Real Madrid Warned of 'Dangerous' Champions League Final

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has cautioned his players that the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund is the most "dangerous" match in football. The Italian, who has won the competition a record four times as a coach, emphasized that Los Blancos must approach the game with both excitement and trepidation.

Despite being the record 14-time winners, Madrid are wary of the threat posed by the Bundesliga side. "A Champions League final is the most important game but also the most dangerous," Ancelotti said. "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."

Madrid captain Nacho echoed Ancelotti's sentiments, admitting to feeling both confident and nervous. "We've got more nerves than in any other moment of the season," he said. "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, however, is approaching the match with a sense of parity. "Everyone thinks we are big favorites, but we don't think about it like that," he said. "It's 50-50, we're playing a big team that has had a magnificent season in the Champions League."

Nacho, Modric, Toni Kroos, and Dani Carvajal could all reach six career Champions League wins with a victory over Dortmund, equaling the all-time record held by 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."

Madrid's remarkable ability to turn games around in Europe was evident in their semi-final victory over Bayern Munich. "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 attributed Madrid's resilience to a combination of factors. "It's something special... it could be the history, the quality, the tradition, the character," he mused.

The coach confirmed that 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 traveled with the team, tomorrow he will travel and will be on the bench -- Courtois will play tomorrow," said Ancelotti.

Tags: #ChampionsLeagueFinal, #RealMadrid, #BorussiaDortmund, #CarloAncelotti, #LukaModric