Bayern Munich full-back Alphonso Davies says reaching the Champions League final is “a dream come true.”
Davies, 19, joined Bayern from Vancouver Whitecaps in 2019 for a then-MLS record transfer fee of £9.84m
And he is set to be the first Canada international to play in the showpiece game.
Speaking after the semi-final win over Lyon, he told BT Sport: “Playing in the Champions League and getting to the final is everything you could ask for.”
Davies’ inclusion in the Bayern line-up for the final would reportedly trigger a 1m euro payment to the Whitecaps.
But that is unlikely to bother the Bavarian side, who will aim to win their sixth European Cup against Paris St-Germain on Sunday (20:00 BST).
The Bundesliga club reached the final of European football’s elite competition for the 11th time – albeit for the first time in seven years – with another superb display of potent attacking on Wednesday.
Davies, who also impressed in the 4-1 win over Chelsea in the last 16 and the 8-2 last-eight demolition of Barcelona, says his side will be “hungry” to see out the season in style.
“PSG is a good team, right now we celebrate a bit then we focus on the next game,” he added.
“It will be a good game, there will be goals in that game. This is what you dream about as a footballer, playing with the best and against the best in Europe.
“It is a dream come true. Even though they [the older players in the squad] have won many many titles before they are still hungry to win this one.”
A winner’s medal would also be a fine conclusion to the season for Davies, who asked to swap shirts with Barca’s Lionel Messi after their quarter-final match.
“I asked for it [Messi’s shirt]. But I think he was a little bit upset. Next time, maybe,” he added.
Bayern’s big numbers
Victory on Sunday would cap a truly stellar season for Bayern, who have already posted some impressive stats:
- Coach Hansi Flick’s side have now won 10 consecutive games in the Champions League, equalling the longest winning streak by a team in the competition’s history (achieved by Real Madrid in 2015 and Bayern themselves in 2013).
- They are currently on the longest unbeaten run across Europe’s top five league’s (P29 W28 D1 L0), scoring 97 goals during this run (3.4 per game) and winning each of their past 20.
- They are only the fourth team in Champions League history to surpass 40 goals in a single campaign. Only Barcelona in 1999-2000 have netted more in a single campaign in the competition (45) than Bayern’s 42 this season.
- They already have two trophies this season, scoring 100 goals to claim their 30th Bundesliga title before also claiming the German Cup.
- Sunday’s final will be their 11th in the European Cup, equalling AC Milan’s tally. Only Real Madrid (16) having participated in more.
- On an individual level, Robert Lewandowski has become only the second player in the history of the Champions League to net 15 goals in a single campaign, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, who has done so three times.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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