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• Vinicius 'proving he's one of the best in the world', says Carvajal

  Vinicius Junior has come on leaps and bounds and is proving himself as one of the best players in the world, according to Real Madrid team-mate Dani Carvajal.

  The pair are gearing up for Madrid's mouth-watering Champions League semi-final second leg against fellow European heavyweights Bayern Munich, with the tie finely poised at 2-2.

  Vinicius scored both goals for Carlo Ancelotti's side in last week's first leg, taking him to 31 goal involvements (16 goals, 15 assists) in the Champions League since the start of the 2021-22 season, more than any other player during that time.

  And Carvajal says the strides made by the 23-year-old are evident.

  "He's improved in every aspect - his finishing, physically, his maturity when playing, knowing when it's right to attack the space or to ask for the ball to be played to his feet," the full-back told reporters during the pre-match press conference.

  "He's one of the best players in the world, and he's proving that. We know that he puts in a lot of work away from [the training ground], having his training sessions, physio and coaching.

  "All of this is helping him to be one of the best in the world. Hopefully, he can help us on the pitch [in the second leg] and see us through."

  The most successful side in the competition's history, Madrid are aiming to remain on course for a 15th European crown, while Ancelotti targets a record-extending sixth appearance in the final as a manager.

  "There's not much more to say when the time comes to play the second leg of a semi-final in your home stadium," Carvajal added. "The motivation of the match itself ensures that your attention level is at its highest.

  "We know that we're up against a side with a history in this competition [six titles], so we have to attempt to beat them and reach the final."

• Dortmund have flown under the radar to reach Champions League final, says Terzic

  Borussia Dortmund have benefited from going under the radar during their "unbelievable road" to the Champions League final, according to head coach Edin Terzic.

  The Black and Yellow will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the showpiece on June 1, following a hard-earned 2-0 aggregate win over Paris Saint-Germain in the last four.

  Dortmund came into this season on the back of a bitter Bundesliga title loss on the final matchday of the previous campaign, with a 2-2 draw against Mainz handing the title to Bayern on goal difference.

  While Terzic's side have been unable to launch a genuine challenge on the domestic front this term - currently occupying fifth place and 24 points adrift of newly crowned champions Bayer Leverkusen - it has been a different story in Europe.

  "There is always a team that no one has on their radar that reaches the quarter-finals or the semi-finals," he said. "We wanted to be the team that were not necessarily on anyone's radar. That road has been unbelievable."

  Indeed, it has. Dortmund began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat at PSG and goalless draw at home to Milan, but recovered to top Group F before seeing off PSV and Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively.

  The 1997 Champions League winners then produced a defensive masterclass across both legs of their semi-final with PSG, to reach their first final since 2013.

  "After the second matchday, almost no one believed in us any more," said captain Emre Can, who made his 50th Champions League appearance during the second leg at Parc des Princes.

  "We only had one point after two matches, but we kept believing and that was the most important thing. Keeping two clean sheets in two matches against PSG is no mean feat."

• Mbappe admits 'I didn't do enough' following PSG's Champions League exit

  Kylian Mbappe shouldered the blame for Paris Saint-Germain's 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, which saw them exit the Champions League semi-finals 2-0 on aggregate.

  Mbappe, who is set to leave PSG at the end of the season, was unable to inspire the Ligue 1 champions as they fell short in their latest quest to land the European crown.

  The France captain registered a game-high three shots on target and 12 touches in the opposition box during the second leg at Parc des Princes, but his tally of just 51 touches overall was the second-lowest recorded by any PSG player.

  And the 25-year-old admitted he should have made a more significant contribution towards his team's cause.

  "I tried to help my team as best as I could, but I didn't do enough," he said. "I'm the guy who should score goals and be decisive. When things are good, I take all the limelight and when they are not, you have to take the shadow.

  "That's not a problem. The first one who should have scored tonight was me. That's life, and we have to move on - me and the team."

  PSG enjoyed the lion's share of possession (69.5 per cent) during the second leg and registered four times as many shots as their opponents did (30 to seven), hitting the woodwork four times.

  "In decisive Champions League matches, when you're not effective in both boxes, it's difficult to get through to the next round," Mbappe added. "Even more so when we're talking about a final.

  "We're certainly disappointed, but it's not all doom and gloom. We need to build on that and keep working, because I'm sure we'll get there."