Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024
Occasional Digest - a story for you

Despite a disappointing domestic campaign, Borussia Dortmund are one game away from becoming European champions for the second time in their history.

Edin Terzic’s side produced a superb team performance to beat Paris St-Germain 1-0 in Tuesday’s semi-final second leg to complete a 2-0 aggregate victory.

Dortmund, fifth in the Bundesliga, will face either fellow German side Bayern Munich or Spanish champions Real Madrid in the final at Wembley on 1 June.

Defender Mats Hummels, who scored the only goal at Parc des Princes, feels his side are confident of winning the Champions League for the first time since 1997.

“Since the second match of the group stage, we’ve believed we can prevail – and I don’t see why we shouldn’t win at Wembley,” said the 35-year-old. “We were able to take so much pace out of the game and atmosphere out of the stadium. That was our recipe for success.

“I’ve scored far too few Champions League goals in my career, just five. Now is a good time to add to that number.”

Hummels was part of the Dortmund side that lost 2-1 to Bayern in May 2013, the last time Wembley hosted a Champions League final.

He was instrumental in his side’s superb defensive performance as French champions PSG could not find a way through, despite hitting the woodwork on six occasions over the two legs.

“We suffered a lot, but how we won the game, no-one will ask tomorrow,” added Dortmund forward Marco Reus, whose last game for the club after 12 years could be at Wembley.

“Shots against the post won’t matter tomorrow. What counts is that Borussia Dortmund are in the final again. Nobody expected this. It’s just incredible.”

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