The kind of night every football fan dreams of – what we all have been waiting for. It’s the UEFA Champions League final in Paris on Saturday, May 28. When we say that a UCL final should have some depth, some form of rivalry, Liverpool versus Real Madrid is one of such spectacles, as the 13-time champions take against the 6-time champions. That will be the exact case on Saturday.
The Los Blancos will be looking to win their 14th European Cup while Liverpool are playing for a seventh Champions League title. For Madrid, it’s the fifth Champions League final in the last eight years while Liverpool are making their third in five years.
Considering their recent dominance, Jurgen Klopp’s men are the odds-on favourites to win, albeit only by a small margin, although very little separates both teams on paper.
If there are any two managers who know the importance of these fixtures, it has got to be Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp, both of whom have won and lost Champions League titles before.
Liverpool were one of three clubs with a perfect record in the group stages. The Royal Whites, on the other hand, finished first in Group D after six games, allowing only one defeat.
WHAT IS AT STAKE?
Prior to the end of the season, the Reds were looking to win the quadruple – the EFL Cup, the FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League were all trophies they had their sights on.
However, Klopp and his troop won the FA Cup but failed to match Manchester City on the final day of the Premier League despite beating Wolverhampton Wanderers.
What that means is that Liverpool can still do the ‘treble’ by winning the Champions League. But that will have to come at the hardest part of beating Madrid, a team they lost to in 2018 final.
Ancelotti is not new to the European finals with Real Madrid. He was the gaffer who broke the club’s jinx of not winning the title when they beat Atletico Madrid in 2014 to end their drought.
In Liverpool, Ancelotti faces a side he has cried and laughed against (losing the UCL final in 2005 and winning it in 2007).
Coincidentally, Real’s most recent UCL final defeat was during the 1980/1981 season. On May 27, 1981, at a crowded Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Real Madrid lost the final by a single goal scored by none other than Liverpool’s ace striker of the time, Ian Rush.
WHEN & WHERE?
Venue – Parc des Princes.
Date – Saturday, May 28, 2022.
Time – 20:00 GMT
TEAM NEWS
For Liverpool, in the last days, concern grew over the availability of Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, Mohamed Salah and Thiago Alcantara as they prepared for the big game.
However, all but Thiago looks to be the likely player to be out of the final in Paris. The midfielder came off with a hamstring injury during the FA Cup final against Chelsea.
With the exception of the Spaniard, the German will charge in full force from rear to front. Salah, Mane, and Diaz, the successful new front three, are anticipated to be released for the last time this season.
Having won the Spanish La Liga title as early as matchday 34, there was little to stress about except for the impressive comeback win over Manchester City in the semifinal to book a last two spot in the Champions League.
Hence, Madrid have not had issues with injury although it looked as if Gareth Bale was bound to be the one to suffer casualty after failing to be available for his last game at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Betis.
In a list released ahead of the Champions League final, everyone is available for selection for Ancelotti, including the Wales international while Eden Hazard, who is said to have made a great return to training, is also included in the team.
READ: How important has Rodrygo Goes been for Real Madrid this season?
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Liverpool predicted XI vs Real Madrid: Alisson; Trent, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Mane, Diaz.
Real Madrid predicted XI vs Liverpool: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius.
PREDICTION
Liverpool 1-2 Real Madrid.
