Win-win: Madrid to pay Dortmund if they beat them in final

Real Madrid advanced to their second Champions League final in three years; all thanks to the remarkable comeback home win against Bayern Munich. Now June 1st will see Carlo Ancelotti’s squad take on Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.

With the Germans on the defensive, the Whites will pursue the 15th Champions League trophy in their history. Neither Real Madrid nor Borussia Dortmund have ever faced off in a European Cup final before.

Dortmund will make their third appearance in the final, aiming to win the trophy for the second time ever. In preparation for the encounter, Edin Terzic’s squad topped Group F and advanced past PSV, Atletico Madrid, and PSG.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, will be competing in a Champions League final for the 18th time. With 14 championships in 17 outings, which is more than 80% of the time, their record is impressive. To top it all off, they have won more championships and gone to more finals than any other club.

In addition to playing on his home soil in England, Jude Bellingham will face off against his previous team in this encounter. If everything goes according to plan, his first season in Madrid will conclude with a bang. Intriguingly, Los Blancos would have to fork up some cash if he could guide them to their 15th championship in the tournament.

Jude Bellingham is key for both clubs

One of the most prestigious club competitions in soccer, winning the Champions League would be a huge accomplishment for any club. Making a substantial amount of money is an added benefit, and it also adds to the club’s historic legacy.

Winners get $21.5 million from UEFA, which is money that a team like Dortmund would gladly accept. However, it has come to light that the team stands to gain even more money should they lose the tournament final versus Real Madrid.

According to German reports, Dortmund might still come out ahead financially even if they don’t win the match at Wembley. This puts them in a win-win position.

Last summer, Jude Bellingham reportedly transferred to the Santiago Bernabeu for $110 million, with a further $34 million coming from bonuses and add-ons. The Englishman, though, was instrumental in Madrid’s La Liga victory and Champions League qualifying.

Thus, the club’s on-field success this season seems to have meant that they will have to shell out some cash. But if they win the Champions League this year, there’s an extra clause in the contract.

So, if Real Madrid prevails in the Champions League final, Dortmund will get $5.4 million, according to Patrick Berger of Sky Sport Germany. That’s in line with the arrangement of the deal that sent the 20-year-old to Madrid last summer.

As a further aspect of the Bellingham agreement, Real Madrid would have paid Dortmund a total of $33 million. Nonetheless, they would gladly part with that $5.4 million next month in exchange for title number 15.

Apparently, Dortmund will earn an additional $2.1 million if the England player is named to the Champions League Team of the Season. The Champions League runner-up would get $16.7 million, but with Bellingham’s incentives, the Germans would pocket $24 million.

Photo: IMAGO / Sports Press Photo