London will be calling on Saturday night when Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid face off in the Champions League Final.
A trip to Wembley will be laden with riches for one of these sides, and this will be Dortmund’s first expedition to the home of English football since a painful defeat to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich in 2013.
For Real, however, they will be eager to pen another illustrious chapter in their history by landing a record-extending 15th European title.
On the injury front, Sebastian Haller is a major doubt for Dortmund, while Niclas Fullkrug is expected to spearhead the frontline, with Jadon Sancho and Julian Brandt to offer support.
Meanwhile, Marco Reus could start on what will be his final appearance for Dortmund after ending his 12-year association with the club.
There are plenty of intriguing angles into this showpiece final, but how will things unfold?
I have sifted through the betting markets and sourced a couple of value tips for you to mull over ahead of kick-off.
Real Madrid to deliver once again on Europe’s biggest stage
For as long as I can remember, the Champions League has been Real’s domain.
Never flustered, Real have produced teams that have conquered all before them on Europe’s biggest stage, and under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti, they have a manager who has won the competition four times, more than any other coach.
Dortmund, in stark contrast, haven’t had the abundance of success that Real have had in the Champions League, with their last triumph coming in 1997. Moreover, this will be the fifth final contested between teams from Germany and Spain.
In terms of key performance metrics, only Manchester City have scored more goals (28) and had a better passing accuracy (93.6%) than Real, and it will be tough to break through Los Blancos’ lines in midfield.
Real have a better head-to-head record against Dortmund and their last defeat against the Bumblebees in the second leg of their quarter-final clash in 2014.
While a victory would mark a fairytale denouement to Reus’ spell with Dortmund, this could end up being Real’s night.
For my first pick, I’ve gone with Real to lift the trophy with big ears, and by a two-goal winning margin. A tasty price of 18/5 can be located at Ladbrokes for that outcome to be fulfilled.
Jude Bellingham to wrap up stunning season in style
After inheriting the iconic No.5 shirt from Zinedine Zidane, Jude Bellingham arrived in the Spanish capital with lofty expectations.
But he has more than delivered in his debut campaign, and if he wins the Champions League, then he will certainly be in the running for the Ballon d’Or award.
24 goals in all competitions represents an excellent return for the mercurial midfielder, and he will be looking to add to his tally against Dortmund.
He has a thunderous love affair with the demanding Madridistas, and he could leave his imprint on the final.
To round things off, I’m liking the look of Bellingham to grab a double, and he’s available at a shortish 6/1 with Ladbrokes.
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