In a rematch of the 2023-24 Champions League final, reigning champions Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday at the Bernabeu.
It has been nearly five months since Carlo Ancelotti's squad shattered BVB's dreams, clinching their 15th European title while leaving the German side to rue their missed opportunities at Wembley.
Los Blancos have long held the key to Champions League success, triumphing on the continental stage for the 15th time last season.
In that final, Borussia Dortmund were unable to capitalize on their dominance, succumbing to two decisive second-half strikes.
However, Don Carlo's men have shown some vulnerability this season.
On matchday two of the 2024-25 campaign, they suffered their first defeat in Europe's premier competition since May 2023, with a 1-0 loss to Lille, thanks to a goal from Jonathan David.
While they managed a solid 3-1 victory over Stuttgart, a rival from Dortmund’s Bundesliga, their three-point tally places them a disappointing 17th in the 36-team table, not even enough for a seeded knockout position at this early stage.
In the wake of their surprising defeat to Lille, Ancelotti's squad has responded admirably, securing victories over Villarreal and Celta Vigo in La Liga around the international break.
Their recent win against Celta Vigo keeps them three points behind league leaders Barcelona who trashed Sevilla 5-1 on Sunday, setting the stage for an exciting El Clasico clash this coming weekend.
While Los Blancos' impressive 17-month unbeaten streak in the Champions League has come to an end, they haven’t lost a top-level European match at home since April 2022.
However, they’ve struggled defensively, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last five continental outings at the Bernabeu.
Had Dortmund shown the same ruthless efficiency against Real Madrid as they did against Celtic earlier this month, they might be arriving in the Spanish capital this week adorned with Champions League medals.
Nuri Şahin's side was unstoppable against Brendan Rodgers's team, demonstrating their attacking prowess.
After Daizen Maeda equalized for Celtic following an early strike from Emre Can, Dortmund surged ahead.
Karim Adeyemi, linked with a move to Liverpool, netted a stunning hat trick, while Serhou Guirassy added two goals, and Felix Nmecha also found the net, showcasing the firepower of last season’s determined runners-up.
With another dominant performance, where they scored three unanswered goals against Club Brugge on matchday one, Şahin's squad currently sits atop the 36-team table, bolstered by a superior goal difference over the other six teams that have also won both of their opening matches.
Dortmund's impressive performances in Europe stand in stark contrast to their inconsistent domestic results.
This past weekend, they narrowly secured a tense 2-1 victory over St. Pauli, but they’ve suffered back-to-back defeats on the road in the Bundesliga, falling 5-1 to Stuttgart and 2-1 to Union Berlin.
As they prepare for their Champions League clash, Dortmund risks setting an unwanted record at the Bernabeu.
They have made seven visits to this iconic stadium without securing a victory, recording five losses and two draws.
No team has ever gone winless in its first eight Champions League encounters at a single away venue.
Kylian Mbappe, who is currently under investigation in Sweden for allegations he strongly denies, has fully recovered from his recent muscular injury.
As Real Madrid gear up for Tuesday's match, they will only be without three confirmed absentees: Dani Carvajal (knee), David Alaba (knee) and Brahim Diaz (abductor).
Following Carvajal's season-ending surgery, speculation has intensified around Real potentially seeking a January transfer for Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.
In the meantime, Lucas Vazquez will continue to fill in at right back.
A tactical shift in the starting XI could see Ferland Mendy take over for Fran García on the opposite side of the defense, while Rodrygo aims to reclaim his spot, possibly at the expense of Eduardo Camavinga.
While Karim Adeyemi's stunning hat trick against Celtic showcased his brilliance, it came at a steep price.
The German winger sustained a serious hamstring injury early in the second half and is not expected to return until late November.
He is not alone in Dortmund's treatment room; Julien Duranville (thigh), Giovanni Reyna (groin) and Yan Couto (muscle) are also sidelined.
Additionally, Pascal Gross and Niklas Süle are doubtful for the upcoming match, with Gross having been substituted at halftime during the victory over St. Pauli.
In Gross' absence, either Felix Nmecha or the promising Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is likely to step in.
Should Bynoe-Gittens play and score, he would make history as the youngest English player to find the net against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, surpassing the record set by 20-year-old Alan Smith of Leeds United in 2001.
