Real Madrid will take on Borussia Dortmund in the final of the 2023-24 Champions League on June 1, with Wembley Stadium hosting what should be a fascinating contest.
Dortmund beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the second leg of their semi-final in France to record a 2-0 aggregate victory over the French champions.
Real Madrid then joined BVB in the final courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the second leg of their last-four clash at Bernabeu, with Joselu netting a late brace in the Spanish capital.
Los Blancos triumphed 4-3 on aggregate to advance to yet another European Cup final, and the Madrid giants will be going in search of a 15th success in the competition at the start of next month.
Here, Sports Mole selects its standout XI from the second legs of the 2023-24 Champions League semi-finals, with a number of players putting in brilliant performances.
DEFENCE
Gregor Kobel has been excellent for Dortmund in this season's Champions League, and the 26-year-old put in another strong performance during his side's 1-0 win in Paris. The Swiss goalkeeper made five saves on Tuesday evening and was a calming presence between the sticks.
Mats Hummels was also outstanding for Dortmund against PSG, scoring the winner in the French capital, while he won four aerial duels and made four tackles during a brilliant defensive performance, with the 35-year-old helping to keep the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele quiet in the second leg of the semi-final.
Ian Maatsen is the second BVB defender in this XI, with the 22-year-old also contributing heavily to his side's clean sheet. The left-back was also a threat when Dortmund enjoyed possession of the ball, completing two dribbles and finishing with a pass success rate of 77%.
There are also two Real Madrid defenders in the side, with Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rudiger both playing key roles in the capital outfit's incredible late win over Bayern.
Carvajal missed the first leg through suspension, but the 32-year-old was back in the XI on Wednesday; he won three aerial duels and made five tackles, while the Spaniard also completed 45 of his 54 passes.
Rudiger was also a certainty due to his strong display in the same match. The Germany international actually provided the assist for Joselu to win it late on, but he was also outstanding at the back, while the 31-year-old completed 60 of his 66 passes during a fine display in the Spanish capital.
MIDFIELD
There are two Dortmund midfielders in the side, with Julian Brandt and Marcel Sabitzer both performing important roles in the success over PSG.
Brandt came up with the assist for Hummels's header, while he completed two dribbles, made two tackles and boasted a pass success rate of 86% during a strong display in the French capital.
Sabitzer, meanwhile, was again an energetic presence in the middle of midfield, with the 30-year-old's running power and game intelligence proving to be absolutely vital for Dortmund, and he is another player who deserves huge praise when it comes to key figures for BVB in the latter stages of this competition.
Vitinha also deserves to be included despite being on the losing side on Tuesday night. The 24-year-old had six shots in total, one of which hit the crossbar, while he completed 64 of his 68 passes during an excellent performance, with the 24-year-old comfortably PSG's best player in the second leg.
ATTACK
Jamal Musiala was also on the losing side in the semi-finals, but he put in a strong performance for Bayern against Real Madrid. The Germany international finished with a pass success rate of 89%, and he was a constant threat for the visitors before his surprise withdrawal in the latter stages of the match.
The final two players in this side come from Real Madrid, with Vinicius Junior outstanding for long spells of the second leg against Bayern. The Brazil international was the player carrying the fight for Los Blancos, having five shots in total, while he completed seven dribbles and made two key passes at Bernabeu.
Joselu, meanwhile, was only introduced in the 81st minute of the clash between Real Madrid and Bayern, but he came up with two goals to win the tie for Carlo Ancelotti's side. The on-loan Espanyol striker levelled it at 1-1 in the 88th minute following a mistake from Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, before scoring a second in stoppage time, with the goal awarded after a VAR check, and he has proven to be a brilliant signing for Real Madrid.
SPORTS MOLE'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK
Sports Mole's Champions League Team of the Week (4-3-3): Kobel; Carvajal, Rudiger, Hummels, Maatsen; Vitinha, Sabitzer, Brandt; Musiala, Joselu, Vinicius
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