The most prestigious trophy in world club football is to be won. Liverpool take on Real Madrid in the Champions League final: here is everything we know.
Two worthy contenders competed against the best and now face one another to become European champions. Liverpool meet Real Madrid in Kiev on Saturday, after dispatching Roma and Bayern Munich respectively.
This season’s biggest match will most likely be decided by one of either club’s deadly ‘big-three’. Madrid have Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. Matched by the Reds’ Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
Obviously attacking players are regularly match winners. Yet there will be nothing exceptional here like tight defending and a 1-0, as we see often in tense-finals. There could be midfield inspiration, although the forward-trios are probable heroes.
It will be the 18th time either club has lifted the coveted Champions League (formerly European Cup) trophy. Real Madrid have 12 titles, and Liverpool five.
In all previous competitive meetings between them, there have only been five matches. And it is close: Liverpool winning three and Los Blancos two.
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Former Liverpool player Jason McAteer named his choice for Madrid’s weakest link. It is surprising to learn he nominated Sergio Ramos. He exclaimed Raphael Varane comparable to a ‘Rolls-Royce’, while Ramos is a ‘ticking time-bomb’. Something to monitor.
Team news
Talking to liverpool.com on the plane to Kiev, Jurgen Klopp gave important insight. Emre Can and James Milner are pronounced fit for Saturday’s final. Adam Lallana is available for selection once again.
The Merseysiders will probably line-up as they did in the second-leg match against Roma. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is the notable absentee from the first-leg. Injury has ended 2017/18 for him. Joel Matip and Joe Gomez are still sidelined for the Reds.
According to Express.co.uk Zinedine Zidane, “has the luxury of a fully fit squad to choose from”.
Prediction
Seems like most media outlets, pundits, experts and fans have chosen Madrid as their favourite to triumph. English challengers Liverpool heard and saw this previously; before dismantling some of England’s, along with Europe’s, elite.
Having chosen Liverpool successfully – while somewhat precariously – against Manchester City, I will stick by them. It would also be positive for English football to break Spain’s four-year dominance. Chelsea were the last premiership club to lift the cup in 2012.
Danger-men
I anticipate either Ronaldo or Salah to win the tie. Both wingers-turned-forwards have scored 44 goals this term. However, during a pre-match press conference, Zidane claimed he would not swap players. This despite the Portuguese being eight years older than his Egyptian counterpart.
Key matchup: Marcelo verses Salah. Marcelo is generally considered the best left-back in football. He is an excellent defender, yet it his attacking prowess which often generates praise. This could be the answer for the Reds: there will be space for Salah to exploit. We all know what happens when he is not marked properly!
Klopp’s ‘presser‘ ended with humour. The announcer told media they are ‘free to view Liverpool’s training session from 6pm-7pm Ukraine time.’
"“That was not my idea, by the way,” quipped Klopp."
Please tell us who you believe will lift the Champions League trophy in the comments.