The ideal Champions League final is within reach if Mbappé and Real Madrid can deliver

The tantalizing prospect of Kylian Mbappé squaring up to Real Madrid in the Champions League final looms large.

Mbappé becomes a free agent at the end of the season when Madrid is favorite to finally land the forward it has coveted for so long.

Before that there are trophies to be won, with none bigger in club soccer than the Champions League.

Madrid has dominated the competition with 14 wins, while Paris Saint‐Germain and Mbappé are still waiting for their first.

Mbappé's imminent departure has partly been attributed to PSG's failure to transfer its do‐ mestic dominance to the conti‐ nent. How ironic then if the France forward triumphed in his final year at the club, especially against the team he looks likeli‐ est to join.

Conversely, a record‐extending 15th crown for Madrid at the ex‐ pense of PSG would serve only to confirm to Mbappé that his ambitions are best served at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

With PSG and Madrid kept apart in the draw, either narra‐ tive is in play, but the Champi‐ ons League has a habit of getting in the way of such well‐laid plans.

REVENGE MISSION

A repeat of the 2013 final any‐ one?

Bayern beat Dortmund the last time the final was staged at Wembley Stadium, which is the venue again this year. How Dort‐ mund — then coached by Jurgen Klopp — would love to avenge that loss 11 years on.

Dortmund is the outsider to win the trophy having unexpect‐ edly advanced to the semifinals in a season when it trails German champion Bayer Leverkusen by 23 points and may have to rely on a bonus fifth‐place spot to qualify for next year's Champi‐ ons League.

PERFECT SENDOFF

Mbappe isn't the only person targeting a fairy tale finale. Bay‐ ern coach Thomas Tuchel is step‐ ping down at season's end after the German giant's 11‐year Bun‐ desliga title‐winning streak was broken by Leverkusen.

In a summer when big jobs will be available at the likes of Liver‐ pool and Barcelona, Tuchel could do with rebuilding his reputation by winning a second Champions League trophy, having previ‐ ously lifted it with Chelsea in 2021.

KANE'S WAIT

Harry Kane was expected to fi‐ nally end his wait to win major silverware when he joined Bay‐ ern from Tottenham last sum‐ mer.

It hasn't worked out that way so far.

Despite the England striker continuing his outstanding scor‐ ing form in Germany with 39 goals in all competitions, the Champions League is his last chance of a trophy in his first season at the club.

What better place to end that drought than at English soccer's national stadium?

FALLEN CHAMPION

Manchester City's hopes of starting a new period of Euro‐ pean dominance were ended by the all‐time king of Europe, Madrid.

Despite dominating the semifi‐ nals second leg, Pep Guardiola's team could not take advantage, drawing 1‐1 through extra time and 4‐4 on aggregate before los‐ ing in a penalty shootout 4‐3.

A lack of cutting edge at Etihad Stadium proved City's undoing and continued a theme against elite teams this season. City has not won in seven games against Madrid, Arsenal and Liverpool this term. Having lost key players such as Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez after last season's treble of trophies, it was reveal‐ ing the lack of game‐changing players Guardiola could summon from the bench against Madrid.

With Erling Haaland failing to score in four games against Madrid, perhaps Guardiola will look for more firepower in the offseason.

BARCELONA UNCERTAINTY

Missing out on the semifinals denied Barcelona some 12.5 mil‐ lion euros ($13.4 million) in prize money that would have helped its poor finances. While Madrid is waiting to welcome Mbappé, Barcelona is expected to have to sell players after hav‐ ing already sold off club assets, including part of its future televi‐ sion revenues, in recent years.

The loss to PSG this week ended an unbeaten run of 13 games since coach Xavi Hernán‐ dez said in January he will step down after the season.

Barcelona's only hope to send Xavi away with a title depends on winning at Madrid on Sunday and hoping its rival goes into a tailspin in what remains of the Spanish league. Madrid leads Barcelona by eight points.

SEMIFINALS SCHEDULE

Bayern will host Madrid and Dortmund is home against PSG in the first legs of the semifinals.

Bayern‐Madrid is on April 30, and Madrid will stage the return leg on May 8.

Dortmund‐PSG is on May 1, and PSG has the second leg on May 7.

The final is at Wembley in Lon‐ don on June 1.