Spanish giants Real Madrid on Wednesday confirmed that the French superstar Kylian Mbappe will wear jersey number 9 in his first season with the Los Blancos. Earlier in June, Real Madrid revealed the arrival of Mbappe in the club. The 25-year-old World Cup winner joined the Los Merengues after leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The French superstar will follow his idol Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps who also wore the jersey number 9 after joining the Whites in 2009. Currently, Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior is wearing the legendary number 7 jersey, which is why Mbappe has been given the number 9. Earlier, Karim Benzema wore the number 9 jersey and set many records for Los Blancos.

The 15-time UEFA Champions League (UCL) winner also confirmed that French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga will wear jersey number 6 and Uruguayan Fede Valverde will shift to jersey number 8, taking over from Toni Kroos. Defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni will move to 14, a jersey worn previously by Xabi Alonso and Casemiro. Turkish youngster Arda Guler will wear the jersey with the number 15 on his back. Meanwhile, Spanish defender Jesus Vallejo will wear the number 18.

Changes with shirt numbers in the squad.#RealMadrid

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) July 10, 2024

“Several Real Madrid players will change their jersey numbers at the start of the 2024/25 season. Camavinga, who until now wore the number 12, will change to 6. Valverde will change from 15 to 8 and Tchouameni will move from 18 to 14. Arda Guler, who wore the number 24 last season, will wear 15 and Vallejo will wear the number 18,” Real Madrid stated.

“Real Madrid CF and Kylian Mbappe have reached an agreement under which he will become a Real Madrid player for the next five seasons,” Real Madrid said in an official statement while announcing Mbappe’s arrival in the club.

Mbappe joined PSG from AS Monaco in 2017, following that he has played 308 matches for the Paris club and scored 256 goals. The French striker was 19 years old when he left his childhood club for PSG. In the recently concluded season of the Ligue 1, the Frenchman appeared in 29 matches and got the back of the net 27 times. He also made 7 assists in the French league.

However, Mbappe never hid from accepting that his dream was to play for the 14-time UEFA Champions League (UCL) winner Real Madrid. For the last several years, Los Blancos have been trying to bring him to Madrid, but Mbappe wasn’t keen on an exit before the expiration of his contract. In 2021, Real Madrid had gone all out to sign Mbappe, offering 220 million Euros. However, PSG turned it down.

Vinicius Junior during Brazil 0-0 Costa Rica in Copa America 2024.© AFP

Real Madrid vs Dortmund UCL Final Live Streaming: On a night when two legends of the game are set to play their final matches for their respective club, Borussia Dortmund wll look to pull off one of the biggest ever shocks in a Champions League final against the mighty Real Madrid at London’s Wembley stadium on Saturday. For Dortmund, long-serving captain Marco Reus is set to leave the club after his contract expires later this month. On the other hand, fans will get to witness Toni Kroos‘ last dance in a Real Madrid shirt. The 2014 World Cup winner with Germany is set to retire from the start after the Euros in his homeland.

Kroos, a five-time Champions League winner, including four titles with Los Blancos, will have the chance to add another winners medal to his impressive CV.

The star-studded Spanish giants are heavy favourites to be crowned European champions for the 15th time, and a sixth in the last 11 seasons, against a Dortmund team that have beaten the odds just to make it to the final in London.

Dortmund were beaten in the final at the same venue 11 years ago by German rivals Bayern Munich. However, the club does know a thing or two about winning the Champions League, having beaten Juventus 3-1 in the final in Munich.

When will the Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final take place?

The Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final will take place on Sunday, May 2.

Where will the Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final played?

The Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final will be played at the Wembley Stadium in London.

What time will the Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final start?

The Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final will start at 12:30 am IST.

Which TV channels will telecast the Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final?

The Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final will be telecasted on the Sony Sports Network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final?

The Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League Final will be streamed live on SonyLiv (app and website).

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti warned his players the Champions League final is the most “dangerous” game in football on the eve of their clash with Borussia Dortmund at Wembley. The Italian, who has won the competition as a coach a record four times, said Los Blancos were afraid the trophy could escape them. Madrid, record 14-time winners, are firm favourites for the clash against the Bundesliga side. “A Champions League final is the most important game but also the most dangerous,” Ancelotti told a news conference Friday.

“We have to enjoy being here, but knowing it can go wrong because we are close to the most important thing in football — winning a Champions League — but having the fear this can escape us.

“Things have to go very well, you need to be lucky too, success is very close and so the worry begins tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon.”

Real Madrid captain Nacho said he was feeling confident but nervous.

“We’ve got more nerves than in any other moment of the season,” admitted Madrid captain Nacho.

“We’re humans, it’s a calm week for (some people) but for the players it’s not. It’s special, and that makes it not calm.”

Veteran midfielder Luka Modric said despite Madrid’s strength in contrast to Dortmund, he was approaching the match as if it were an even battle.

“Everyone thinks we are big favourites, but we don’t think about it like that,” said the Croatian.

“It’s 50-50, we’re playing a big team that has had a magnificent season in the Champions League.”

Nacho and Modric, along with Toni Kroos and Dani Carvajal, would reach six career Champions League wins with a victory over Dortmund, levelling all-time leader and former Madrid great Paco Gento.

“It was hard to imagine we’d get to this moment but we are here, very happy and enjoying this moment,” said Modric.

“I hope tomorrow we can take this step further, as a team and have six European Cups would be something big.”

‘Something special’

Madrid came from behind to beat Bayern Munich in the semi-finals and have a remarkable ability to turn games around in Europe when it seems like they are defeated.

“We prefer to take the lead if it’s possible,” said Modric. 

“But we’ve shown many times this year and before, that when things don’t go well we fight until the end.

“We always find a way, we’re capable of turning the game around. We keep having this mentality, this commitment and fight, but like I said, we’d prefer to take the lead.”

Ancelotti said Madrid’s ability to come back from the dead “has happened so many times it’s not chance”.

“It’s something special… it could be the history, the quality, the tradition, the character,” he mused.

The coach confirmed goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois would start the final ahead of Andriy Lunin, resolving the main selection query ahead of the game.

“Lunin had the flu and hasn’t travelled with the team, tomorrow he will travel and will be on the bench — Courtois will play tomorrow,” said Ancelotti.

Belgian stopper Courtois returned from a long-term knee injury earlier in May and has kept four clean sheets in four appearances since.

The campaign for Vinicius Junior to land his first Ballon d’Or is well under way, but the Real Madrid forward has his priorities straight. Before worrying about individual accolades, the Brazilian attacker is aiming to claim a second Champions League triumph on Saturday when Los Blancos face Borussia Dortmund at Wembley. Vinicius was the man who brought Real Madrid their record 14th European Cup in 2022, stealing into the area from the left and pouncing from close range in the 1-0 win over Liverpool.

It was a simple finish but one he had failed to make before, multiple times, in what proved a tricky start to life at Madrid.

Thrown into the void left by departed all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018, Vinicius started off as a laughing stock, given his profligacy.

After coach Carlo Ancelotti returned for a second stint at the helm in 2021, the Brazilian proved the main beneficiary.

After 14 goals in three seasons before the Italian’s arrival, Vinicius netted 22 under Ancelotti’s guidance.

The 22nd was in Paris against Jurgen Klopp’s Reds, just reward for Vinicius’ transformation.

It was no fluke, with the forward adding 23 goals the following year and he has 23 again ahead of the final against Bundesliga side Dortmund. 

Vinicius has also profited from Ancelotti changing the system this season to accommodate Jude Bellingham‘s arrival and plug defensive deficiencies.

Ancelotti has largely deployed Vinicius as a central striker, a role which the winger took time to adapt to.

“Now I can play in more positions and that’s how I’ve made my game a lot better than when I arrived here,” Vinicius told reporters ahead of the final.

“I keep evolving, and I want to keep evolving until the last day of my career, as Toni Kroos is doing.”

German midfield metronome Kroos has been one of several good influences keeping the 23-year-old calm amid the focus and pressure.

Ancelotti’s guidance is crucial though and one of his greatest feats has been to turn Vinicius from a rough diamond into an elite star.

“I feel comfortable with whatever the coach tells me, because he has changed me as a player,” continued Vinicius.

“He gave me the confidence that I need and where he tells me to go, I have to be.

“At first I was not convinced about playing inside, now I am very happy to be play there — he always told me that I would score goals, and I didn’t believe it. And in the end, things have gone well.”

Time to improve

After three goals in his first 11 games of the season and new arrival Bellingham taking the limelight, Vinicius did not sulk.

A thigh muscle tear in November appeared a further setback, keeping him out of action until January.

However those weeks out proved time well spent, as Vinicius worked to understand his role better and came back with a bang.

“I had time to work on what I normally don’t work on, to think about my game and everything I could do to evolve it… and arrive at the most important phase of the season with a better level,” he explained.

Vinicius has 17 goals in his last 23 games, including a brace against Bayern Munich in the semi-final when he ran Joshua Kimmich ragged.

No longer able to laugh at Vinicius, some opposition fans have turned instead to hate. The past two seasons have seen a spate of ugly racial abuse cases aimed at him when playing on the road in Spain.

“(Racism) is something I cannot control, but I always try to keep calm,” said Vinicius.

Fortunately in recent weeks the abuse has died away and Vinicius has been able to focus on football. 

Asked if he would take a 1-0 win over Dortmund like two years ago against Liverpool, with him scoring the winner, Vinicius replied “for sure”.

“With a goal from anyone,” he continued, aiming for the Champions League above any individual considerations.

“I’ve never thought about (winning the Ballon d’Or),” said Vinicius. 

“The best thing that can happen this season is winning the Champions League.”