BORUSSIA Dortmund manager Edin Terzic has insisted that he is not intimidated by the challenge posed by serial winners Real Madrid in tonight’s UEFA Champions League final in London.
Real Madrid have won a record 14 UCL titles, including five in the last 10 years, and are overwhelming favourites to win at Wembley tonight, but Terzic says he is unfazed.
“We’ve performed really well and have earned our way to this final,” the 41-year-old told his pre-match press conference.
“We’re up against an extremely strong team who have had this experience frequently, but we know that anything is possible in one match.
“If we played against Real Madrid ten times, it would probably be a stretch [to win overall], but in one match, in 90 minutes, or in 120 minutes plus penalties, we’re capable of beating any opponents in the world.”
Dortmund’s only previous Champions League success was in 1997, when they were also underdogs but defeated Juventus 3-1 in the final in Munich, and Terzic is hoping for another upset tonight.
“I was 14 years old at the time. Unfortunately I wasn’t in Munich [where the final was played], but I watched it on a big screen in my hometown,” the childhood Dortmund fan explained.
‘The next day I was at the airport for the homecoming when they landed with my brother. I’ve seen the match back several times since and it was a very special day for all Dortmund fans.
“The city and the club are very closely connected with each other. If you ask anyone what colours are associated with the city, you will always hear the answer yellow and black. It’s a sort of reciprocity. The club represents the city, the city represents the club, and that’s what makes both of them so special.”
When asked what winning the final would mean, Terzic said: “A lot! It’s the biggest title you can win in club football. We’ve only managed it once in the club’s history, which also just shows how special this chance is for us.
“It’s not getting easier for us to be successful, and that’s why I think it would be a very special story to win. If you do it together, stick together, all think in the same direction, stay positive, show resilience and a lot of bravery, then you, too, can celebrate in the end.”
