Borussia Dortmund Glory Would Fittingly End This Champions League Format

It both goes against logic and embodies the beauty of cup competitions that Borussia Dortmund remains firmly in the hunt for Champions League silverware—the last of its kind before European club soccer’s grandest spectacle undergoes a makeover later this year.

Tasked with containing Kylian Mbappé’s searing pace and a more cohesive-looking array of Paris Saint-Germain stars, Dortmund impressed in the tournament’s second semifinal first leg. The reward is a one-goal advantage for the return match in France on May 7, courtesy of Niclas Füllkrug’s clinical strike.

In German soccer, Dortmund, fifth in the Bundesliga, has not been the center of attention this season. The focus has rightly been on a masterclass from unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, sealing a first Bundesliga title. Or, as a result, no Bayern Munich triumph for the first time in 12 years. Then there’s third-tier Saarbrücken, incredibly making the DFB Pokal semis this term.

Yet in the Champions League, Dortmund has been a force, topping a group that included PSG, overcoming a dangerous PSV Eindhoven side in the knockout round, and striding past a streetwise Atlético Madrid in the quarterfinals. Buoyed by 25,000-odd supporters adorning its South Stand’s Yellow Wall, Dortmund is perfect for European occasions like PSG at home; an inspired Jason Sancho and his teammates, full of energy and vigor, fed off the noise again.

“It was a well-deserved win and a good team performance. We could have scored more goals, but so could they. That’s why the result is OK from my point of view,” coach Edin Terzic told DAZN after the 1-0 result. “We ran a lot, but that’s necessary in a game like this. You have to earn your way to Wembley.”