The iconic Wembley Stadium will be on fire Saturday evening as underdogs Borussia Dortmund face off against seasoned Champions League veterans Real Madrid in a final of epic proportions.

For the Bundesliga giants, victory would not only end 27 years of longing but also secure their second Champions League title.

Los Blancos are poised to enhance their storied history with a 15th European Champion Clubs' Cup.

Edin Terzic's Borussia Dortmund secured their place at Wembley by defeating Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the semifinals, while Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid staged a thrilling comeback in the second leg to deny Bayern Munich an all-German final.

For Dortmund, this final signifies more than just a trophy; it's about overcoming past Champions League heartbreak.

Their journey includes the painful memory of Arjen Robben's goal for Bayern Munich in the 2012-13 final at Wembley, a match they lost helplessly. Now, they seek redemption under the same iconic arch.

Only Marco Reus and Mats Hummels remain from that runner-up squad.

Dortmund's path, which began with triumph in the Group of Death against AC Milan, PSG and Newcastle United, has been marked by resilience.

After breezing past PSV Eindhoven, they faced a minor setback against Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals. However, a remarkable second-leg comeback set them on course for victory.

Two impressive 1-0 wins against PSG in the semis showcased Dortmund's defensive prowess, sealing their place in the final.

BVB's strong defense led to another year of Champions League heartbreak for Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite winning the European Cup in 1996-97 under Ottmar Hitzfeld, Dortmund have not reached the final since their loss to Bayern in 2013.

Real Madrid's victory in the semifinals prevented a potential rematch with Bayern, shifting Dortmund's focus to a different kind of revenge.

While Dortmund ended a trophy drought by winning the 2020-21 DFB-Pokal, securing a Champions League title would be a perfect send-off for club icon Reus.

Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid's manager, remains unfazed by sentimentality, staying true to his record-breaking Champions League career.

With four European Cup triumphs already under his belt, he seeks to add more cherries on top of his multi-layered cake.

Real Madrid, the 14-time winners, will also bid adieu to a revered German servant on Saturday as Toni Kroos plays his final competitive club match before a Euro 2024 swansong.

Kroos, who experienced Champions League final glory against Dortmund during his Bayern days, will be a key figure in Real's quest for another triumph, despite some unconvincing moments in their journey, including a narrow 2-1 aggregate win over RB Leipzig in the last-16.

In classic Blancos style, Ancelotti's men defied the odds to overcome defending champions Manchester City, exacting revenge from the penalty spot against their conquerors from the 2022-23 semifinals.

After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, a stunning strike from Alphonso Davies, a potential future Blancos star, seemed to end Real's hopes of a 15th crown.

Thanks to Joselu's heroics, Real Madrid's iconic logo will adorn the front cover of the Champions League final program for the 18th time on Saturday.

Remarkably, only three of Los Blancos' previous 17 appearances in the final have ended in defeat.

It has been an incredible 43 years since the Spanish giants last lost in the final, and since their defeat to Liverpool in 1981, Real Madrid have won each of the last eight Champions League finals in which they have competed.

Continuing this remarkable streak would secure a fantastic treble of trophies for the current La Liga and Spanish Super Cup champions.

Unbeaten in 25 matches since their Copa del Rey loss to Atletico in January, Ancelotti's side has also scored in every away fixture in the 2023-24 season, providing optimism for Saturday's final.

David Alaba, a key player in Real Madrid's 2012-13 Champions League victory alongside Toni Kroos, is sidelined with an ACL injury, ending his Euro 2024 hopes.

Another sidelined player is Aurelien Tchouameni, who failed to recover from a foot injury in time.

The rest of the team is in good shape, including Jude Bellingham.

In Kroos' final game for Real Madrid, he is expected to play in midfield with Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde, as Luka Modric is absent. Joselu's performance in the semifinal is likely to keep Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior in the forward positions.

Several key Dortmund players are recovering from injuries, including Ramy Bensebaini, Julien Duranville, and Mateu Morey, with Morey not included in the Champions League squad.

Sebastien Haller is back in training but is expected to play a supporting role for Niclas Fullkrug.

Reus, who recently scored in his last Bundesliga match, may be favored over Julian Brandt in the starting lineup, but coach Terzic must balance nostalgia with tactical decisions.

Jadon Sancho, possibly in his final game for Dortmund, aims to challenge Ferland Mendy after an impressive performance against PSG. Emre Can is likely to captain the team in Reus's absence.