC.com
Build-up to the Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid (Saturday, 20:00 BST)
Ancelotti confirms goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will start final
More from Ancelotti: 'Plenty of respect for our rival'
On Rodrygo links to Man City: 'He's been very important and will be in the future'
Enzo Maresca set to be confirmed as Chelsea boss
Fifa warned players could go on strike and unveils new maternity protocols in football
Women's Euro 2025 qualifiers taking place on Friday
Scotland v Israel (19:05), Wales v Ukraine (19:15), England v France (20:00) and Portugal v Northern Ireland (20:45)
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Ben Collins, Holly Bacon, Craig Nelson and Ralphael Adelugba
Before Saturday's Champions League final, there is a full calendar of qualifying matches for the 2025 Women's Euros, with England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland all in action tonight.
Join us later for full coverage.
In the meantime, check out the summary points at the top of this page for links to the day's main talking points.
And don't forget to visit us again tomorrow from around 18:30 BST for build-up to Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid at Wembley.
See you soon…
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)
As expected, the Opta predictor says Real Madrid are the favourites to win the Champions League final tomorrow, giving them a 63.5% chance of coming out on top.
Real have the better record across the 12 games both sides have so far played in this season's competition and have scored more goals – 26 compared to 17 by Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund have only won three of their 14 meetings with Real Madrid, all of which have come in the Champions League, with Real winning six.
They last faced each other in 2017-18, with Real winning both games in the group stage – 3-1 away, 3-2 at home.
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)
Mats Hummels has not missed a single minute in the Champions League this season. The last outfield player to play every minute of a winning season was Cristiano Ronaldo with Real Madrid in 2017-18 and the last central defender to do so was Sami Hyypia with Liverpool in 2004-05.
Hummels is one of only two current Borussia Dortmund players, along with Marco Reus, who also appeared in the club’s last Champions League final in 2013 (also at Wembley against Bayern Munich).
Aged 35 years and 168 days, Hummels could become the oldest German outfield player to start a Champions League final since Lothar Matthaus in 1999 for Bayern Munich against Manchester United.
Hummels has made 48 tackles in this season's competition – the most by a defender since Inter Milan’s Lucio in 2009-10 (53). The 35-year-old has also made 25 passes that have broken at least two opposition lines – second-most overall to Real Madrid's Toni Kroos (31).
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)
Toni Kroos is set to make his final club appearance tomorrow before ending his career with hosts Germany at Euro 2024.
Should he feature in a Real Madrid win at Wembley, the 34-year-old midfielder would be the first player to make his last Champions League appearance as a winner in the final since Xavi for Barcelona in 2015.
Kroos is in line to make his sixth appearance in a Champions League final, which would put him level with record holders Paolo Maldini and Cristiano Ronaldo (team-mates Luka Modric and Dani Carvajal could also appear in their sixth final tomorrow).
Should he play, Kroos (150) will move level with Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller for the most European Cup/Champions League appearances by a German player (151).
Kroos has completed 10,004 passes in the Champions League so far – more than any player on record (data since 2003-04) – and leads all players in this season's competition for line-breaking passes (194).
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)
Lyndon Dykes was taken off on a stretcher during Scotland training on Friday, leaving head coach Steve Clarke with a nervous wait for scan results on the striker's leg injury.
The news comes two days into the squad's training schedule ahead of their Euro 2024 finals opener against hosts Germany in Munich on 14 June.
The Scottish FA has confirmed that Queens Park Rangers forward Dykes' condition is currently being assessed.
No further details have been given by the governing body.
Click here to read more.
From the current Real Madrid manager to a former one – Jose Mourinho has fed rumours of his latest managerial adventure with a cryptic Instagram story. , external
Mourinho is heavily rumoured to be joining Turkish giants Fenerbahçe, and his latest story posted on his Instagram account pictures two suitcases, a pair of shoes, and a washbag with a raised eyebrow emoji, which only fuels rumours of his eventual departure.
The 61-year-old Portuguese coach, who has been out of work since being sacked by Roma in January, will be a pundit for TNT Sports coverage of the Champions League final on Saturday.
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)
Real Madrid
A final word from the Real Madrid camp.
Firstly, manager Carlo Ancelotti on whether he has "the fear": “A final is a final and the Champions League final is an important game and the most dangerous one of course. It's a double-edged sword. We need to enjoy it to the maximum. Then concern starts – it could go wrong. We are so close to the most important thing in football – winning the Champions League. Of course there is fear.
"When you reach a final, success is so close that you start to worry. Concern starts, tonight, tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon. It's normal. If you have more fear you'll be happier if you are able to win in the end."
Defender Nacho on how he is going to feel when he hears the Champions League anthem tomorrow: "Well I think everyone that likes football knows that Real Madrid is a special team in this competition. We haven't invented that. When the anthem sounds it is really a special feeling, we feel something special. It's also a big responsibility we need to play equally well. We are really eager but we have a lot of respect as well."
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)Real Madrid
More from Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti on the club's Champions League obsession: “No the [Champions League] is not an obsession for us. Our obsession is to try and compete to give our maximum as we have done throughout the season, as we did last season. Sometimes things don't happen the way you'd like. Winning the Champions League is very, very important and I think that we can already say this team's season has been really successful, no matter what happens tomorrow."
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti on the difference between himself now and in 2014, when the Italian won his first Champions League title at Real Madrid manager: “I am 10 years older," he joked. "I still feel young. The first time I was in the final at Real Madrid was 10 years ago, in 10 years a lot has happened. This kind of generation are able to do a fantastic job in this club and [some of] the players that were here 10 years ago are still here. Thanks to these players for enabling us to reach something really unbelievable."
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti on the number of times Real Madrid have fought back from behind to win: “It happens a lot of time [comebacks]. There is something special in this club. It will be studied. I think it's something special that depends from what? I don't know – maybe traditions, quality, character of the player. It happens so many times."
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti on the important qualities he believes his Real Madrid side need to clinch a 15th European title: “The most important thing for me in this kind of game is to put in the players' head what they need to do on the pitch. Clearly I am less nervous that my team is. I really focus on that.
"Emotions arrive, everyone has to manage it according to their own character. Of course, we will have emotions, maybe a bit of concern, before the game, but managing those emotions is an important thing.
"Doing things well tomorrow we are very confident because throughout the season my team has proven two very important things. The quality is fantastic for them. Another important thing is sacrifice for the team. The collective attitude of the team.
"Being able to prove throughout the season – sacrifice plus quality – are going to be key for tomorrow's game."
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)Real Madrid
Real Madrid defender Nacho: "This team, willingness, excitement, eagerness to play, anticipation. We have maximum respect for our rival but of course the necessary confidence we have had it throughout the season especially in this competition, which is so special for us. Total confidence in our possibilities."
Brazil forward Rodrygo opened the scoring for Real Madrid at Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals earlier this season to help Carlo Ancelotti's side to a 1-1 draw on the night before they eventually progressed 4-3 on penalties after the tie ended 4-4 on aggregate.
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)Real Madrid
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti on any nerves and whether reports linking Rodrygo with a potential move to Manchester City have been unsettling: “I'm happy, very happy to be here. It's not my first time, hopefully it's not the last.
"I think the pre-match, the last few days, I have had a good time. If I had not been really happy then i'll be concerned about the game, but I am very confident in my players.
"I know they're going to give it all on the pitch. Rodrygo is going to give it all tomorrow. He has been very important he is and will be in the future."
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)Real Madrid
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti on the goalkeeper situation: “[Andriy] Lunin has had the flu. He's going to travel. He is going to be on the bench of course and yes Thibaut Courtois is going to be in goal tomorrow."
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)Real Madrid
More from Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti: “Yeah we have the necessary time to prepare for the game properly, the team is really focused, really concentrated. The dressing room has the necessary confidence to do our best, to get the best obviously we have have to have that, we need to have that. The most important game of season for us with plenty of respect for our rival, we have said they deserve to be here and I wish everything goes according to our plan."
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)
Kristof Terreur
Belgian football journalist on Football Daily
On the decision to chose between Andriy Lunin and Thibaut Courtois for the No.1 spot in the Champions League final: "Well, for Carlo [Ancelotti] it was never difficult to be fair. Outside world thought it was difficult.
"Thibaut Courtois has been out injured for nine to 10 months [with a torn meniscus] and has [been] fit since the beginning of May. He has played four games in La Liga – one very good game, with the rest being business as usual.
"Then you have Andriy Lunin, who had a brilliant Champions League campaign in the knockout phase – one of the star players against Manchester City playing both semi-finals. Ancelotti had to pick between the two [for Saturday's Champions League final]: choose his most experienced goalkeeper [in Courtois] or the guy that brought us here in Lunin.
"Suddenly, on the Monday, Lunin arrived at the club [training ground] with a fever. On Tuesday, he had fever again. On Wednesday, they said to him "fever is lower, but don't come close because we fear you have that illness – and you might spread it around the club – meaning he has to fly on Saturday.
"We all know who is playing now."
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)Real Madrid
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will play the final.
Ancelotti said that Andriy Lunin, who filled in for Courtois while the Belgian had been injured for much of the season, had been suffering with flu.
More to follow.
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