The European season comes to an end this weekend. Well, only for those who qualified for the ultimate prize – the Champions League.
Real Madrid and Liverpool clash in the final for the third time, with the score 1-1 – Liverpool winning in 1981, and Real in 2018.
They are European royalty – the clubs have 19 European Cup titles – Real’s 13 to Liverpool’s six.
Sunday’s match (3am) in Paris, is Real’s 17th European Cup/Champions League final, and Liverpool’s 10th.
Fresh from winning the Premier League’s and League Managers Association’s Manager of the Season awards, Jurgen Klopp has the chance to add a third trophy to Liverpool’s collection.
The Reds won the League and FA Cups and finished a point behind Manchester City in the Premier League.
Tuition teacher Boo Soon Yew predicts a 2-0 victory for Liverpool.
“It is payback for what happened in 2018 when (Sergio) Ramos ‘injured’ (Mohamed) Salah – unintentionally or otherwise – and Liverpool lost,” said Boo.
“Liverpool needs to cut down on its mistakes and manage the game well.
“Real is the comeback king – it proved that against Manchester City – so Liverpool has to be patient and not rush things.
“I see The Reds scoring an early goal and another, towards the end. I had hoped it would be (Divock) Origi, but it looks like he is out of the final due to injury.”
Sharing Boo’s optimism is N. Shashitharan.
The corporate trainer said: “This Liverpool side is different from the team that lost to Real Madrid in 2018 and Sevilla in the 2017 Europa League finals.
“This is a re-engineered Liverpool squad built to win. I see The Reds sealing it 3-1.”
But Real fans are also hopeful for a positive outcome.
Content writer K. Livingeshan conceded Liverpool would start as the favourite but feels Los Blancos would prevail on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
“Real will enter the final with the benefit of having rested players after sealing its 35th La Liga title on April 30.
“That allowed players to recover from any niggling knocks and Carlo Ancelotti to prepare for the final,” said Livingeshan.
“Conversely, Liverpool plays better when the games come thick and fast. Jurgen Klopp lamented the lack of fluency in Liverpool’s game in the victorious 2019 UCL campaign when it had time to prepare, unlike this time around.
“Everyone knows The Reds have the better team. This Real is on its last legs. It will be difficult to cope with the pace of Liverpool’s attack.
However, he described himself as a Madridista, and this being Real Madrid, he is not giving up.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think Real would have such a season. If we win this, it will be glorious. Bring on number 14!”
Meanwhile, fans in Malaysia can catch the match ‘live’ at Arena Central Piazza, KL Gateway Mall. The main attraction is a lucky draw, where the winner will earn an all-expenses paid trip to Anfield to watch Liverpool in the English Premier League.
It is the second time KL Gateway is organising a ‘live’ viewing of a Champions League final. The last time it did so was in 2019, when 2,300 fans watched Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0.
STAT ATTACK
- Real is the most successful team in the competition with 13 titles. Liverpool is joint third with Bayern Munich (six), one behind AC Milan.
- This is Real’s 17th Champions League/European Cup final. Liverpool has reached 10 finals.
- This is the third time the teams will contest the final – the most two sides have faced each other in the title decider.
- The teams have met eight times. Liverpool won the first three, including the 1981 final. Real has four victories, including the 2018 final.
- In those eight games, Real has scored 10 times, and Liverpool, eight.
- Karim Benzema is the all-time leading scorer in games involving Real and Liverpool, with four goals. Steven Gerrard is Liverpool’s leading scorer, with two.
- Liverpool has always faced an opponent in white in the finals – including against AC Milan in 2005 and 2007, and Roma (1984). Milan (red and black) and Roma (carmine red and golden yellow) could not wear their traditional jerseys as they were the “away” team.
- Real’s Ancelotti is the only manager to win league titles in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and La Liga.
- Ancelotti has faced Liverpool three times in a Champions League final. He was part of the Roma squad in 1984 and managed Milan in 2005 and 2007.
- This is Jurgen Klopp’s fourth Champions League finals – three with Liverpool (also in 2018 and 2019) – and once, with Dortmund (2013).
