A major bonus to the reworked UEFA Champions League league phase is the matchup of top teams against one another at this early stage of the competition. On Tuesday, the competition gets an ultimate clash.
A rematch of last year's Champions League final graces the Bernabeu pitch as Real Madrid host German giants Borussia Dortmund.
Los Blancos emerged with a 2-0 victory at Wembley Stadium back in June to extend their spot atop the European throne as the most successful club on the continent. Dortmund boss Eden Terzic engineered a strong challenge, but fell just short to the black magic of the La Liga legends.
Both sides feature a much different look from that game just months ago, as injuries and the summer transfer window have reshaped both rosters for the current campaign.
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Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Real Madrid (-250)
- Score prediction: Real Madrid 3-1 Borussia Dortmund
While both teams have suffered significant injuries, Real Madrid are in a much stronger position to weather those blows thanks to their exceptionally deep roster. The departure of Niklas Fullkrug and absence of Karim Adeyemi due to injury have left Dortmund much weaker up front, as their seventh-place position in the Bundesliga table shows.
Real Madrid aren't in the best position at the moment, but they are simply the much stronger side here, especially at home.
| BetMGM (USA) | |
| Real Madrid win | -250 |
| Draw | +425 |
| Dortmund win | +525 |
| Both teams to score | Y: -200 N: +138 |
| Over / Under 3.5 goals | O: -120 U: -120 |
| Real Madrid -1.5 goals | +100 |
| Dortmund +1.5 goals | -140 |
Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund match facts
- Date: Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024
- Kickoff Time: 9 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT)
- Location: Santiago Bernabeu (Madrid, Spain)
- Referee: Istvan Kovacs (ROM)
- Last meeting: Borussia Dortmund 0-2 Real Madrid (Jun. 1, 2024 | Champions League final)
Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund best bet
- Pick: Over 3.5 total goals
- Odds: -120 (BetMGM)
When these two teams meet, things tend to get a little bit crazy. Of the past five meetings between them, the only game that failed to reach the four-goal threshold was the 2-0 Real Madrid win in the Champions League final back in June, which isn't shocking given most major finals tend to be much cagier than usual — and even then, the teams combined for 3.21 xG and four big chances.
Dortmund will miss Karim Adeyemi greatly, but still should find a goal against a Madrid side that has a tendency to suffer lapses in concentration at the back. Yet the German side has also coughed up 12 goals in seven Bundesliga matches thus far, and they even conceded once in their 7-1 win to Celtic.
Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund prop bet
- Pick: Real Madrid over 2.5 goals
- Odds: +100 (BetMGM)
Real Madrid's forward line of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrygo plus Jude Bellingham in support hasn't quite hit the heights many people feel an attack of that caliber should, but against this Borussia Dortmund defense they should feast.
The extent to which Dortmund have conceded chances and goals is astonishing. They coughed up 2.20 xG to Celtic in their 7-1 win, conceded two goals to a defensive-minded Union Berlin, lost 5-1 to Stuttgart in late September, and won 4-2 at home over Bochum and Heidenheim. The Bundesliga is a high-scoring league, but the recent trend for Dortmund is heading in the wrong direction.
Nuri Sahin won't let the cannons loose in this match knowing what they're up against, but it will only serve them until they fall behind, and then they'll have to open up.
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