Headed to Wembley: Hummels goal fires Dortmund into final

PARIS — Eleven years after losing 2-1 to German rival Bayern Munich in the 2013 Champions League final, Mats Hummels, Marco Reus and Borussia Dortmund have overcome the odds and are heading back to Wembley.

Dortmund's 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital on Tuesday saw the Germans complete a 2-0 aggregate win, becoming the most unlikely Champions League finalist since Tottenham in 2019.

The June 1 final in London could see a rematch against Bayern, or a meeting with 14-time champion Real Madrid. That semifinal stood at 2-2 after the first leg in Germany before conclusion in Madrid on Wednesday.

Drawn in a group with PSG, 2023 semifinalist AC Milan and surprise English side Newcastle, Dortmund was not expected to make it out of the group.

Despite being dominated in a 2-0 loss at the Parc des Princes by PSG in its first group stage match in September, Dortmund recovered to eventually finish top.

Wins over PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid set up a rematch with PSG in the semifinals, where Dortmund — which is set to finish fifth in the Bundesliga after a disappointing domestic campaign — was again considered a heavy underdog.

However, alongside centerback partner Nico Schlotterbeck, the 34-year-old Hummels stood tall, helping Dortmund keep PSG's array of attacking talent, including its standout forward Kylian Mbappe, at bay across both ties.

He added a goal of his own in the second leg and was named man of the match by UEFA in both games.

The 2014 World Cup winner, who left Dortmund for Bayern in 2016 with a desire to win the Champions League before returning in 2019, is now 90 minutes away from capping a glittering career by winning one of the few trophies that has, so far, eluded him.

'The beauty of soccer'

Dortmund was dogged in victory, but also rode its luck, with PSG hitting the woodwork six times across the two ties.

Fortune also shone on Hummels himself, with the defender's second-half foul on Ousmane Dembele taking place just millimeters from the penalty box.

Speaking after the match, Dortmund coach Edin Terzic said the return of Hummels and Reus to Wembley was "the beautiful side of soccer".

"They've both been very influential in the success we've had over the past few years.

"Mats started all of our games in the Champions League, and that just shows how important he is to us. He played a great game today."

A Dortmund junior product who broke through at Borussia Monchengladbach before returning in 2012, Reus made it to the Champions League final in his first season at the club.

He announced on Friday he would leave Dortmund at the end of the season, prompting Terzic to suggest on Tuesday that Reus' return to Wembley 11 years after the Bayern defeat was "the closing of a circle".

"Everyone invested everything so that the two of them could have the opportunity to make amends in the Champions League final, and we're incredibly happy for both of them," said Terzic.

'We all believe'

PSG began the second half well, but its flurry was cut short when Hummels headed in from a corner on the 50-minute mark, giving Dortmund a 2-0 lead in the tie.

Hummels' headers have a history of breaking French hearts.

At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Hummels nodded in the only goal in a 1-0 quarterfinal win over France on Germany's path to its fourth global crown.

Talking to Amazon Prime, Hummels said he "noticed how quiet things got in the stadium here" as it dawned on PSG fans that their wait for the trophy they covet most would continue for at least another year.

Hummels said his side was not content simply with another appearance in the final.

"We'll face a tough opponent, but we all believe," he said.

"We have believed since the second game of the group phase that we can do it. We've shown so often that we can, and there's no reason to believe that we can't do it."

Hummels' contract expires at the end of the season and he has said he will not decide until the summer where he plays next season — or whether he plays on at all.

But, while the veteran may soon join Reus in walking off into the Westfalenstadion sunset, there is no doubt about his whereabouts on the first Saturday in June.

AFP