Road to Wembley: The Key Players Who Will Decide the Final

On Saturday, Borussia Dortmund face off against a team of superstars in Real Madrid. Both team’s abilities to execute their game plans will be at the center of the contest. Like all finals, however, certain players will rise to the top and become the difference makers that fans remember for years to follow. Here are six players who can make their mark on Saturday.

Borussia Dortmund

Gregor Kobel

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In attack, Borussia Dortmund’s stats are bleak. The side is 13^th in goals per game and a whopping 22^nd in expected goals per game. Instead, Dortmund have made their surprise run to the Champions League Final thanks to a whole lot of luck, fantastic defense, and wonderful goalkeeping. Gregor Kobel is boasting a career year in his goalkeeping ability. He has faced the second most shots on target in the UCL this season and has an 85.7% save percentage, the third highest in the UCL this season. More importantly, Kobel has conceded just 7 goals from 14.1 expected shots on target, a metric used to measure the chances a goalkeeper is facing.

An eye test will back up the stats. Kobel has shown Europe that he is one of the world’s elite shot-stoppers. He has stood on his head throughout the tournament and has produced monumental save after monumental save in the knockout rounds. There is no doubt that Real Madrid will get chances and that Gregor Kobel will be tested. If Dortmund are going to win the final, their Swiss keeper will have to be at his best and Gregor Kobel has showcased how good his best can be.

Mats Hummels

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You already knew Mats Hummels was going to be included in this list. The 35-year-old may be playing the last match of his illustrious career but has shown that despite his age, he continues to be amongst football’s elite defenders. Hummels leads the Champion’s League in tackles won, interceptions, and ball recoveries. He has formed a formidable partnership with Nico Schlotterbeck - the German center-back pairing has showcased their ability to win games despite coming up against some of the game’s best attackers in the forms of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, and a PSV side that recorded their highest goal tally in history.

On the other side of the ball, Hummels has proven that he is still an important member of Edin Terzic’s game plan. He has averaged 361 yards of progressive passing distance per 90 minutes and boasts an 85.6% passing completion rate. Borussia Dortmund’s possession often starts by getting the ball to Hummels’ feet. His ability to play the long pass, like he did to notch the opening assist against Atletico Madrid in the home leg, is vital to providing a different dimension to Borussia Dortmund’s game plan.

On Saturday, Hummels will come face to face against one of Europe’s most talented attacking trios and will be tasked with keeping Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Rodyrgo at bay. If he succeeds, he will add a Champions League to a trophy cabinet that already contains 5 Bundesliga titles and a World Cup.

Marcel Sabitzer

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Unlike most teams across Europe, Borussia Dortmund do not have a standout attacking player. Niklas Füllkrug leads the team in Champions League goals with a measly 3. Dortmund’s attacking moments have come from a plethora of players across the team. One attacking player who will be vital to Dortmund’s success on Saturday is Marcel Sabitzer. The Austrian can boast some attacking accolades, including leading the UCL in assists (5) but Sabitzer’s impact on Saturday will come on both sides of the ball.

With Jude Bellingham now playing against Borussia Dortmund, Marcel Sabitzer has become the player tasked with shuttling the ball up and down the pitch for Borussia Dortmund. When the system works, Sabitzer is an outlet pass for Mats Hummels and Nico Schlotterbeck alongside Emre Can. Unlike Can, however, Sabitzer is great on the turn and can carry the ball into space or find one of Dortmund’s wide players. The Austrian’s chemistry with Julian Brandt has also massively improved since the start of this year and both players have created a strong partnership in the midfield for Borussia Dortmund. Against Real Madrid, much of Madrid’s attention will be drawn to Jadon Sancho and Adeyemi. This should allow Sabitzer room to run in behind and pull at the center-backs, much like he did against Atletico Madrid.

In defense, Sabitzer’s defensive prowess will be put to the absolute limit as he comes up against Toni Kroos, Jude Bellingham, Eduard Camavinga, and Federico Valverde. Real Madrid’s four midfielders are not only integral to how they play, they are also four of the best midfielders in all of Europe. Sabitzer has not shown himself to be the best when playing without the ball but, at least on Saturday, he will have to showcase any ounce of defensive merit he has if Borussia Dortmund wants to win.

Real Madrid

Antonio Rüdiger

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Every team that makes a deep run in a knockout tournament has a defender to thank for getting them there. Antonio Rüdiger is that defender for Real Madrid. The German, who took over the starting center-back role from Hummels for Die Mannschaft, has a physicality and ability to read the game like few other defenders. Against both Bayern and Manchester City, Rüdiger helped keep both Erling Haaland and Harry Kane quiet in open play (Harry Kane won a penalty following a Valverde tackle on Musiala). Against Dortmund, Antonio Rüdiger will find himself in his perfect matchup.

Dortmund’s Niclas Füllkrug has shown himself to be an asset but also as a one-dimensional player with great emphasis on his physicality. Antonio Rüdiger is a relentless player in physical duels. With his constant chirping, willingness to throw in a foul-worthy tackle, and his imposing stature sees Rüdiger dominate matchups where physicality is at the forefront. If Füllkrug or Dortmund’s attackers want to make any impact, they will have to play around both Rüdiger’s physicality and his ability to read the game.

For Borussia Dortmund, Rüdiger’s presence changes the look of this game entirely. If Füllkrug wants any success, he will have to put in a career-topping performance. Instead of relying on him, however, Dortmund will have to find ways to play around Rüdiger’s physicality and instead look to challenge Real Madrid’s flanks and draw the German out of position. Both Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola will tell you that is easier said than done.

Jude Bellingham

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We all knew Bellingham would be a player to feature in a Champions League Final but few could expected his first appearance in a final would come in his international team’s home venue against his former team. Bellingham has been nothing short of sensational for Real Madrid and is swirling around the conversation of world football’s best player. Real Madrid have unlocked a new aspect of Jude Bellingham’s game with the English midfielder’s Real Madrid goal tally just one goal shy of his total tally for Borussia Dortmund despite playing less than a third of the games for Real Madrid. His once Alien-like form has tapered off in recent months, albeit to still unrealistic highs, but he will be more than motivated to make his mark in Saturday’s match.

Bellingham has perfected the all-action attacking midfielder role in Spain this season and is often the side’s outlet pass when under pressure. Alongside Vinicius and Rodyrgo, the three young players have formed an abnormal attack that replace a traditional striker with Bellingham, a player who excels when playing behind his Brazilian wingers. Real Madrid’s pattern in possession often sees Bellingham’s first involvement coming near the halfway line as he drifts back to facilitate progression, and many of their goals have come from him making a perfectly timed run into the box for a cutback, cross, or deflected shots.

Not only will Dortmund’s center-backs be tested by Bellingham’s late run and off-the-ball movement, but Dortmund’s midfielders will have to be on high alert as they deal with both Bellingham’s physicality and his vision to get in the spots that matter. More importantly, we Dortmund fans know that Bellingham has a chip on his shoulder and won’t let any attachment to his former club prevent him from winning.

Vinicius Junior

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The final decisive player is one who is already challenging to be amongst the Champions League's best-ever players despite being only 23 years old. Vinicius Junior led the Champions League in total goal contributions (31) across the past three seasons and is averaging a goal contribution every 0.94 games. With the departures of Karim Benzema and Christiano Ronaldo, Vinicius Junior became the next crown jewel in a long list of Galaticos. The Brazilian was largely influential in Real Madrid’s last Champions League final in 2022 and will once again be looking to make his mark in a final.

Ever-involved, Vinicius is the typical ‘inside forward’ whose play revolves around an immense amount of verticality and lots of magical footwork to create space for himself when teams defend in a low block. Against Dortmund, Vinicius will see himself matched up against Julian Ryerson on Dortmund’s right-hand side and will continually test the Norwegian right-back. Not too dissimilar to Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius is amongst the world’s elite shooters and has no problem shooting from range if the situation demands it.

This season, the Brazilian is already at 9 Champions League goal involvements and will be looking to add to that tally in the final. If Dortmund wants any chance in the final, all the wide players will have to buy into the defensive effort and keep tabs on Vinicius and his frequent runs. It is a task much easier said than done, just ask Liverpool’s all-star defense in 2022.

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