Borussia Dortmund is preparing for an important match against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final on June 1st at Wembley Stadium in London. The German newspaper "Ruhr Nachrichten" revealed a significant surprise, stating that the bonuses Dortmund would receive in case of losing the title would be more than what they would gain if they won the Champions League. The reason lies in their former player, Englishman Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid during the summer transfer window of 2023.
The report emphasizes that this situation is not about the prize awarded by UEFA to the champion and runner-up, but rather a special bonus related to Bellingham's transfer to Real Madrid. Bellingham transferred to Real Madrid at the beginning of the current season from Borussia Dortmund for 103 million euros.
"Ruhr Nachrichten" pointed out that there is a clause in Bellingham's transfer contract to Real Madrid that grants the German club additional funds as a bonus if the English international contributes to Real Madrid's victory in the Champions League. The Bellingham deal included about 32 million euros in add-ons and bonuses, some of which are related to winning the La Liga title and qualifying for the Champions League.
The agreement also included an additional bonus of five million euros for Dortmund if Bellingham wins the Champions League with the team. Furthermore, if Bellingham is named in the Champions League Team of the Season, Borussia Dortmund would also receive two million euros, as clarified by the German newspaper "Bild."
The loser of this season's Champions League final will receive about 15 million euros, while the winner will get 20 million euros. Therefore, Dortmund would receive around 22 million euros in case of losing the final (15 + 5 + 2), compared to the 20 million euros they would get if they win (assuming Bellingham is not included in the Champions League Team of the Season).
It is unlikely that Dortmund would prefer to earn extra profits through defeat, as the club, also known as "The Black and Yellows," aims to win the trophy with the big ears for the second time in its history, following their first victory in 1997.
