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.”Real head into the showpiece match buoyed by the presence of Belgium international Thibaut Courtois, who Ancelotti has confirmed will start in goal in the place of Andriy Lunin, who has been suffering with an illness.And should the Spaniards prevail for the sixth time in 11 years, Real quartet Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos and Nacho would all be in line to claim a record-equalling sixth winners medal.Only Francisco Gento between 1956 and 1966 (for Real Madrid) has previously achieved that feat.“Everyone is saying that we’re the favourites, but it’s not like that, I see a 50-50,” Modric said.“Dortmund are a big club, they have had a great season in the Champions League and they will make it very difficult for us.”Dortmund, head into the contest in a similar mood to 1997, when they were also huge underdogs before beating Juventus 3-1 in the final in Munich.Head coach Edin Terzic said: “We’re happy to be here, but we’re here to win.“You don’t come here to play a final, you come here to win it. We want to hold that trophy in our hands.”Both sides have a high-profile English player who has been at the heart of their run to the Champions League final.Jude Bellingham comes up against Dortmund, the team he left last summer for the Bernabeu for an initial £88.5m, in the biggest game of an already impressive career.Expectations were high for the 20-year-old England midfielder but he has exceeded all of them and is set to end the season as Real’s top scorer with 23 goals.That tally includes two separate last-minute El Clasico winners in both league games with Barcelona.He was named La Liga’s player of the season and won the 2024 Laureus World Sports Breakthrough of the Year for any sport.Jadon Sancho’s season has been less sensational, but considering how the campaign started remarkable nonetheless.The winger, who is not part of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 plans, had not played for Manchester United since 26 August after being frozen out by Erik ten Hag after a dispute – until he rejoined Dortmund on loan in January.Sancho seems reborn at the club he represented from 2017 until 2021.He has excelled in several games, most notably the semi-final first leg against Paris St-Germain with 12 successful dribbles – the most by any player in a Champions League game this season.Sancho is not the only English winger at Dortmund though, with England Under-21 international Jamie Bynoe-Gittens playing 33 times this season. He scored against AC Milan in the group stage.Reus leads players seeking perfect farewellPresuming Marco Reus gets on the pitch at Wembley, it will be his 429th and final appearance for his hometown club.The Dortmund legend, who turned 35 on Friday, came through the academy and had spells at Rot Weiss Ahlen and Borussia Monchengladbach before returning home in 2012.Two German Cups are all he has to show for his 12 years of service and 170 goals, which puts him second on their all-time scorer list.He has already confirmed he will leave the club this summer.He was part of the Dortmund team who lost their last Champions League final, also at Wembley, to Bayern Munich in 2013.Only three players have made more appearances for Dortmund than Reus – and one of them is his team-mate in both Champions League finals, centre-back Mats Hummels.Hummels, who has also had a spell at Bayern Munich, says he will not decide his future until after the game.The 35-year-old has played 507 times for the club he first represented in January 2008.Another German player set to play an emotional final game for his club is Real midfielder Kroos.The 34-year-old will retire from playing football after Euro 2024 so this is his last club game.Kroos has played 464 games for Real since a 2014 move from Bayern Munich and won four Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey with the club.Two more players with uncertain futures at the Bernabeu are out-of-contract pair Modric, 38, and Spanish defender Nacho, 34.Croatian Modric, a Ballon d’Or winner in 2018, has played 533 games for Real after a 2012 move from Tottenham, while one-club man Nacho has made 363 appearances and largely been utilised as a squad player.BBC storyhttps://www.ugbulletin.co.ug/real-will-feel-fear-in-bid-for-15th-title-ancelotti/
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Ugandan Citizen Abducted, Held in Secret Detention for Three Months, Sparks Outrage and Calls for Justice
A disturbing new case of unlawful detention has surfaced, highlighting the ongoing human rights crisis in Uganda. A Ugandan citizen was reportedly abducted and held in a secret facility, known as a “safe house,” for three months, only to be released without charge or explanation. This incident, reported by NTV Uganda, has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed calls for accountability regarding human rights abuses in the country.
While the details surrounding the abduction remain unclear, reports indicate that the individual was taken without due process and held incommunicado—an action that has long been condemned by human rights organizations. The victim’s release, with no charges filed and no clear justification, has angered activists and citizens, who view this as yet another case of egregious abuse of power by the state.
“This is a recurring pattern,” said one human rights activist. “Abductions, secret detentions, and unexplained releases have become all too common in Uganda. These acts violate fundamental human rights and erode public trust in the justice system.”
The use of “safe houses,” unregistered detention facilities reportedly operated by security forces, has been a focal point in numerous allegations of torture and illegal imprisonment. Despite repeated calls from both local and international organizations for their closure and accountability for those involved, little action has been taken to address these violations.
This case underscores the urgent need for reform within Uganda’s security apparatus and greater accountability for human rights abuses. Observers hope that drawing attention to these injustices will spur concrete action to bring those responsible to justice and ensure the protection of basic human rights.
As frustration mounts, calls for both domestic and international pressure to hold the government accountable for such crimes grow louder. “One day, there must be accountability for all these crimes against our people,” stated one social media user, reflecting the sentiments of many Ugandans.
National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi has accused Ugandan security forces of using excessive force to disrupt a planned NUP gathering. The allegations were detailed in a statement shared on Twitter, following an event held to honor children of NUP supporters who were killed, disappeared, or detained for their political beliefs.
According to Kyagulanyi, security personnel, under the command of an officer identified as Asiimwe, carried out a preemptive operation early in the morning upon learning of the NUP’s plans. The forces allegedly stormed the premises, arrested workers, and deployed tear gas to disperse those present.
“The criminals under the command of one Asiimwe deployed early morning, arrested our workers, and threw tear gas into our premises. They’ve cordoned off the premises and blocked all people from accessing the place,” Kyagulanyi wrote.
Among those reportedly arrested were Saava Peter, Mudenya Samson, and Turyasingura Samson. Kyagulanyi claimed the detained workers were subjected to beatings and interrogated about their political affiliations, with security operatives labeling them as terrorists.
“These JATT operatives asked the workers who they support politically, branding them terrorists and criminals—their only crime being that they work with us. You can imagine the indignity!” Kyagulanyi lamented.
This incident adds to the growing tension in Uganda’s political climate, where opposition parties frequently accuse the government of stifling dissent. Despite the challenges, Kyagulanyi ended his statement with a message of defiance and optimism, proclaiming, “UGANDA WILL BE FREE.”
NUP Gathering Disrupted: Kyagulanyi Alleges Security Force Harassment and Arrests
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Sudan Demands Apology from Uganda Over Army Chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s Threat to Invade Khartoum
Sudan has demanded an official apology from Uganda over “offensive and dangerous” comments made by the chief of Uganda army staff, who threated to invade Khartoum, the Sudan Tribune has reported.
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and CDF of the Ugandan army, posted two comments on the X platform on Tuesday in which he threatened “to capture Khartoum” with the support of the US President elect Donald Trump after he takes office. The posts were deleted later.
“The government of Sudan demands and official apology from the Ugandan government for the offensive and dangerous comments of the army commander,” Sudan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the Sudan Tribune said it has seen.
Sudan Demands Apology from Uganda Over Army Chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s Threat to Invade Khartoum