Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says his players will feel the “fear” of the Champions League final when they face Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
The record 14-time winners of the competition will begin Saturday’s encounter (20:00 BST) as the overwhelming favourites against the German side who finished fifth in the Bundesliga this season.
However, Ancelotti – the competition’s most successful manager with four titles- knows that nothing is guaranteed.
“A Champions League final is the most important game and the most dangerous one,” Ancelotti said.
“You have to be a bit lucky, play well and never lower your guard but when you reach a final success is so close that you start worrying.”
Unlike Dortmund, who have struggled domestically but excelled in Europe, the opposite has been true for the Spanish champions in the later stages of the tournament.
Real beat holders Manchester City on penalties in the last eight and scored two late goals in the second leg of their semi-final to edge past Bayern Munich.
“It is a double-edged sword, we need to enjoy it to the maximum, and then concern starts that it could go wrong because we are so close to the most important thing in football,” Ancelotti, speaking on Friday, added.
“It is going to start tonight, tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon. A lot of fear, it is normal. If you have more fear you will be happier if you are able to win in the end.”
Meanwhile, Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt is under no illusion over the size of the task his side face against Real.
“They’re the ultimate opponent, there’s nothing bigger in the Champions League, with their success and their history,” Brandt said.
“But if we didn’t believe then we could stay in Dortmund.”
