Borussia Dortmund head coach Nuri Sahin believes that mentality alone won't be enough for his side to overcome Real Madrid when they face the Spanish giants at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday in the Champions League. The two teams, who contested last season’s final, meet again in the competition's revamped league phase.In their last encounter, Real Madrid secured their 15th European crown with a 2-0 win at Wembley, courtesy of late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior. Dortmund had dominated the first hour and came close to an upset, but their early control wasn’t enough to derail the champions.“Mentality alone won’t get us through against Real Madrid, especially at this stadium,” Sahin said during Monday's press conference. “We need everything—quality, self-belief, a bit of luck, and of course mentality. But without mentality, we stand no chance. The game needs to go our way for us to have a chance.”
Dortmund has made an impressive start to the tournament this season, thrashing Celtic 7-1 at home and defeating Club Brugge 3-0 in their opening fixture. With two wins and a goal difference of +9, Dortmund currently tops the standings with six points.“Continuing like this is only possible if we work as a collective,” Sahin emphasized. “The players know the plan, and we aim to be courageous and build on the momentum of the first two games.”Tuesday’s match will mark Sahin’s return to the Bernabeu, but this time as a coach. The 36-year-old took over as head coach last summer after serving as assistant to Edin Terzić. As a former player for both Dortmund and Real Madrid, the occasion carries personal significance for Sahin.“Returning to the Santiago Bernabeu is special to me. It was always my dream to play for Real Madrid,” he said. “My son was born here in this beautiful city, and having him with me on this visit makes it even more meaningful.”Sahin was signed by Real Madrid from Dortmund in 2011 but found playing time limited, leading to a loan move to Liverpool the following year. He later returned to Dortmund on a temporary basis in early 2013, with the transfer becoming permanent in 2014.“Though I wasn’t at Madrid for long, my time there will always be important to me—not just for football but for family reasons too,” Sahin added. “It’s an incredible feeling to now coach my boyhood club against a team I once dreamed of playing for.”
Dortmund has made an impressive start to the tournament this season, thrashing Celtic 7-1 at home and defeating Club Brugge 3-0 in their opening fixture. With two wins and a goal difference of +9, Dortmund currently tops the standings with six points.“Continuing like this is only possible if we work as a collective,” Sahin emphasized. “The players know the plan, and we aim to be courageous and build on the momentum of the first two games.”Tuesday’s match will mark Sahin’s return to the Bernabeu, but this time as a coach. The 36-year-old took over as head coach last summer after serving as assistant to Edin Terzić. As a former player for both Dortmund and Real Madrid, the occasion carries personal significance for Sahin.“Returning to the Santiago Bernabeu is special to me. It was always my dream to play for Real Madrid,” he said. “My son was born here in this beautiful city, and having him with me on this visit makes it even more meaningful.”Sahin was signed by Real Madrid from Dortmund in 2011 but found playing time limited, leading to a loan move to Liverpool the following year. He later returned to Dortmund on a temporary basis in early 2013, with the transfer becoming permanent in 2014.“Though I wasn’t at Madrid for long, my time there will always be important to me—not just for football but for family reasons too,” Sahin added. “It’s an incredible feeling to now coach my boyhood club against a team I once dreamed of playing for.” 
