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Borussia Dortmund's coach, Edin Terzic, is optimistic that "anything is achievable" as his team prepares to attempt one of the most remarkable upsets in a Champions League final against the formidable Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium in London this Saturday.
The star-studded Spanish powerhouse are heavily favored to win the European title for the 15th time, and the sixth in the last 11 seasons.
They will face a Dortmund team that has defied expectations just to reach the final in England.
Madrid has only suffered two defeats in 54 games across all competitions this season, dominating La Liga by a 10-point margin and defeating Barcelona 4-1 to claim the Spanish Super Cup.
Nevertheless, they have had to overcome significant challenges once again to reach what their coach Carlo Ancelotti described as the "most important game of the season" in the Champions League.
"We must appreciate our time here," stated the Italian during his pre-match press conference. "However, we are aware that things can go awry as we are on the verge of achieving the ultimate in football - winning a Champions League. There is a fear that this opportunity may slip away from us."
Ancelotti's team endured a relentless assault from the reigning champions Manchester City, ultimately prevailing in their quarter-final tie through a penalty shootout. They then staged a remarkable comeback at the Santiago Bernabeu to overcome Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.
"We never lose faith, regardless of the circumstances," remarked Luka Modric, who, along with Nacho, Dani Carvajal, and Toni Kroos - in the final match of his club career - has the chance to claim the European Cup for a record-tying sixth time as a player.
"We always maintain our belief, continue to persevere and fight until the very end. Ultimately, we were able to discover a way to overcome our opponents. Many may attribute it to luck, but when it occurs repeatedly, I believe it goes beyond mere luck."
For Dortmund to secure their second Champions League title in history, they must bridge the significant financial gap between the two clubs.
Last season, Madrid generated a record 831 million euros ($901 million) in revenue, while Dortmund's revenue stood at 420 million euros, as reported by financial experts at Deloitte.
The journey of Jude Bellingham's career illustrates the magnitude of the challenge facing the German club.
Recruited from Birmingham's English Championship team as a young player, he was shaped and nurtured by Dortmund before being acquired by Madrid for a transfer fee exceeding 100 million euros a year ago.
In his absence, Dortmund faced difficulties in their domestic performance this season, ending up fifth in the Bundesliga, 27 points behind Bayer Leverkusen.
However, Terzic’s team has reserved their top performances for the Champions League, making it to the final for the third time in the club’s history, the first time since their loss to Bayern Munich at Wembley 11 years ago.
Dortmund emerged as the top team in a tough group including Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, and Newcastle.
They then defeated PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid before putting up a heroic defensive effort to shut out PSG in the semi-finals.
“They may be the favorites, but we're not concerned. We weren't the favorites against Atletico or PSG,” said Terzic.
“But if we play boldly and are not just here to watch Real Madrid win the trophy, if we're here to give them a challenge, then we have a chance.”
Despite being allocated only 30,000 tickets for the 90,000 capacity stadium, over 100,000 fans of the German team are estimated to have traveled to London.
UEFA will be hoping that the focus remains on the players on the field after the final whistle, ensuring that their decision to choose Wembley for a major final is not questioned.
Three years in the past, the Euro 2020 final was overshadowed by violence when fans without tickets forcefully entered the stadium through the doors.
The English Football Association has allocated £5 million ($6 million) to enhance safety and infrastructure at Wembley, where the Euro 2028 final will also take place.
