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So the big day coming up on Saturday.
Who are the favourites and who in your view will be the winner?
Who are the favourites and who in your view will be the winner?
-
Contact the PP Team
Real Madrid win 14th European title in 1-0 UEFA Champions League 2021/22 final win over Liverpool
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Mamoon
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Tough to call but I hope Madrid wins.
Liverpool are overconfident, Benzema rightly pointed out that they are acting as if they have already won.
Salah embarrassed himself with the revenge comments - there is no revenge, Liverpool lost the final in 2018 fair and square and Mr. diver left the pitch in tears.
If Liverpool win, it would be a wonderful achievement for an incredible team, but it has nothing to do with what happened in 2018.
They should be more classy and gracious and not rub it in just like Milan didn’t rub it in in 2007 when they settled scores with Liverpool for the 2005 fluke.
Klopp is amazing but also a massive sour loser. He makes the worst possible excuses and always whines whenever Liverpool don’t win.
Whenever Liverpool draw or lose, he complains about the playing style of the opposition as if it is the duty of every team to play a style of football that suits Liverpool.
His comments after the 1-1 draw against Spurs were embarrassing, a result that cost Liverpool the title.
As far as the final is concerned, they key deciding factor would be Vinicius vs Trent.
Trent is a poor defender and slow as a turtle, but most teams do not have explosive LWs who can take him on and push in his own half.
Any team that has managed to target his defensive weaknesses and stopped him from bombing forward all the time has been able to hurt Liverpool. This was also key to Spurs getting a point at Anfield.
Trent is a genius on the ball, as good as any full-back ever. If Madrid can force him to defend more, it can be a deciding factor for them.
Liverpool are overconfident, Benzema rightly pointed out that they are acting as if they have already won.
Salah embarrassed himself with the revenge comments - there is no revenge, Liverpool lost the final in 2018 fair and square and Mr. diver left the pitch in tears.
If Liverpool win, it would be a wonderful achievement for an incredible team, but it has nothing to do with what happened in 2018.
They should be more classy and gracious and not rub it in just like Milan didn’t rub it in in 2007 when they settled scores with Liverpool for the 2005 fluke.
Klopp is amazing but also a massive sour loser. He makes the worst possible excuses and always whines whenever Liverpool don’t win.
Whenever Liverpool draw or lose, he complains about the playing style of the opposition as if it is the duty of every team to play a style of football that suits Liverpool.
His comments after the 1-1 draw against Spurs were embarrassing, a result that cost Liverpool the title.
As far as the final is concerned, they key deciding factor would be Vinicius vs Trent.
Trent is a poor defender and slow as a turtle, but most teams do not have explosive LWs who can take him on and push in his own half.
Any team that has managed to target his defensive weaknesses and stopped him from bombing forward all the time has been able to hurt Liverpool. This was also key to Spurs getting a point at Anfield.
Trent is a genius on the ball, as good as any full-back ever. If Madrid can force him to defend more, it can be a deciding factor for them.
KingKhanWC
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This could be a classic CL final.
If Liverpool play at anywhere near 90% , the team should cruise this final.
But this is unlikely due to the huge prize on offer, there will be plenty of nerves.
Madrids team would have finished no more than 70 points if it was in the Premier League. A lot of old players but also means they have experience esp if they are leading with less than 30 mins to play. Therefore its crucial for Liverpool to start with energy and pace. Take the match to the Real defence who are very dodgy at best.
Madrid will rely on Junior and Benzema on the left hand side which will be a challenge for us but we are used to teams playing this strategy.
My prediction.
Liverpool 3-1 Madrid
If Liverpool play at anywhere near 90% , the team should cruise this final.
But this is unlikely due to the huge prize on offer, there will be plenty of nerves.
Madrids team would have finished no more than 70 points if it was in the Premier League. A lot of old players but also means they have experience esp if they are leading with less than 30 mins to play. Therefore its crucial for Liverpool to start with energy and pace. Take the match to the Real defence who are very dodgy at best.
Madrid will rely on Junior and Benzema on the left hand side which will be a challenge for us but we are used to teams playing this strategy.
My prediction.
Liverpool 3-1 Madrid
Kianig89
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Either team will win after extra time too tough to call out
in_cutter
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Tough one to call. RM are a nightmare to play against- they just don’t give.
in_cutter
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Which manager does not whinge after losing? Infact Arteta is up there.
As for the final, it’s a hard one to call.
topspin
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If Liverpool stop Benzema from scoring, I'm certain they'll win it.
I believe Benzema has scored in all of the knockout games. He's been so clinical in front of goal and those hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea were amazing.
Vinicius will cause TAA problems.
Liverpool are favourites but I reckon Real Madrid will win because of Benzema and also because Salah's form has dipped ever since he returned from AFCON.
I believe Benzema has scored in all of the knockout games. He's been so clinical in front of goal and those hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea were amazing.
Vinicius will cause TAA problems.
Liverpool are favourites but I reckon Real Madrid will win because of Benzema and also because Salah's form has dipped ever since he returned from AFCON.
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<b>Jurgen Klopp teases Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti about Liverpool’s comeback win over AC Milan in 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul</b>
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp joked about not knowing who managed AC Milan when the Reds spectacularly beat them in the Champions League final in 2005.
Klopp was in a joyous mood during an interview with BT Sport, ahead of his side’s clash against Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday night.
Liverpool are set to go head-to-head with familiar European rivals, Real Madrid, once again, this time in the French capital.
Klopp’s side are hoping to get revenge for the heartbreak suffered against Los Blancos in Kyiv in 2018.
The Reds subsequently lost the match 3-1 after Mohamed Salah left the pitch in tears following an injury from Sergio Ramos.
However, it wasn’t all bad as Liverpool followed it up a year later with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham in Madrid to win their sixth trophy.
Liverpool are set to take on Carlo Ancelotti once again, who was in the dugout in Istanbul 17-years ago when Liverpool came back from 3-0 down before edging the clash on a penalty shootout.
The Italian took charge of a star-studded Milan side at the time that included the likes of Kaka, Hernan Crespo, Paolo Maldini and Andriy Shevchenko.
Liverpool lifted their fifth European Cup in 2005 after coming back from 3-0 down against AC Milan to win on penalties.
“I am not sure if I watched it fully that night, but of course, 2005 Liverpool won, so yeah big comeback, things like this,” Klopp said.
“Since I am here, everybody told me about it, you don’t have to ask, you get told these stories without asking.
“Great story being 3-0 down, coming back to 3-3 and winning in the penalty shootout. The chances [Jerzy] Dudek denied against a really strong AC Milan side. Yeah, massive.”
“Who was the coach of AC Milan that night?,” a mischievous Klopp teased.
“[Carlo] Ancelotti,” the interviewer replied.
“Ah, yeah, I know! [Laughs]… Carlo, we are coming!”
https://talksport.com/football/11188...-league-final/
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp joked about not knowing who managed AC Milan when the Reds spectacularly beat them in the Champions League final in 2005.
Klopp was in a joyous mood during an interview with BT Sport, ahead of his side’s clash against Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday night.
Liverpool are set to go head-to-head with familiar European rivals, Real Madrid, once again, this time in the French capital.
Klopp’s side are hoping to get revenge for the heartbreak suffered against Los Blancos in Kyiv in 2018.
The Reds subsequently lost the match 3-1 after Mohamed Salah left the pitch in tears following an injury from Sergio Ramos.
However, it wasn’t all bad as Liverpool followed it up a year later with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham in Madrid to win their sixth trophy.
Liverpool are set to take on Carlo Ancelotti once again, who was in the dugout in Istanbul 17-years ago when Liverpool came back from 3-0 down before edging the clash on a penalty shootout.
The Italian took charge of a star-studded Milan side at the time that included the likes of Kaka, Hernan Crespo, Paolo Maldini and Andriy Shevchenko.
Liverpool lifted their fifth European Cup in 2005 after coming back from 3-0 down against AC Milan to win on penalties.
“I am not sure if I watched it fully that night, but of course, 2005 Liverpool won, so yeah big comeback, things like this,” Klopp said.
“Since I am here, everybody told me about it, you don’t have to ask, you get told these stories without asking.
“Great story being 3-0 down, coming back to 3-3 and winning in the penalty shootout. The chances [Jerzy] Dudek denied against a really strong AC Milan side. Yeah, massive.”
“Who was the coach of AC Milan that night?,” a mischievous Klopp teased.
“[Carlo] Ancelotti,” the interviewer replied.
“Ah, yeah, I know! [Laughs]… Carlo, we are coming!”
https://talksport.com/football/11188...-league-final/
KingKhanWC
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Benzema will have to deal with the best defender in the world, Virgil. Virgil has owned every striker put up against him so shouldnt have much of a problem , unless he can be pulled out of position by one of Madrids wingers.
Salah's form has been decent but of course not on par with his form in the first half of the season which was alien to normal PL football. Salah scoring against Wolves, gave him confidence even in a non trophy cause. I feel he will be on top form, just needs to be clinical in front of goal & aware of finding other forwards. Alongside Diaz on the other flank, both should run riot against the Madrid defence.
Paris will be a lovely clear night around 18c, perfect for playing a football match. The Paris pitch is the same size as Madrids , while slightly smaller than Anfield. But I see this is as an advantage for Liverpool as we stretch out the pitch better than any other team.
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Champions League final: Jamie Carragher confident Liverpool will beat Real Madrid but Gary Neville disagrees
Jamie Carragher says he is "confident" that Liverpool will beat Real Madrid in Saturday's Champions League final as the Spanish side have "carried a lot of luck" to be in the showpiece event in Paris.
Jurgen Klopp's Reds are looking for their third trophy of the season after claiming the FA and Carabao Cups earlier in the campaign.
Carlo Ancelotti's Real - who are 13-times winners of the competition - will pose a difficult task having knocked out Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain on the way to the final. But Carragher believes Los Blancos had a lot of luck in those knockout victories, which saw the Spanish giants come from behind to win those ties.
Carragher told Sky Bet's The Overlap podcast: "I've watched Real Madrid in the Champions League this season and they've lost more games in the Champions League than Liverpool have lost all season in all competitions.
"Real Madrid are a very good team but they're not as good as Man City and I don't think they're as good as Chelsea - even though they beat both of them.
"You can spin it both ways with the spirit, the winning, the coming back, but they've carried a lot of luck in those games, which you need. If you win every game in the last minute coming from behind, if you're that good a team you don't get yourself in that position all the time.
"Man City should have battered them, they should have won [their semi-final first leg ] 6-2 at home - and then they're 3-0 down at home to Chelsea.
"Of course, Real can win - it's a one-off game. I just think if City or Liverpool were playing Real Madrid in a one-off game, having their team and playing near their best, they'd win the game. I'm confident."
https://www.skysports.com/football/...l-beat-real-madrid-but-gary-neville-disagrees
Jamie Carragher says he is "confident" that Liverpool will beat Real Madrid in Saturday's Champions League final as the Spanish side have "carried a lot of luck" to be in the showpiece event in Paris.
Jurgen Klopp's Reds are looking for their third trophy of the season after claiming the FA and Carabao Cups earlier in the campaign.
Carlo Ancelotti's Real - who are 13-times winners of the competition - will pose a difficult task having knocked out Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain on the way to the final. But Carragher believes Los Blancos had a lot of luck in those knockout victories, which saw the Spanish giants come from behind to win those ties.
Carragher told Sky Bet's The Overlap podcast: "I've watched Real Madrid in the Champions League this season and they've lost more games in the Champions League than Liverpool have lost all season in all competitions.
"Real Madrid are a very good team but they're not as good as Man City and I don't think they're as good as Chelsea - even though they beat both of them.
"You can spin it both ways with the spirit, the winning, the coming back, but they've carried a lot of luck in those games, which you need. If you win every game in the last minute coming from behind, if you're that good a team you don't get yourself in that position all the time.
"Man City should have battered them, they should have won [their semi-final first leg ] 6-2 at home - and then they're 3-0 down at home to Chelsea.
"Of course, Real can win - it's a one-off game. I just think if City or Liverpool were playing Real Madrid in a one-off game, having their team and playing near their best, they'd win the game. I'm confident."
https://www.skysports.com/football/...l-beat-real-madrid-but-gary-neville-disagrees
All Liverpool fans are extremely confident about winning and although they're the stronger team on paper but they should keep in mind that they only have 1 CL title in last 17 years & that too vs SPURS who are perennial losers & bottlers.
Liverpool maybe the favorites but just marginal favorites & the final scoreline would most likely be 2-1 in favor of either team or it will be decided on penalties, not like Liverpool fans & pundits are predicting 3-1, 4-1.
Liverpool maybe the favorites but just marginal favorites & the final scoreline would most likely be 2-1 in favor of either team or it will be decided on penalties, not like Liverpool fans & pundits are predicting 3-1, 4-1.
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This has already been a season like no other for Liverpool, and it's only right they have a chance to end it in style.
Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid has been the focus since the dying moments of the Premier League campaign last weekend, when everyone at Anfield realised the title - and their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple - were gone.
However things had turned out, though, the important thing was that there was always one more game to go.
We already know what to expect from Jurgen Klopp's side in Paris, because we have seen it for the past 10 months now.
To win the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and push Manchester City all the way in the league, they have needed the same outlook that has brought them so many of their victories this season - a calmness and belief that their quality will get them over the line in the end.
Lots of things have come together to get them to this point, but back in August there were plenty of reasons people doubted whether Liverpool would win anything at all this season, let alone having a chance of ending it with three trophies.
Every great team has to overcome adversity at some stage and Liverpool certainly did that 12 months ago to turn things around at the very end of a disappointing and injury-plagued campaign.
It has undoubtedly set them up for what they have achieved this season too - it's easy to forget they almost didn't get a chance to go for a quadruple at all, yet they ended up coming closer to a historic clean sweep than any English team has done before.
You look at this team and what they are doing now and you think going for the Champions League and challenging for the title is just where they should be because of the quality they have.
But they wouldn't even have made it into last season's top four but for Alisson's extraordinary 95th-minute winner against West Brom last May.
It was almost written in the stars that the Brazil goalkeeper would be the player to do something amazing like that, after his father, Jose, had drowned in a tragic accident a few weeks earlier.
There was far more to their turnaround than just that moment, though. It was the last 10 league games that were the key to salvaging that campaign - Liverpool won eight and drew two of them.
The revival was sparked by Klopp's decision to move Fabinho from a makeshift defender role back into midfield, as the screen in front of two young centre-backs. It worked, brilliantly.
As well as securing third place, that run of results changed the mood around the club. It boosted the players' confidence, and affected the way the fans were thinking.
Instead of being worried about what was to come, they turned up for the start of this season anticipating the same sort of performances and results, and the team have delivered.
Back in August, I never even contemplated that Liverpool would end up winning both domestic cups.
Since he arrived at the club in 2015, Klopp had never prioritised either the League Cup or FA Cup and it was the same in the early stages of both competitions this time too.
He put young sides out but they got through each round, and he got a bit fortunate with the draws - which you need to be - along the way.
There were still some big hurdles to get past, of course. They ended up beating City on the way to lifting the FA Cup and had to overcome Chelsea in both finals, so you could never say they did it the easy way.
But Klopp did not go into this season and announce 'we're going for everything'. It is the way it fell, and sometimes that works out just great.
They have proved plenty of people wrong along the way, and it was the same in the Premier League too.
I didn't put them in the hunt for the title before the season started because I thought January - when Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane went away for the Africa Cup of Nations - would prove too big a problem.
I was also unsure whether we would see the best of Virgil van Dijk on his return from an eight-month absence with a cruciate ligament injury.
I don't think anyone envisaged him playing virtually every game, but he has. When a centre-half has been rested it's usually been Joel Matip or Ibrahima Konate - Van Dijk has been just as awesome a presence as he was before.
You have to give credit to Klopp and his staff for managing his return but Van Dijk deserves some too, because he said he would not play for the Netherlands in the European Championship in order to focus on his recovery.
He wanted to be ready for Liverpool's season. In hindsight, what a crucial decision that was.
Klopp's ability to manage his squad and rest players at key times has obviously been pivotal in landing so many trophies this season.
But last summer, I don't think people appreciated how much depth he had.
Maybe it was because we were yet to see the very best of Thiago Alcantara, but midfield was a potential problem because of Georginio Wijnaldum's departure to Paris St-Germain.
That wasn't just because of how good Wijnaldum was - it was also his injury record. He was always fit and available for every game, while everyone else in there seemed to miss matches.
It felt like Liverpool lost their mainstay when he left, but in the end it didn't matter.
It was the same in January and the start of February when they won all six games they played in all competitions while Salah and Mane were away at Afcon.
To get through that period and stay in contention for everything was huge… and can you imagine the buzz in the dressing room when those two came back? Everyone would have been thinking 'we are going to kick on even more'.
Toughness, arrogance and bravery
Luis Diaz's signing in January turned out to be another Klopp masterstroke because he has brought something fresh to Liverpool's attack, but I would say the team has been evolving anyway.
A couple of years ago, it felt as if they had to be this dominant side who blew teams away in order to succeed. Now they have different ways to win games.
It means they can play open, expansive football when it works - but they can also be a counter-attacking side or even be dogged and defensive when it is needed.
What I've noticed more this season is their ability to squeeze the pitch and condense the play into the areas they want. They play with such a high line but their ability to catch the opposition offside is just phenomenal.
Another reason that works so well is Alisson - if people do beat their offside trap, they can rely on him being incredible in one-on-one situations.
It still takes such bravery to set up like that, and leave yourself open, but Liverpool are happy to do it.
It's part of what makes them a great team - they have got a toughness and an arrogance, plus an understanding that they need to take risks sometimes in order to win a game.
No-one is surprised by Liverpool any more
Liverpool suffocate teams by being horrible to play against but they have patience too, which means they don't panic if the goals don't come or things don't go their way.
The fans are the same. I actually noticed the change in their attitude a few years ago, when Liverpool came back from 1-0 down to beat Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield in December 2018.
They expect the team to find an answer, like they did in winning their final four league games of the season after going behind on each occasion.
There is a calmness about this Liverpool side and that's why no-one gave up on the title either, even when City were a long way in front in January.
The gap is always talked about as having been 14 points but in reality it was a little less than that because of Liverpool's two games in hand.
Still, eight points is a lot to make up on a team as good as City and just taking them to the final day of the season was a great achievement.
It didn't quite happen for them on Sunday, but Liverpool can look back without any regrets because they found a way to take care of their own business, and beat Wolves.
They have become very good at doing that. This has already been a season beyond anyone's expectations - but if Liverpool do finish it off by beating Real Madrid then I don't think anyone would be surprised.
BBC analysis
Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid has been the focus since the dying moments of the Premier League campaign last weekend, when everyone at Anfield realised the title - and their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple - were gone.
However things had turned out, though, the important thing was that there was always one more game to go.
We already know what to expect from Jurgen Klopp's side in Paris, because we have seen it for the past 10 months now.
To win the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and push Manchester City all the way in the league, they have needed the same outlook that has brought them so many of their victories this season - a calmness and belief that their quality will get them over the line in the end.
Lots of things have come together to get them to this point, but back in August there were plenty of reasons people doubted whether Liverpool would win anything at all this season, let alone having a chance of ending it with three trophies.
Every great team has to overcome adversity at some stage and Liverpool certainly did that 12 months ago to turn things around at the very end of a disappointing and injury-plagued campaign.
It has undoubtedly set them up for what they have achieved this season too - it's easy to forget they almost didn't get a chance to go for a quadruple at all, yet they ended up coming closer to a historic clean sweep than any English team has done before.
You look at this team and what they are doing now and you think going for the Champions League and challenging for the title is just where they should be because of the quality they have.
But they wouldn't even have made it into last season's top four but for Alisson's extraordinary 95th-minute winner against West Brom last May.
It was almost written in the stars that the Brazil goalkeeper would be the player to do something amazing like that, after his father, Jose, had drowned in a tragic accident a few weeks earlier.
There was far more to their turnaround than just that moment, though. It was the last 10 league games that were the key to salvaging that campaign - Liverpool won eight and drew two of them.
The revival was sparked by Klopp's decision to move Fabinho from a makeshift defender role back into midfield, as the screen in front of two young centre-backs. It worked, brilliantly.
As well as securing third place, that run of results changed the mood around the club. It boosted the players' confidence, and affected the way the fans were thinking.
Instead of being worried about what was to come, they turned up for the start of this season anticipating the same sort of performances and results, and the team have delivered.
Back in August, I never even contemplated that Liverpool would end up winning both domestic cups.
Since he arrived at the club in 2015, Klopp had never prioritised either the League Cup or FA Cup and it was the same in the early stages of both competitions this time too.
He put young sides out but they got through each round, and he got a bit fortunate with the draws - which you need to be - along the way.
There were still some big hurdles to get past, of course. They ended up beating City on the way to lifting the FA Cup and had to overcome Chelsea in both finals, so you could never say they did it the easy way.
But Klopp did not go into this season and announce 'we're going for everything'. It is the way it fell, and sometimes that works out just great.
They have proved plenty of people wrong along the way, and it was the same in the Premier League too.
I didn't put them in the hunt for the title before the season started because I thought January - when Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane went away for the Africa Cup of Nations - would prove too big a problem.
I was also unsure whether we would see the best of Virgil van Dijk on his return from an eight-month absence with a cruciate ligament injury.
I don't think anyone envisaged him playing virtually every game, but he has. When a centre-half has been rested it's usually been Joel Matip or Ibrahima Konate - Van Dijk has been just as awesome a presence as he was before.
You have to give credit to Klopp and his staff for managing his return but Van Dijk deserves some too, because he said he would not play for the Netherlands in the European Championship in order to focus on his recovery.
He wanted to be ready for Liverpool's season. In hindsight, what a crucial decision that was.
Klopp's ability to manage his squad and rest players at key times has obviously been pivotal in landing so many trophies this season.
But last summer, I don't think people appreciated how much depth he had.
Maybe it was because we were yet to see the very best of Thiago Alcantara, but midfield was a potential problem because of Georginio Wijnaldum's departure to Paris St-Germain.
That wasn't just because of how good Wijnaldum was - it was also his injury record. He was always fit and available for every game, while everyone else in there seemed to miss matches.
It felt like Liverpool lost their mainstay when he left, but in the end it didn't matter.
It was the same in January and the start of February when they won all six games they played in all competitions while Salah and Mane were away at Afcon.
To get through that period and stay in contention for everything was huge… and can you imagine the buzz in the dressing room when those two came back? Everyone would have been thinking 'we are going to kick on even more'.
Toughness, arrogance and bravery
Luis Diaz's signing in January turned out to be another Klopp masterstroke because he has brought something fresh to Liverpool's attack, but I would say the team has been evolving anyway.
A couple of years ago, it felt as if they had to be this dominant side who blew teams away in order to succeed. Now they have different ways to win games.
It means they can play open, expansive football when it works - but they can also be a counter-attacking side or even be dogged and defensive when it is needed.
What I've noticed more this season is their ability to squeeze the pitch and condense the play into the areas they want. They play with such a high line but their ability to catch the opposition offside is just phenomenal.
Another reason that works so well is Alisson - if people do beat their offside trap, they can rely on him being incredible in one-on-one situations.
It still takes such bravery to set up like that, and leave yourself open, but Liverpool are happy to do it.
It's part of what makes them a great team - they have got a toughness and an arrogance, plus an understanding that they need to take risks sometimes in order to win a game.
No-one is surprised by Liverpool any more
Liverpool suffocate teams by being horrible to play against but they have patience too, which means they don't panic if the goals don't come or things don't go their way.
The fans are the same. I actually noticed the change in their attitude a few years ago, when Liverpool came back from 1-0 down to beat Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield in December 2018.
They expect the team to find an answer, like they did in winning their final four league games of the season after going behind on each occasion.
There is a calmness about this Liverpool side and that's why no-one gave up on the title either, even when City were a long way in front in January.
The gap is always talked about as having been 14 points but in reality it was a little less than that because of Liverpool's two games in hand.
Still, eight points is a lot to make up on a team as good as City and just taking them to the final day of the season was a great achievement.
It didn't quite happen for them on Sunday, but Liverpool can look back without any regrets because they found a way to take care of their own business, and beat Wolves.
They have become very good at doing that. This has already been a season beyond anyone's expectations - but if Liverpool do finish it off by beating Real Madrid then I don't think anyone would be surprised.
BBC analysis
in_cutter
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‘All’? And what else do you expect…negativity?
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'Real Madrid are not weaker than last final against Liverpool'
Liverpool v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live:
"Of course we lost Cristiano [ Ronaldo] who was a very good asset for us, scoring 40 or 50 goals every season. But Karim Benzema is in very good shape and Vinicius Junior has been a surprise, the way he has been playing recently and Rodrygo too.
"We have a very good midfield with Toni Kroos and Casemiro, the defence is also very strong and the goalkeeper too. I don't think it's weaker than the last time we met Liverpool in the final but Liverpool have improved a lot in the last three or four years.
"These matches are decided by small details and this will certainly be the case tomorrow night."
Liverpool v Real Madrid (Sat, 20:00 BST)
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live:
"Of course we lost Cristiano [ Ronaldo] who was a very good asset for us, scoring 40 or 50 goals every season. But Karim Benzema is in very good shape and Vinicius Junior has been a surprise, the way he has been playing recently and Rodrygo too.
"We have a very good midfield with Toni Kroos and Casemiro, the defence is also very strong and the goalkeeper too. I don't think it's weaker than the last time we met Liverpool in the final but Liverpool have improved a lot in the last three or four years.
"These matches are decided by small details and this will certainly be the case tomorrow night."
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Mohamed Salah's Champions League final motivation was summed up in a six-word tweet posted moments after Real Madrid completed a dramatic resurrection against Manchester City to set up a meeting in Paris.
"We have a score to settle," announced Salah, a superstar of few words but barely able to conceal the hint of menace in his message to the team responsible for the worst night of his Liverpool career.
When Liverpool meet Real Madrid in the Stade de France on Saturday, memories of a balmy May evening in Kyiv four years ago - when Jurgen Klopp's side were beaten 3-1 - will be painfully revived for Salah.
That night in Ukraine contained many striking images, from the sight of Liverpool keeper Loris Karius alone and in tears at the final whistle after his calamitous performance gifted Real two goals, to the acrobatic bicycle kick from Gareth Bale to put Real on the path to victory.
But for Liverpool, it was the sight of a tearful Salah receiving a consoling pat from Cristiano Ronaldo as he walked off heartbroken after only 30 minutes, following a mischievous tangle with Real's enforcer-in-chief Sergio Ramos that encapsulated the agony.
Ramos, of course, pleaded his innocence but Salah and Liverpool will never sway from the belief he was targeted by a master of the defensive dark arts, a challenge and fall that caused serious damage to Salah's shoulder, forcing his early departure.
Liverpool manager Klopp was measured as he said: "I don't believe in revenge or think revenge is a fantastic idea. I understand what Mo said. He wants to put it right, but in Germany we say you always meet twice in life."
Klopp's words somewhat overlook the fact that he and Salah actually met Real Madrid again and came out on the wrong end of a 3-1 aggregate score in last season's quarter-final. However, those games were staged in surreal atmospheres behind closed doors.
This is different. This is the Champions League final and there can be no question that Salah will be, as he said himself, "very motivated - motivated through the roof".
Klopp may play down talk of revenge, but Salah's tweet told the tale. If revenge is a dish best served cold, Salah wants to pluck something right from the bottom of the deep freeze for Carlo Ancelotti's side.
And this is a much more powerful and rounded Liverpool than the side overcome by Real Madrid following Salah's injury and rare managerial mis-step from Klopp, who paid a heavy price for keeping faith with a goalkeeper in Karius who was nowhere near the required standard.
Salah was having a stellar first season at Liverpool with 44 goals in 51 games before that 2018 final. When he went off he was replaced by Adam Lallana, who had only made 14 appearances and played 395 minutes without scoring a goal that season.
This is no slight on Lallana, merely confirmation that Klopp was juggling limited resources last time the Reds met Real in the Champions League final. Now he has vast riches at his disposal.
Klopp would never want to lose Salah, although the FA Cup was won against Chelsea after he suffered a first-half injury. Liverpool now have a dazzling array of attacking options should problems arise.
As well as Salah, Liverpool have the tried and trusted Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, as well as free-scoring Diogo Jota plus the explosive Colombian Luis Diaz, a transformative January signing from Porto.
Salah is still Liverpool's main man when it comes to goals, with 31 goals in 50 appearances this season, and Saturday is the chance for Liverpool, not just the Anfield idol known as 'The Egyptian King', to set the record straight.
Stade de France was bathed in warm sunshine and heavy humidity on Thursday afternoon as the pageantry was being planned and the final touches put in place for Europe's biggest club occasion, which will have Salah as one of its star turns.
The teams arrive on Friday, when Klopp and Ancelotti, seeking a record fourth Champions League win as a manager, will face the media, and Liverpool and Real will train on a surface that was still being worked on throughout Thursday.
Klopp's playing down of the revenge motive may well have been a psychological ploy to stop Salah taking too much on his own shoulders, trying too hard when his side have enough weaponry to go around.
Salah has dominated the build-up to this showpiece and, as Liverpool fans started to arrive in the French capital on Thursday, pouring off Eurostar at Gare du Nord, the 29-year-old's name and image were very much in evidence.
It is not just that Salah is clearly intent on writing a redemption story, the sub-plot also features his own long-term future at Anfield.
The new contract Liverpool want Salah to commit to remains unsigned and while his declaration that he will be at Anfield "for sure" next season is a short-term lift, it does not clarify whether he will commit to the club. Indeed, it only adds to the possibility he could walk away for free in 12 months' time. Salah certainly holds all the cards.
But this, for now, is a side issue.
The main priority is Saturday in the swirling bowl of Stade de France.
Salah has waited two years since he sat in a Kyiv hospital, helpless and in agony, as Liverpool suffered that agonising defeat. The tweet once the date with Real Madrid was set in the diary was concrete evidence of just how much this means to him.
Liverpool's dream of a historic quadruple is over after Manchester City's miraculous five minutes against Aston Villa clinched the Premier League on the final day of the season, but the Champions League can still complete a magnificent treble trophy haul with the EFL Cup and FA Cup already safely pocketed.
And no-one in the Stade de France will be more determined to make that happen than Mohamed Salah, a man on a mission that has been two years in the making.
BBC
"We have a score to settle," announced Salah, a superstar of few words but barely able to conceal the hint of menace in his message to the team responsible for the worst night of his Liverpool career.
When Liverpool meet Real Madrid in the Stade de France on Saturday, memories of a balmy May evening in Kyiv four years ago - when Jurgen Klopp's side were beaten 3-1 - will be painfully revived for Salah.
That night in Ukraine contained many striking images, from the sight of Liverpool keeper Loris Karius alone and in tears at the final whistle after his calamitous performance gifted Real two goals, to the acrobatic bicycle kick from Gareth Bale to put Real on the path to victory.
But for Liverpool, it was the sight of a tearful Salah receiving a consoling pat from Cristiano Ronaldo as he walked off heartbroken after only 30 minutes, following a mischievous tangle with Real's enforcer-in-chief Sergio Ramos that encapsulated the agony.
Ramos, of course, pleaded his innocence but Salah and Liverpool will never sway from the belief he was targeted by a master of the defensive dark arts, a challenge and fall that caused serious damage to Salah's shoulder, forcing his early departure.
Liverpool manager Klopp was measured as he said: "I don't believe in revenge or think revenge is a fantastic idea. I understand what Mo said. He wants to put it right, but in Germany we say you always meet twice in life."
Klopp's words somewhat overlook the fact that he and Salah actually met Real Madrid again and came out on the wrong end of a 3-1 aggregate score in last season's quarter-final. However, those games were staged in surreal atmospheres behind closed doors.
This is different. This is the Champions League final and there can be no question that Salah will be, as he said himself, "very motivated - motivated through the roof".
Klopp may play down talk of revenge, but Salah's tweet told the tale. If revenge is a dish best served cold, Salah wants to pluck something right from the bottom of the deep freeze for Carlo Ancelotti's side.
And this is a much more powerful and rounded Liverpool than the side overcome by Real Madrid following Salah's injury and rare managerial mis-step from Klopp, who paid a heavy price for keeping faith with a goalkeeper in Karius who was nowhere near the required standard.
Salah was having a stellar first season at Liverpool with 44 goals in 51 games before that 2018 final. When he went off he was replaced by Adam Lallana, who had only made 14 appearances and played 395 minutes without scoring a goal that season.
This is no slight on Lallana, merely confirmation that Klopp was juggling limited resources last time the Reds met Real in the Champions League final. Now he has vast riches at his disposal.
Klopp would never want to lose Salah, although the FA Cup was won against Chelsea after he suffered a first-half injury. Liverpool now have a dazzling array of attacking options should problems arise.
As well as Salah, Liverpool have the tried and trusted Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, as well as free-scoring Diogo Jota plus the explosive Colombian Luis Diaz, a transformative January signing from Porto.
Salah is still Liverpool's main man when it comes to goals, with 31 goals in 50 appearances this season, and Saturday is the chance for Liverpool, not just the Anfield idol known as 'The Egyptian King', to set the record straight.
Stade de France was bathed in warm sunshine and heavy humidity on Thursday afternoon as the pageantry was being planned and the final touches put in place for Europe's biggest club occasion, which will have Salah as one of its star turns.
The teams arrive on Friday, when Klopp and Ancelotti, seeking a record fourth Champions League win as a manager, will face the media, and Liverpool and Real will train on a surface that was still being worked on throughout Thursday.
Klopp's playing down of the revenge motive may well have been a psychological ploy to stop Salah taking too much on his own shoulders, trying too hard when his side have enough weaponry to go around.
Salah has dominated the build-up to this showpiece and, as Liverpool fans started to arrive in the French capital on Thursday, pouring off Eurostar at Gare du Nord, the 29-year-old's name and image were very much in evidence.
It is not just that Salah is clearly intent on writing a redemption story, the sub-plot also features his own long-term future at Anfield.
The new contract Liverpool want Salah to commit to remains unsigned and while his declaration that he will be at Anfield "for sure" next season is a short-term lift, it does not clarify whether he will commit to the club. Indeed, it only adds to the possibility he could walk away for free in 12 months' time. Salah certainly holds all the cards.
But this, for now, is a side issue.
The main priority is Saturday in the swirling bowl of Stade de France.
Salah has waited two years since he sat in a Kyiv hospital, helpless and in agony, as Liverpool suffered that agonising defeat. The tweet once the date with Real Madrid was set in the diary was concrete evidence of just how much this means to him.
Liverpool's dream of a historic quadruple is over after Manchester City's miraculous five minutes against Aston Villa clinched the Premier League on the final day of the season, but the Champions League can still complete a magnificent treble trophy haul with the EFL Cup and FA Cup already safely pocketed.
And no-one in the Stade de France will be more determined to make that happen than Mohamed Salah, a man on a mission that has been two years in the making.
BBC
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- 217,977
"I faced Liverpool in the 1984 final as a player, then in 2005 and 2007 as manager, and now it will be against Liverpool one more time. I lived in Liverpool for two years and it's like a derby for me, because I am still an Evertonian."
In Carlo Ancelotti, Liverpool will be facing a man who knows how to get the better of them.
He won one and drew two of his three Premier League meetings as Everton boss - the only defeat during his time at Goodison Park came in the FA Cup third round.
The Italian has faced Liverpool as a manager on no fewer than 16 occasions over the years, winning eight times in the process, while losing on just five occasions.
Ancelotti's currency has always been winning trophies, but it is the unbreakable spirit of his side that make familiar foes Real Madrid the most dangerous opponents Liverpool would ever wish to face in this weekend's Champions League final at the Stade de France.
Real struggled at the beginning of the LaLiga campaign but would ultimately saunter to a record-extending 35th domestic title last month in dominant fashion.
Real Madrid are greeted by fans at the airport ahead of their flight to Paris for Saturday's Champions League Final against Liverpool
The win also made Ancelotti the first manager to capture titles in each of Europe's top five leagues - England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France. He has come a long way since his first job with Reggiana in the summer of 1995.
Ancelotti hasn't become one of the game's great minds through dwelling on past successes, however, and the 62-year-old believes the title success can help lift the players' spirits further as they prepare to head to Paris.
"A celebration like this can bring an extra energy to the locker room, it can be good as another motivation facing such a difficult task against a great team," Ancelotti said. "The season has been spectacular. Lots of regularity. Consistency. I have to thank the players for their work and their attitude."
Such a never-say-die mentality is part of the club's fabric.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says his side will need to match Liverpool's physicality if they are to overcome Jurgen Klopp's side in the Champions League final.
The dramatic stoppage-time turnaround against Manchester City in the semi-finals was the third consecutive occasion Madrid had come from behind in this season's knockout stage, following previous fightbacks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
Ancelotti said after the breathless victory over City: "The greatness of this club is this. It is a club that does not allow you to lower your arms when it seems that everything is over.
"It is a feeling that gives you the strength to continue, to continue to believe. We played a match against a very strong rival, solid, competitive. When everything seemed to be over, we looked for the last bit of energy to match it."
Real are in their fifth Champions League final in nine years led by Ancelotti, the first coach to win the European Cup three times with two different clubs and on the verge of leapfrogging Bob Paisley and Zinedine Zidane to become the first to win it four times.
This will be the third meeting in a European final, the most between two clubs across the history of this competition. Liverpool won the first 1-0 final back in 1981 before Real beat Jurgen Klopp's side 3-1 in 2018.
Ancelotti knows he is facing a fellow European heavyweight, but his calm demeanour - his quiet genius - has made a mockery of initial plans for his return to only be a temporary measure.
It was during an informal telephone call in early June last year that this mild-mannered gentleman asked Real Madrid president Florentino Perez how his search for Zidane's successor was going. His response was to offer him the job.
The pair had enjoyed a healthy relationship during a two-year period between 2013 and 2015 in which Real won four major trophies, and Ancelotti jumped at the opportunity.
Speaking on the Essential Football Podcast, Spanish football journalist Ben Hayward said: "He ended up back at Real Madrid a little bit by accident. He wasn't really in their thoughts until a conversation Perez had with him where it just happened to be brought up.
Liverpool's Mo Salah says it is time for his side to get revenge against Real Madrid in the Champions League final after their defeat to Los Blancos in 2018.
"Earlier on in the season there was criticism, some patchy performances and he was criticised for not rotating enough, always picking the same 11, and in the Champions League they had some difficult moments - they lost to Sherriff in the group stages.
"But he's the ideal coach for Real Madrid, he's not completely hands on as we see with Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel, he's not intense like them but he's a great motivator, very good tactically and it's worked really well with this incredible record."
Real are the tournament's specialists, winning 13 titles, while Liverpool are six-time winners. Real also hold the superior record in the Champions League era with seven wins to Liverpool's two, reaching eight finals compared to the Reds' five and 15 semi-finals to six.
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher look ahead to the Champions League final with the Overlap Fan debate with Neville saying that Real Madrid's midfield could be the key to beating Liverpool.
Ancelotti has won as many European Cups as Pep Guardiola and Klopp combined, but he has never made the success of his teams about him. He knows the past will count for nothing this weekend.
Reflecting on his managerial achievements, Ancelotti added: "I've thought about it. Yes, many years have passed since the first time. Football has changed, and I was able to adapt to those changes.
"From the first final in 2003 to today, there have been many changes. They have been positive changes. Football is always a very, very interesting show, and I adapt to the changes because I have a passion for this sport.
"What does it feel like to win it? [It feels like] you've won the most important competition; you have done your job well. Is it different winning it as a coach than as a player? Well, yes.
"The feelings, the emotions, are different. They are stronger when you win as a manager. As a player, you're part of a group that wins the trophy, but as a manager you have more responsibilities."
These Liverpool supporters were in confident mood ahead of Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid during his first spell in 2014, Ancelotti knows his way around Europe's premier cup competition and rarely stumbles at the last hurdle - but you won't see him waving four fingers at the cameras if Real prevail.
The Italian has lifted the trophy in three of his previous four finals, only failing to do so infamously in 2005's Miracle of Istanbul having led 3-0 against Liverpool only to lose 3-2 on penalties.
There has been media attention on this being a 'revenge mission' for Mohamed Salah after the Egyptian was forced off through injury during the 2018 defeat in Kiev, but the same can be said of the Madrid boss.
Ancelotti was part of the Roma squad that lost at the Stadio Olimpico to Joe Fagan's treble-winning Liverpool side of 1984 on penalties - remembered for Bruce Grobbelaar's wobbly legs. The midfielder played no part in the showpiece due to injury.
The Champions League brings out the best in both teams, even when they are not on top domestically, but Ancelotti has his sights set on securing a record 14th European Cup for Real - which would then be twice as many as any other team.
"Will Liverpool be out for revenge for the 2018 final loss to Madrid?" Ancelotti questioned. "Real Madrid are also looking for revenge because they lost a final against Liverpool in the 1981 final in Paris.
"I don't think it means much. Two great teams will face each other, and the one with more courage and personality will win at the end.
"Liverpool have a lot of quality together, with high intensity and good organisation. They're one of the best teams. Jurgen is a great coach. I have a good relationship with him. He's a great coach who brought some new things to football with the intensity and offensive pressure of his teams. He's doing a great job."
For this understated leader, it is the great players who shall decide the outcome.
He may have been pictured smoking a cigar on the team bus during the trophy parade, but Ancelotti said afterwards: "No, I don't smoke cigars. It was only a photo with my friends and yes, these players are my friends."
His personable touch is what sets him apart from his contemporaries. There isn't the same obsession over a rigid philosophy his players must follow, but instead an openness to discuss tactics and exchange ideas.
Ancelotti, the player, has never really diminished and it can be seen in Frank Lampard, John Terry and others who have taken to coaching having worked under him.
Liverpool go into this year's gripping climax having played every match they possibly could have this season, a total of 63 to Real's 56 including the game on Saturday, but Ancelotti certainly won't underestimate his opponents' powers of recovery and Liverpool's drive to overcome the disappointment of finishing second in the Premier League.
"A team like Real Madrid are always considered favourite," added Hayward. "Although if you look at the club's respective seasons you'd say Liverpool are a stronger team right now.
"I would say there's confidence but also a lot of respect for Liverpool and what they've done this season - the 63 games they've played this season, winning the two domestic cups, going so close in the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final.
"There's a healthy respect for Liverpool, but a healthy confidence because of Real Madrid's record and the comebacks they've produced."
Ancelotti confirmed this month he intends to call time on the game once his Bernabeu career is over, but any such plans for retirement can wait.
"If the club wants me here for 10 years, I will train for 10 years," he vowed. "But then I would like to be with my grandchildren, go on vacation with my wife."
It was an acrimonious if understandable exit from Goodison, but Ancelotti remains an Evertonian and he would certainly be welcomed back by the blue half of the city at his favourite retreat Crosby Beach were he to deny Liverpool further European success.
A quadruple is still alive in Paris, but it is Ancelotti's record-breaking fourth Champions League managerial crown that is on the line.
SKY
In Carlo Ancelotti, Liverpool will be facing a man who knows how to get the better of them.
He won one and drew two of his three Premier League meetings as Everton boss - the only defeat during his time at Goodison Park came in the FA Cup third round.
The Italian has faced Liverpool as a manager on no fewer than 16 occasions over the years, winning eight times in the process, while losing on just five occasions.
Ancelotti's currency has always been winning trophies, but it is the unbreakable spirit of his side that make familiar foes Real Madrid the most dangerous opponents Liverpool would ever wish to face in this weekend's Champions League final at the Stade de France.
Real struggled at the beginning of the LaLiga campaign but would ultimately saunter to a record-extending 35th domestic title last month in dominant fashion.
Real Madrid are greeted by fans at the airport ahead of their flight to Paris for Saturday's Champions League Final against Liverpool
The win also made Ancelotti the first manager to capture titles in each of Europe's top five leagues - England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France. He has come a long way since his first job with Reggiana in the summer of 1995.
Ancelotti hasn't become one of the game's great minds through dwelling on past successes, however, and the 62-year-old believes the title success can help lift the players' spirits further as they prepare to head to Paris.
"A celebration like this can bring an extra energy to the locker room, it can be good as another motivation facing such a difficult task against a great team," Ancelotti said. "The season has been spectacular. Lots of regularity. Consistency. I have to thank the players for their work and their attitude."
Such a never-say-die mentality is part of the club's fabric.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says his side will need to match Liverpool's physicality if they are to overcome Jurgen Klopp's side in the Champions League final.
The dramatic stoppage-time turnaround against Manchester City in the semi-finals was the third consecutive occasion Madrid had come from behind in this season's knockout stage, following previous fightbacks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
Ancelotti said after the breathless victory over City: "The greatness of this club is this. It is a club that does not allow you to lower your arms when it seems that everything is over.
"It is a feeling that gives you the strength to continue, to continue to believe. We played a match against a very strong rival, solid, competitive. When everything seemed to be over, we looked for the last bit of energy to match it."
Real are in their fifth Champions League final in nine years led by Ancelotti, the first coach to win the European Cup three times with two different clubs and on the verge of leapfrogging Bob Paisley and Zinedine Zidane to become the first to win it four times.
This will be the third meeting in a European final, the most between two clubs across the history of this competition. Liverpool won the first 1-0 final back in 1981 before Real beat Jurgen Klopp's side 3-1 in 2018.
Ancelotti knows he is facing a fellow European heavyweight, but his calm demeanour - his quiet genius - has made a mockery of initial plans for his return to only be a temporary measure.
It was during an informal telephone call in early June last year that this mild-mannered gentleman asked Real Madrid president Florentino Perez how his search for Zidane's successor was going. His response was to offer him the job.
The pair had enjoyed a healthy relationship during a two-year period between 2013 and 2015 in which Real won four major trophies, and Ancelotti jumped at the opportunity.
Speaking on the Essential Football Podcast, Spanish football journalist Ben Hayward said: "He ended up back at Real Madrid a little bit by accident. He wasn't really in their thoughts until a conversation Perez had with him where it just happened to be brought up.
Liverpool's Mo Salah says it is time for his side to get revenge against Real Madrid in the Champions League final after their defeat to Los Blancos in 2018.
"Earlier on in the season there was criticism, some patchy performances and he was criticised for not rotating enough, always picking the same 11, and in the Champions League they had some difficult moments - they lost to Sherriff in the group stages.
"But he's the ideal coach for Real Madrid, he's not completely hands on as we see with Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel, he's not intense like them but he's a great motivator, very good tactically and it's worked really well with this incredible record."
Real are the tournament's specialists, winning 13 titles, while Liverpool are six-time winners. Real also hold the superior record in the Champions League era with seven wins to Liverpool's two, reaching eight finals compared to the Reds' five and 15 semi-finals to six.
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher look ahead to the Champions League final with the Overlap Fan debate with Neville saying that Real Madrid's midfield could be the key to beating Liverpool.
Ancelotti has won as many European Cups as Pep Guardiola and Klopp combined, but he has never made the success of his teams about him. He knows the past will count for nothing this weekend.
Reflecting on his managerial achievements, Ancelotti added: "I've thought about it. Yes, many years have passed since the first time. Football has changed, and I was able to adapt to those changes.
"From the first final in 2003 to today, there have been many changes. They have been positive changes. Football is always a very, very interesting show, and I adapt to the changes because I have a passion for this sport.
"What does it feel like to win it? [It feels like] you've won the most important competition; you have done your job well. Is it different winning it as a coach than as a player? Well, yes.
"The feelings, the emotions, are different. They are stronger when you win as a manager. As a player, you're part of a group that wins the trophy, but as a manager you have more responsibilities."
These Liverpool supporters were in confident mood ahead of Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid during his first spell in 2014, Ancelotti knows his way around Europe's premier cup competition and rarely stumbles at the last hurdle - but you won't see him waving four fingers at the cameras if Real prevail.
The Italian has lifted the trophy in three of his previous four finals, only failing to do so infamously in 2005's Miracle of Istanbul having led 3-0 against Liverpool only to lose 3-2 on penalties.
There has been media attention on this being a 'revenge mission' for Mohamed Salah after the Egyptian was forced off through injury during the 2018 defeat in Kiev, but the same can be said of the Madrid boss.
Ancelotti was part of the Roma squad that lost at the Stadio Olimpico to Joe Fagan's treble-winning Liverpool side of 1984 on penalties - remembered for Bruce Grobbelaar's wobbly legs. The midfielder played no part in the showpiece due to injury.
The Champions League brings out the best in both teams, even when they are not on top domestically, but Ancelotti has his sights set on securing a record 14th European Cup for Real - which would then be twice as many as any other team.
"Will Liverpool be out for revenge for the 2018 final loss to Madrid?" Ancelotti questioned. "Real Madrid are also looking for revenge because they lost a final against Liverpool in the 1981 final in Paris.
"I don't think it means much. Two great teams will face each other, and the one with more courage and personality will win at the end.
"Liverpool have a lot of quality together, with high intensity and good organisation. They're one of the best teams. Jurgen is a great coach. I have a good relationship with him. He's a great coach who brought some new things to football with the intensity and offensive pressure of his teams. He's doing a great job."
For this understated leader, it is the great players who shall decide the outcome.
He may have been pictured smoking a cigar on the team bus during the trophy parade, but Ancelotti said afterwards: "No, I don't smoke cigars. It was only a photo with my friends and yes, these players are my friends."
His personable touch is what sets him apart from his contemporaries. There isn't the same obsession over a rigid philosophy his players must follow, but instead an openness to discuss tactics and exchange ideas.
Ancelotti, the player, has never really diminished and it can be seen in Frank Lampard, John Terry and others who have taken to coaching having worked under him.
Liverpool go into this year's gripping climax having played every match they possibly could have this season, a total of 63 to Real's 56 including the game on Saturday, but Ancelotti certainly won't underestimate his opponents' powers of recovery and Liverpool's drive to overcome the disappointment of finishing second in the Premier League.
"A team like Real Madrid are always considered favourite," added Hayward. "Although if you look at the club's respective seasons you'd say Liverpool are a stronger team right now.
"I would say there's confidence but also a lot of respect for Liverpool and what they've done this season - the 63 games they've played this season, winning the two domestic cups, going so close in the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final.
"There's a healthy respect for Liverpool, but a healthy confidence because of Real Madrid's record and the comebacks they've produced."
Ancelotti confirmed this month he intends to call time on the game once his Bernabeu career is over, but any such plans for retirement can wait.
"If the club wants me here for 10 years, I will train for 10 years," he vowed. "But then I would like to be with my grandchildren, go on vacation with my wife."
It was an acrimonious if understandable exit from Goodison, but Ancelotti remains an Evertonian and he would certainly be welcomed back by the blue half of the city at his favourite retreat Crosby Beach were he to deny Liverpool further European success.
A quadruple is still alive in Paris, but it is Ancelotti's record-breaking fourth Champions League managerial crown that is on the line.
SKY
Maybe give Real some respect they have 13 UCL titles and don't act like they have already won the UCL.
Technics 1210
Test Debutant
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First and foremost, anyone who predicted Messi would score 25 goals in L1 this season (Messi scored 6), should not not be in contention in a thread on predictions.
Liverpool to win.
Liverpool to win.
ARK Rafay
T20I Debutant
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Just like 2018 Final and 2021 Quarter Finals. Liverpool team, certain fanbase and pundits already have crowned Liverpool as champions. Many think Liverpool's battle is against their own players fitness as well. As if they are fit and run hard, they'll have Madrid in pocket.
Not realizing that Real Madrid have made a living winning Champions League and knock out matches. If you look at the run of Real Madrid in this season. It has been nothing short of magic. Even when they look down and out they always find something to get back in the game.
Because of Champions League experience and the run Real Madrid have had so far. I'm going with them as favorites.
Not realizing that Real Madrid have made a living winning Champions League and knock out matches. If you look at the run of Real Madrid in this season. It has been nothing short of magic. Even when they look down and out they always find something to get back in the game.
Because of Champions League experience and the run Real Madrid have had so far. I'm going with them as favorites.
KingKhanWC
World Star
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Because this is the key and a huge advantage for Liverpool. Our players are fitter, faster and stronger. We need to start with intensity and energy, making sure if we lose the ball we win it back quickly to attack again. This is nothing new, this has been the Liverpool way. We have also seen PSG at home and Chelsea using these tactics against Madrid which worked very well. Liverpool are on a higher level when it comes to pressing high or winning the second balls.
The past can help some teams but Liverpool also have great European history.
As for Madrids run, as Klopp said sure they have been magical at times, looking unbeatable but majority of the time in the matches , they were average. If Madrid play as they have done in, Liverpool will run through them but of course need to finish their chances.
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Real Madrid have the running to do - LFC look default winners to me
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<b>The Athletic
UEFA Champions League final: When is it, who’s favoured and how to watch</b>
On Saturday, May 28 Liverpool will face Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League final.
Months of hard work, determination and improbable results will come down to one match — it is winner takes all.
After Liverpool’s comeback against Villarreal and Real Madrid’s stunning resurgence against Manchester City, we can only hope the final has the same levels of drama as the semi-finals just gone.
The Athletic has all you need to know ahead of a blockbuster game later this month.
<b>When is the Champions League final?</b>
This year’s Champions League final takes place on Saturday, May 28.
It kicks off at 8pm BST / 3pm ET / 12pm PT.
<b>Where will it take place and why was it moved?</b>
The final was originally scheduled to take place in Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.
Following to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the 2020 and 2021 finals were relocated to Portugal, and the final hosts were shifted back a year.
As a result, this year’s final was due to take place at the original host of the 2021 final, Zenit Saint Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena, with the Allianz Arena to host the showpiece event in 2023.
But after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, UEFA decided in February to move to the final again — this time to the Stade de France in Paris.
The 80,000-seater stadium hosted the Champions League final in 2000 and 2006, as well as the finals of Euro 2016 and the 1998 World Cup.
<b>Who will be showing the game on TV?</b>
In the UK, BT Sport will broadcast the match. In previous years, BT have made the Champions League (and Europa League) final available to watch for free on YouTube, but no announcement has yet been made on that.
In the US, CBS Sports and Paramount+ will show the game.
If you’re unable to watch the match, The Athletic will have live coverage on the website and app.
<b>How do tickets work?</b>
For this year’s final, 20,000 seats in the Stade de France will be allocated to fans of each of Liverpool and Real Madrid, with applicants able to buy two tickets.
The cost of a ticket ranges from €70 (£59) to €690 (£580), with clubs distributing them as they see fit.
For more information on how exactly ticketing works for the Champions League final, check out our explainer.
<b>How expensive will it be for fans to get there?</b>
Liverpool supporters hoping to travel to Paris to watch their team play in the Champions League final against Real Madrid face huge sums to get there, with direct flights between north England and Paris exceeding £600.
Trains between London and Paris have largely sold out, while flights to the French capital from Madrid are also expensive.
There are only two viable flights from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to Paris, which may not be convenient for match-going fans. An EasyJet flight leaving John Lennon Airport on Friday morning, for example, costs £382.99 at the time of writing.
There is also a flight on Saturday, which costs £372.99, but this lands at Charles De Gaulle airport at 2.05pm, which leaves little time for fans to head to the match.
Liverpool fans who want to leave England on Friday for a night in Paris before the match will have to pay for the privilege — a seat on the 7.25pm Easyjet flight costs £605.99, with flights the following morning just under £500.
AirFrance also operates on Saturday morning, with these tickets costing upwards of £600.
<b>How did Liverpool get here?</b>
Winning all six of their group matches earmarked Liverpool as an early favourite for the Champions League title.
They were then paired with Inter Milan in the last-16, where a 2-0 win at San Siro in the first leg saw them through despite a 1-0 defeat at Anfield — the only match Jurgen Klopp’s side have lost in this season’s competition.
Liverpool then dismantled Benfica 3-1 in Lisbon in the first leg of their quarter-final, which was followed by a 3-3 home draw, made to look more uncomfortable than it was in reality due to two late goals from the Portuguese side.
Unai Emery’s Villarreal awaited Liverpool in the semi-finals, a tie which appeared foregone after an impressive 2-0 home victory in the first leg. Two first-half goals from Villarreal in the return fixture then jolted Liverpool into life, who secured their place in the final with three goals of their own after the break.
<b>How did Real Madrid get here?</b>
Real Madrid’s Champions League journey at the Santiago Bernabeu began in an embarrassing fashion as they lost 2-1 at home to Moldovan champions FC Sheriff in their second group match, a result that stunned the competition.
That seemed to spur Ancelotti’s side on, however, as they won all their remaining group games to finish top of Group D — only to then be drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in a heavyweight round of 16 tie.
Real Madrid lost the first leg in Paris 1-0 and then conceded just before half-time in the return fixture at the Bernabeu. Just as it looked as though they were down and out, a sensational second-half hat-trick from captain Karim Benzema secured a place in the quarter-finals.
There, they met Chelsea, who had defeated them in the semi-finals of last season’s competition. Madrid looked to have vanquished those demons, having won 3-1 in the first leg in west London.
Ancelotti’s side were stunned at the Bernabeu, though, as Chelsea went 3-0 up with 15 minutes left to play. Madrid then turned the tie on its head, with a Rodrygo volley sending the game to extra time and Benzema scoring the winner shortly after the restart.
That set up the semi-final against Manchester City — a tie that will be remembered as an all-time Champions League classic for the drama that ensued over the two legs.
City won 4-3 at the Etihad and then went 1-0 up late on in the second leg, but two late goals from Rodrygo levelled the tie at 5-5 on aggregate. Once again, Benzema was the hero for Real Madrid, scoring from the spot in extra time.
<b>And what is the history between the two teams?</b>
It’s not pleasant, to say the least.
These sides met in the 2018 Champions League final, a game which saw Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah taken off injured in the first half after a challenge from Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.
Liverpool were unhappy about the strength of that challenge, and went on to lose the game 3-1.
They then came up against each other in last season’s quarter-finals, with Madrid winning the first leg 3-1 at home, followed by a goalless draw at Anfield.
After Liverpool had beaten Villarreal but before Madrid had overcome City, Salah was asked who he’d rather face in the final.
“Yeah, I want to play Madrid,” was his response.
<b>What is the early team news — who’s out?</b>
Divock Origi is out, while influential midfielder Thiago is a doubt after sustaining an Achilles injury. You can read more about that here.
Joe Gomez and Fabinho are due to return to training this week, while Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are continuing to work their way back to full fitness.
Madrid, meanwhile, have Eden Hazard on the treatment table. The Belgian has been out since March with a leg injury.
Gareth Bale has also missed matches in recent weeks due to a back problem.
<b>Who are the favourites?</b>
Given Liverpool’s wealth of talent and Real Madrid’s never say die attitude, this is an almost impossible game to predict.
The good folks at FiveThirtyEight have tried to do just that, however, and are backing Liverpool to win their seventh Champions League title.
Fivethirtyeight gives Liverpool a 66 per cent chance of winning, with Madrid clocking in at 34 per cent.
https://theathletic.com/3295453/2022/05/27/champions-league-final-faq/?source=user_shared_article
UEFA Champions League final: When is it, who’s favoured and how to watch</b>
On Saturday, May 28 Liverpool will face Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League final.
Months of hard work, determination and improbable results will come down to one match — it is winner takes all.
After Liverpool’s comeback against Villarreal and Real Madrid’s stunning resurgence against Manchester City, we can only hope the final has the same levels of drama as the semi-finals just gone.
The Athletic has all you need to know ahead of a blockbuster game later this month.
<b>When is the Champions League final?</b>
This year’s Champions League final takes place on Saturday, May 28.
It kicks off at 8pm BST / 3pm ET / 12pm PT.
<b>Where will it take place and why was it moved?</b>
The final was originally scheduled to take place in Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.
Following to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the 2020 and 2021 finals were relocated to Portugal, and the final hosts were shifted back a year.
As a result, this year’s final was due to take place at the original host of the 2021 final, Zenit Saint Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena, with the Allianz Arena to host the showpiece event in 2023.
But after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, UEFA decided in February to move to the final again — this time to the Stade de France in Paris.
The 80,000-seater stadium hosted the Champions League final in 2000 and 2006, as well as the finals of Euro 2016 and the 1998 World Cup.
<b>Who will be showing the game on TV?</b>
In the UK, BT Sport will broadcast the match. In previous years, BT have made the Champions League (and Europa League) final available to watch for free on YouTube, but no announcement has yet been made on that.
In the US, CBS Sports and Paramount+ will show the game.
If you’re unable to watch the match, The Athletic will have live coverage on the website and app.
<b>How do tickets work?</b>
For this year’s final, 20,000 seats in the Stade de France will be allocated to fans of each of Liverpool and Real Madrid, with applicants able to buy two tickets.
The cost of a ticket ranges from €70 (£59) to €690 (£580), with clubs distributing them as they see fit.
For more information on how exactly ticketing works for the Champions League final, check out our explainer.
<b>How expensive will it be for fans to get there?</b>
Liverpool supporters hoping to travel to Paris to watch their team play in the Champions League final against Real Madrid face huge sums to get there, with direct flights between north England and Paris exceeding £600.
Trains between London and Paris have largely sold out, while flights to the French capital from Madrid are also expensive.
There are only two viable flights from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to Paris, which may not be convenient for match-going fans. An EasyJet flight leaving John Lennon Airport on Friday morning, for example, costs £382.99 at the time of writing.
There is also a flight on Saturday, which costs £372.99, but this lands at Charles De Gaulle airport at 2.05pm, which leaves little time for fans to head to the match.
Liverpool fans who want to leave England on Friday for a night in Paris before the match will have to pay for the privilege — a seat on the 7.25pm Easyjet flight costs £605.99, with flights the following morning just under £500.
AirFrance also operates on Saturday morning, with these tickets costing upwards of £600.
<b>How did Liverpool get here?</b>
Winning all six of their group matches earmarked Liverpool as an early favourite for the Champions League title.
They were then paired with Inter Milan in the last-16, where a 2-0 win at San Siro in the first leg saw them through despite a 1-0 defeat at Anfield — the only match Jurgen Klopp’s side have lost in this season’s competition.
Liverpool then dismantled Benfica 3-1 in Lisbon in the first leg of their quarter-final, which was followed by a 3-3 home draw, made to look more uncomfortable than it was in reality due to two late goals from the Portuguese side.
Unai Emery’s Villarreal awaited Liverpool in the semi-finals, a tie which appeared foregone after an impressive 2-0 home victory in the first leg. Two first-half goals from Villarreal in the return fixture then jolted Liverpool into life, who secured their place in the final with three goals of their own after the break.
<b>How did Real Madrid get here?</b>
Real Madrid’s Champions League journey at the Santiago Bernabeu began in an embarrassing fashion as they lost 2-1 at home to Moldovan champions FC Sheriff in their second group match, a result that stunned the competition.
That seemed to spur Ancelotti’s side on, however, as they won all their remaining group games to finish top of Group D — only to then be drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in a heavyweight round of 16 tie.
Real Madrid lost the first leg in Paris 1-0 and then conceded just before half-time in the return fixture at the Bernabeu. Just as it looked as though they were down and out, a sensational second-half hat-trick from captain Karim Benzema secured a place in the quarter-finals.
There, they met Chelsea, who had defeated them in the semi-finals of last season’s competition. Madrid looked to have vanquished those demons, having won 3-1 in the first leg in west London.
Ancelotti’s side were stunned at the Bernabeu, though, as Chelsea went 3-0 up with 15 minutes left to play. Madrid then turned the tie on its head, with a Rodrygo volley sending the game to extra time and Benzema scoring the winner shortly after the restart.
That set up the semi-final against Manchester City — a tie that will be remembered as an all-time Champions League classic for the drama that ensued over the two legs.
City won 4-3 at the Etihad and then went 1-0 up late on in the second leg, but two late goals from Rodrygo levelled the tie at 5-5 on aggregate. Once again, Benzema was the hero for Real Madrid, scoring from the spot in extra time.
<b>And what is the history between the two teams?</b>
It’s not pleasant, to say the least.
These sides met in the 2018 Champions League final, a game which saw Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah taken off injured in the first half after a challenge from Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.
Liverpool were unhappy about the strength of that challenge, and went on to lose the game 3-1.
They then came up against each other in last season’s quarter-finals, with Madrid winning the first leg 3-1 at home, followed by a goalless draw at Anfield.
After Liverpool had beaten Villarreal but before Madrid had overcome City, Salah was asked who he’d rather face in the final.
“Yeah, I want to play Madrid,” was his response.
<b>What is the early team news — who’s out?</b>
Divock Origi is out, while influential midfielder Thiago is a doubt after sustaining an Achilles injury. You can read more about that here.
Joe Gomez and Fabinho are due to return to training this week, while Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are continuing to work their way back to full fitness.
Madrid, meanwhile, have Eden Hazard on the treatment table. The Belgian has been out since March with a leg injury.
Gareth Bale has also missed matches in recent weeks due to a back problem.
<b>Who are the favourites?</b>
Given Liverpool’s wealth of talent and Real Madrid’s never say die attitude, this is an almost impossible game to predict.
The good folks at FiveThirtyEight have tried to do just that, however, and are backing Liverpool to win their seventh Champions League title.
Fivethirtyeight gives Liverpool a 66 per cent chance of winning, with Madrid clocking in at 34 per cent.
https://theathletic.com/3295453/2022/05/27/champions-league-final-faq/?source=user_shared_article
OneManShow
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Wow, bitter much? As for the Benzema comments, did you not see the Real side all wear number 14 jerseys after they beat Man City? On the Klopp point, every genius manager in history has moments after a bad/decisive loss where they are sore. Your post ie pretty pathetic in general and even funnier when considering it comes from an Arsenal "fan".
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Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that “it looks good” for Thiago and Fabinho to be fit enough to play for Liverpool in the Champions League final against Real Madrid on Saturday.
The midfield duo had been injury doubts but speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of the game in Paris, the Liverpool boss suggested they would be available.
"It looks good for Thiago and Fabinho," said Klopp. "Fabinho trained yesterday and Thiago will train later today. The mood is good, very good. Really excited to be here now and getting a feeling for a stadium, location and that is all good."
The midfield duo had been injury doubts but speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of the game in Paris, the Liverpool boss suggested they would be available.
"It looks good for Thiago and Fabinho," said Klopp. "Fabinho trained yesterday and Thiago will train later today. The mood is good, very good. Really excited to be here now and getting a feeling for a stadium, location and that is all good."
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Carlo Ancelotti believes Everton fans are backing his Real Madrid side to beat Liverpool in Champions League final
Carlo Ancelotti reckons Real Madrid will have plenty of support on Merseyside from supporters of his former club Everton.
Ancelotti is set to manage in a record fifth Champions League final on Saturday when Real take on Liverpool after returning to the club from Everton last year.
The 62-year-old was axed by the La Liga side in 2015 having led them to a 10th Champions League title the previous year. Stints at Bayern Munich and Napoli followed before he took the Everton job in December 2019.
He guided the Blues to 12th that season and 10th in his only full campaign with the club before returning to Real.
"I know that the Evertonians support us tomorrow, for sure," said Ancelotti in his pre-match press conference.
"I know there is a big rivalry on Merseyside. I have a good memory from my time spent in Liverpool on the blue side and I'm sure they will support me tomorrow.
"It is a big contrast. I've thought about that, how things were very different last year.
"This year feels like a long time. I'm treating it naturally. Getting to this final, it's a big success for us, we know how demanding this club is - it's all about the club's history.
"It's been a big feat to get to this point. We think we've had a very good season and we are very close to achieving something huge this season.
"We are very calm in the camp. I'm here to manage the game, with the veteran players helping the younger ones, to have a good atmosphere around the squad with lots of excitement and confidence."
https://www.skysports.com/football/...e-to-beat-liverpool-in-champions-league-final
Carlo Ancelotti reckons Real Madrid will have plenty of support on Merseyside from supporters of his former club Everton.
Ancelotti is set to manage in a record fifth Champions League final on Saturday when Real take on Liverpool after returning to the club from Everton last year.
The 62-year-old was axed by the La Liga side in 2015 having led them to a 10th Champions League title the previous year. Stints at Bayern Munich and Napoli followed before he took the Everton job in December 2019.
He guided the Blues to 12th that season and 10th in his only full campaign with the club before returning to Real.
"I know that the Evertonians support us tomorrow, for sure," said Ancelotti in his pre-match press conference.
"I know there is a big rivalry on Merseyside. I have a good memory from my time spent in Liverpool on the blue side and I'm sure they will support me tomorrow.
"It is a big contrast. I've thought about that, how things were very different last year.
"This year feels like a long time. I'm treating it naturally. Getting to this final, it's a big success for us, we know how demanding this club is - it's all about the club's history.
"It's been a big feat to get to this point. We think we've had a very good season and we are very close to achieving something huge this season.
"We are very calm in the camp. I'm here to manage the game, with the veteran players helping the younger ones, to have a good atmosphere around the squad with lots of excitement and confidence."
https://www.skysports.com/football/...e-to-beat-liverpool-in-champions-league-final
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A last-minute re-lay of the pitch for the Champions League final has led to growing concerns over its condition.
In February, UEFA confirmed that the 2021-22 final, which will be played between Real Madrid and Liverpool, was to be moved from St Petersburg to Paris, due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
As a result it left organisers in a rush to get the Stade de France in Paris ready to host Saturday's final, with a backlog of events meaning the new pitch was not completely laid until 1am on Thursday, as revealed by the Telegraph.
The Stade de France has been playing catch-up on events pushed back due to the Covid pandemic.
On Saturday night, stadium organisers oversaw the second of two sell-out nights for French new wave band, Indochine.
The plan was to then focus on preparing the football pitch in time for France's Nations League game against Denmark on June 3.
But UEFA's switch meant that they had a week less than originally scheduled to prepare for the biggest match in European club football's calendar.
'We were originally ready to lay the new turf in four to five days,' Benoit Lavallee, chief executive of iTurf Management which runs four stadiums in France including the Stade de France, told the Telegraph.
'With the Champions League final it became a little bit of a bigger challenge. We had to lay it in 48 hours.'
In a race against time, Lavellee detailed how 24 refrigerated trucks travelled from Spain on Sunday to begin the process of turning the Stade de France from a concert venue into a footballing venue.
The pitch, which is a hybrid of five per cent synthetic, increasingly common these days, divided into 500 rolls. The first of which are said to have arrived in Paris close to midnight on Monday.
Work began at 2am on Tuesday and it is reported to have been 'non-stop' from there in getting the work done, with those working on the pitch wrapping things up at 1am on Thursday.
It will be a bone of contention for both Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti if the pitch becomes a focal point in such a big game.
Both teams will get an early look at the surface when they train on it on Friday night.
UEFA typically allows finalists to get a feel for the neutral venue and pitch by training on it the night prior to the game.
This pitch will run through much of June, with France's Nations League games on June 3 against Denmark and June 13 against Croatia.
Its final outing will be the Top 14 rugby final on June 24, before organisers are back to pull it up.
Coldplay and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers are among the high-profile bands playing at the Parisian venue this summer.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/s...eague-final-pitch-finished-1am-YESTERDAY.html
In February, UEFA confirmed that the 2021-22 final, which will be played between Real Madrid and Liverpool, was to be moved from St Petersburg to Paris, due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
As a result it left organisers in a rush to get the Stade de France in Paris ready to host Saturday's final, with a backlog of events meaning the new pitch was not completely laid until 1am on Thursday, as revealed by the Telegraph.
The Stade de France has been playing catch-up on events pushed back due to the Covid pandemic.
On Saturday night, stadium organisers oversaw the second of two sell-out nights for French new wave band, Indochine.
The plan was to then focus on preparing the football pitch in time for France's Nations League game against Denmark on June 3.
But UEFA's switch meant that they had a week less than originally scheduled to prepare for the biggest match in European club football's calendar.
'We were originally ready to lay the new turf in four to five days,' Benoit Lavallee, chief executive of iTurf Management which runs four stadiums in France including the Stade de France, told the Telegraph.
'With the Champions League final it became a little bit of a bigger challenge. We had to lay it in 48 hours.'
In a race against time, Lavellee detailed how 24 refrigerated trucks travelled from Spain on Sunday to begin the process of turning the Stade de France from a concert venue into a footballing venue.
The pitch, which is a hybrid of five per cent synthetic, increasingly common these days, divided into 500 rolls. The first of which are said to have arrived in Paris close to midnight on Monday.
Work began at 2am on Tuesday and it is reported to have been 'non-stop' from there in getting the work done, with those working on the pitch wrapping things up at 1am on Thursday.
It will be a bone of contention for both Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti if the pitch becomes a focal point in such a big game.
Both teams will get an early look at the surface when they train on it on Friday night.
UEFA typically allows finalists to get a feel for the neutral venue and pitch by training on it the night prior to the game.
This pitch will run through much of June, with France's Nations League games on June 3 against Denmark and June 13 against Croatia.
Its final outing will be the Top 14 rugby final on June 24, before organisers are back to pull it up.
Coldplay and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers are among the high-profile bands playing at the Parisian venue this summer.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/s...eague-final-pitch-finished-1am-YESTERDAY.html
IAJ
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Allthough I am a Real Madrid fans since 1988, I think Liverpool is the better side. The final should have been between Liverpool and City as City messed it up completely in the semi-finals.
The best thing with RM this season has been their 'never give-up attitude'. They are at you all the time and have the X-factor in Vinicius Jr and better quality in the midfield than LP.
Hopefully it will be an entertaining final to cap off the season.
The best thing with RM this season has been their 'never give-up attitude'. They are at you all the time and have the X-factor in Vinicius Jr and better quality in the midfield than LP.
Hopefully it will be an entertaining final to cap off the season.
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Thirteen Liverpool fans have used a speedboat in a desperate bid to get to France for the Champions League final after their easyJet flight was cancelled.
It comes as football fans and families embarking on half-term getaways faced long queues at the Port of Dover and UK airports.
It comes as football fans and families embarking on half-term getaways faced long queues at the Port of Dover and UK airports.
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- Joined
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How many Liverpool fans are heading to Paris?
Sky Sports' reporter Ben Ransom:
"We know the stadium capacity is 75,000 and UEFA have allocated 20,000 tickets to each side. Upwards of 50,000 to 60,000 fans are going to be travelling from Liverpool alone for this final. When you think back to previous finals and 2005 in Istanbul and the number of Liverpool supporters inside the stadium far outnumbered the official allocation.
"Fans are doing absolutely everything they can to get a ticket for the game and there will be plenty of people on the streets trying to buy and sell. There will be some extortionate prices but when you think that less than half of the fans travelling have a ticket at this stage, it's going to be some scrap to get inside the stadium."
Sky Sports' reporter Ben Ransom:
"We know the stadium capacity is 75,000 and UEFA have allocated 20,000 tickets to each side. Upwards of 50,000 to 60,000 fans are going to be travelling from Liverpool alone for this final. When you think back to previous finals and 2005 in Istanbul and the number of Liverpool supporters inside the stadium far outnumbered the official allocation.
"Fans are doing absolutely everything they can to get a ticket for the game and there will be plenty of people on the streets trying to buy and sell. There will be some extortionate prices but when you think that less than half of the fans travelling have a ticket at this stage, it's going to be some scrap to get inside the stadium."
James
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45 minutes to go!
Madrid to shade it for me.
Madrid to shade it for me.
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Here's how they lineup:
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Looking like a bit of an injury worry for Thiago in the warmup, unclear what's going on.
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Kick-off delayed by 15 minutes.
James
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Salah is out there.
Huge night for him on the biggest stage.
Huge night for him on the biggest stage.
James
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Finding it impossible to get in the ground. This appears to be very dangerous. Absolute carnage.</p>— Gary Lineker
(@GaryLineker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1530621128821071878?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Kick-off delayed a further 15 minutes.
James
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Players back out there.
20:30 kick off now (BST)
21:30 in Paris.
20:30 kick off now (BST)
21:30 in Paris.
James
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That is a cracking (and cruel) practical joke to be fair. LOL
James
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Kick-off delayed until 20:36 BST due to late arrival of fans in stadium
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Update Paris: Massive chaos in front of the stadium. The brother of Joel Matip, Marvin, had to flee with his family while they tried to get access in the stadium. His wife is pregnant. Tear gas! They had to take refuge in a restaurant. <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportDE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SkySportDE</a></p>— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Plettigoal/status/1530626395013095425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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So what's the prediction?
Liverpool would want to win in 90 mins..if they have to win.
Longer the game goes...its advantage Madrid.
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Let off for Liverpool? Should that have been a goal?
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Liverpool 0-0 Real Madrid
Half time
Half time
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The relevant bit of the offside rule...
Liverpool 0-0 Real Madrid
A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by...
gaining an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has:
rebounded or been deflected off the goalpost, crossbar, match official or an opponent
Liverpool 0-0 Real Madrid
A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by...
gaining an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has:
rebounded or been deflected off the goalpost, crossbar, match official or an opponent
Bewal Express
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RM biding their time.
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Vinicius!!!
Sure Liverpool can still win this one but their fans were acting as they have already won.
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If Liverpool want to win 3 cups this season they’ll actually have to score a goal in a cup final, which they’ve not managed yet.
James
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Liverpool bossed the first 40 minutes of this deciding match but they’ve struggled to find a final product since then.
Real got their goal, they are now playing down the minutes and slowly grinding their way to victory. And Courtois is having the match of his life in goal.
Will need a big push from Liverpool in these final five minutes to break down the robust Real defence and take this match into ET.
Real got their goal, they are now playing down the minutes and slowly grinding their way to victory. And Courtois is having the match of his life in goal.
Will need a big push from Liverpool in these final five minutes to break down the robust Real defence and take this match into ET.
James
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The assumption from many that this would be an easy LFC victory has proven to be ill founded. Liverpool are going to lose this final. They have faded as the match has pushed on. Real Madrid showcasing all of their experience tonight.
Bewal Express
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And I was right.
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What a club. Has to go down as the most incredible run to the UCL trophy in history.
OldWarHorse
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Never in doubt
Mamoon
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Looks like Salah will have to wait for his “revenge” 
IAJ
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Leeds will play PL next season also and RM won La Liga and Champions league, what a season for my teams!
But honestly I had LP as favourites. Trent was poor. Salah played well but Courtois was just too good!
But honestly I had LP as favourites. Trent was poor. Salah played well but Courtois was just too good!
Mamoon
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Great prediction
)Should have listened to my analysis, you would have learned a thing or two about football.
As I said, Trent’s amateurish defending proved to be fatal for Liverpool. Gave Vinicius acres of space. Unforgivable error.
Mamoon
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I wonder what Klopp will cry about this time. Why Courtois made brilliant saves it is unfair, why Madrid defended so well in the second half it is unfair, the delayed kick-off affected Liverpool’s preparation.
Mamoon
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Liverpool moan about City’s deep pockets but they wasted 50 million on a donkey of midfielder like Keita.
Amjid Javed
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3rd final this season and liverpool failed to score. The were hoping for pens again lol.
Amjid Javed
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Michael owen embarrasing himself calling liverpool best team in europe. Sore loser.
Mamoon
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Madrid made both Man City and Liverpool cry in the UCL and booted them out. I don’t think they care if a Liverpool fan thinks that they won’t finish with more than 70 points in the Premier League, which is a totally hilarious claim to begin with when Arsenal and Spurs finished with 69 and 71 points respectively, and both will get smashed by Madrid 9 out of 10 times.
Liverpool's hopes of being crowned champions of Europe for a seventh time ended in heartbreak at the hands of Real Madrid in Paris.
Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr, who was played onside by Trent Alexander-Arnold, scored the only goal of the final as Real sealed a Champions League-La Liga double.
Liverpool had several attempts on target but were frustrated by by a brilliant goalkeeping display by Thibaut Courtois, the former Chelsea man tipping Sadio Mane's attempt on to the post before keeping out Mohamed Salah late on with a superb one-handed save.
The final started 36 minutes after the scheduled 20:00 BST kick-off due to "security reasons" after pictures emerged in the build-up of huge crowds of fans queuing to get in the Stade de France.
Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr, who was played onside by Trent Alexander-Arnold, scored the only goal of the final as Real sealed a Champions League-La Liga double.
Liverpool had several attempts on target but were frustrated by by a brilliant goalkeeping display by Thibaut Courtois, the former Chelsea man tipping Sadio Mane's attempt on to the post before keeping out Mohamed Salah late on with a superb one-handed save.
The final started 36 minutes after the scheduled 20:00 BST kick-off due to "security reasons" after pictures emerged in the build-up of huge crowds of fans queuing to get in the Stade de France.
Amjid Javed
PakPassion's 100,000 posts man
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3 finals and zero goals this season.
Most probably he will say that Real won because Thibaut Courtois is taller than Alisson. So happy that Liverpool fans & players are humbled.
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