Champions League final: 'He can hurt anyone' – Jadon Sancho urged to play with 'swagger' against Real Madrid

Jadon Sancho needs to play with "swagger" against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final to remind the football world of his star quality.

That’s the view of Owen Hargreaves ahead of European football’s biggest match as Sancho’s Dortmund face the Spanish giants at Wembley on Saturday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Sancho made the switch back to the Bundesliga side on loan this season, having initially left the club for Manchester United in a blockbuster £73 million deal in 2021.

Following his return, the 24-year-old has played a key role in helping Dortmund reach the final, including a player of the match display against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the semi-finals – a match in which he amassed 12 dribbles, the most in a single match in the competition this season.

His upturn in fortunes comes after a difficult and inconsistent spell at Old Trafford in which he struggled to command a place in the starting XI, but speaking to TNT Sports, pundit Hargreaves said he was pleased to see him rediscover his form.

“I was really happy for Jadon because he's obviously had a tough time,” said the former England midfielder. “He just showed everybody what Jadon Sancho was capable of. And that's all it is. What you’ve got to do is show people.

“I think a lot of people forgot Jadon had that. Whether it's confidence or fitness or whatever, in the biggest game of the season [against PSG], Jadon had it and that's all professional sports is - you’ve got to have it when you need it.”

Real Madrid, going into the game as favourites, will present the toughest of challenges for both Sancho and his Dortmund team-mates, but Hargreaves has backed the winger to demonstrate his ability once again on the biggest stage.

“He’s got a tough task against [Real left-back Ferland] Mendy, who is super explosive,” observed Hargreaves. “He's going to have to do those Jadon characteristics, drop the shoulder, and get him off balance. But I think if Jadon plays with confidence, he's shown he can hurt anyone.

“I'm sure Real Madrid are going to try and have a plan for him, but it's just confidence for Jadon. He's got to play with that swagger. It all starts with the first few touches and I think if they're confident ones, he looks like he has this belief about him.”

Sancho initially arrived at Dortmund as a teenager after leaving Manchester City and lit up German football in his first spell at the club, scoring 50 times and registering 64 assists across all competitions in 137 matches.

A big-money move to United followed but he struggled amid managerial changes, form and fitness issues and a public falling out with Old Trafford boss Erik ten Hag, which saw a notable drop in output to just 12 goals and six assists in 82 appearances.

Made available on loan, Sancho returned to the Bundesliga in January where he was able to find his feet once more.

“The difference between the way he is playing at Dortmund and United is pretty vast,” said Hargreaves. “One thing I would say is at United he didn’t show the form we all thought he would, but also he was rotated and changed a lot, whereas at Dortmund he pretty much knows he's going to play and I think that gives you a different level of confidence, because you're not always looking over your shoulder, if you're going to get dropped.

“The environment plays a big part, there are lots of factors, but in the end, if you're a football player, you’ve got to go play well. That's what it comes down to.

“Sometimes you don't feel good, sometimes you feel good, but in the end, you’ve still got to find a way to get your job done.

“And so it's a massive game for Jadon to show everybody what he is capable of.”

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