UEFA Champions League Final: How to Watch Borussia Dortmund - Real Madrid on TV and Streaming
At the zenith of European club football, Real Madrid will forever remain unmoved from their seat at the head of the table. After their semifinal win over Bayern Munich, they paraded around the Bernabeu with shirts reading ‘A por la 15’ of ‘All for the 15th’, a casual reminder that winning this final would place a 15th European cup in their collection, more than double that of their closest competitor in AC Milan (7).
Despite going into the final as undisputed underdogs, Borussia Dortmund’s history in the competition isn’t anything to scoff at. In fact, BVB won the 1997 Champions League final against the defending champions Juventus who were, needless to say, heavy favorites in the buildup to the match, so this is familiar territory. Moreover, they participated in the last final to take place at Wembley Stadium back in 2013, narrowly losing out to late heroics from Arjen Robben. From that starting 11, only Mats Hummels and Marco Reus remain, hoping to right the wrongs from that ill-fated night at Wembley over a decade ago, with an army of young, fresh talent characteristic of all Dortmund sides.
In this article, we will give you a full run-down of the viewing options for the UEFA Champions League final, including some free ones that can bring the very best that the European game has to offer straight to your screens.
Key Information
- Date: June 1, 2024
- Kickoff: 3pm EST, 9pm CET
- Venue: Wembley Stadium, London, UK
- Teams: Ballspielverein Borussia 09 e. V. Dortmund vs Real Madrid Club de Fútbol
- Referee: Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia)
- Head to Head (W-D-L): Dortmund 3-5-6 Madrid
- Champions League Final Record: Dortmund (1W, 1L), Real Madrid (14W, 3L)
Where to Watch
Streaming:
The best way to watch this match is undoubtedly on Paramount Plus. The streaming platform provides for the most flexibility, with accessibility online and in the App Store, as well on any SmartTV. Paramount Plus is also home to the best pre- and post-match shows around the Champions League, anchored by Kate Abdo alongside former professionals Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. On Paramount Plus, the entire show is available from start to finish including the complete post-match analysis, which is typically cut short on satellite broadcasts.
Subscriptions start at $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year. It is the best way to follow all European competitions from the United States, as they broadcast every single match from the UEFA Champions, Europa, and Conference League throughout the season, with the further option of having a multicast where games that are occurring simultaneously can be watched on a split screen.
The game will also be streaming in Spanish through TUDN on FuboTV, whose plans range from $32.99-$99.99 monthly. ViX will also provide a Spanish-language streaming option for $6.99 a month.
Cable/Satellite:
For cable and satellite, TUDN will be the Spanish-language option whereas CBS will provide exclusive English coverage in the United States.
How to Watch the UEFA Champions League for Free
Paramount Plus are now offering a free week-long trial, an offer which anyone should snatch up in anticipation of the final so they don’t miss a beat with the best sports crew available.
FuboTV also offers a free week-long trial as well, showing the final through TUDN in Spanish.
Road to the Final
Real Madrid topped a fairly easy group, winning every single game home and away, which set them up nicely for a relatively favorable draw against RB Leipzig. The Germans troubled them a bit more than expected, especially with the notable absence of Jude Bellingham due to injury in the first leg. They advanced 2-1 on aggregate after a less-than-impressive showing across the two matches.
This set up a quarterfinal matchup against Manchester City, in what is quickly becoming a European classic. The first leg at the Bernabeu was a shootout, a back-and-forth 3-3 draw with worldies from Gvardiol, Foden and Valverde. The return leg went to penalties, with the second-string keeper Andriy Lunin coming up big to send Madrid to the semis against Bayern. After a tense 2-2 at the Allianz, Real were on the ropes at home after an Alphonso Davies stunner in the 68th minute. Los Blancos came to life in the last few minutes, as they so often do, with Joselu getting a late double to punch his side’s ticket to London.
Borussia Dortmund on the other hand had a very different trajectory, falling into a group with PSG, AC Milan and Newcastle. They began poorly, with a 2-0 loss in Paris, but steadily improved, going unbeaten in the rest of their group stage games which saw them head to the Round of 16 against PSV Eindhoven as conquerors of the ‘group of death’. They saw off the Dutchmen 3-1 on aggregate to set up a quarterfinal against Atlético de Madrid. They avenged a
2-1 loss at the Metropolitana with a thrilling 4-2 win at Signal Iduna Park. Similarly, they got revenge for their Matchday 1 loss against PSG, winning 1-0 in both legs to see them through to the final.
Preview and Predictions
It’s painfully tempting to pick the underdog here, especially when they’re Borussia Dortmund, a team who, as previously mentioned, have a knack for blowing expectations out of the water, especially in big moments like this one. At the same time, it is impossible to bet against the Champions League pedigree of Real Madrid, who have won the UCL final every time they’ve participated in it for the last 43 years.
History is one thing, the present is another. Not even a year ago, this Dortmund team choked the Bundesliga title on the final day with Real Madrid starboy Jude Bellingham still in their squad. They currently sit 5th in the Bundesliga and have had an easier run to the final than Real have. Los Merengues sit atop La Liga and have yet to lose a match in 2024 (aside from the Copa del Rey). Even when they look down and out, they always find a way to come back and win it.
On the pitch, this is going to be a really fascinating matchup. It largely depends on who is available for Madrid, who have had an injury-riddled campaign. Courtois returned from injury this past weekend and considering his status as one of the world’s best between the sticks it's difficult to argue against his inclusion if he’s available. However, it would be a blow to Lunin, who has shown incredible growth this campaign and was the hero of the Manchester City tie.
Real have also suffered against the pace of opposition wingers at times in this Champions League, especially on the right side with an aging Carvajal struggling to keep up with the likes of Alphonso Davies. The speed in this Dortmund team is frightening, with Adeyemi, Maatsen, Ryersen and a rejuvenated Jadon Sancho all drifting around wide areas it could pose a challenge to Real, and also help neutralize the penetrating runs of Rodrygo and Vinícius. Éder Militão has been working his way back from injury, and could be a crucial piece in neutralizing Dortmund’s rapid attack.
Dortmund have also kept the most clean sheets this season in the UCL, with veteran center back Mats Hummels playing every possible minute of Champions League football. Dortmund’s aerial presence may also play a part in the final, as Lunin’s command of his area from set pieces is frequently cited as a weakness.
Real however, are a winning machine. Whatever tweaks need to be made in a game, they make flawlessly, and it feels all but inevitable that they will win another title here. Dortmund should provide an interesting matchup for them and they have significantly overperformed their expected goals this campaign so I would take them to score.
Author: Venuse, Inc