Liverpool and Real Madrid meet in the Champions League final for the second time in five years, with Jurgen Klopp’s side aiming to end the season with a trophy treble while the Spanish giants will look to Karim Benzema to inspire them to a record-extending 14th European Cup victory.
A crowd of 80,000 will be inside the Stade de France for the final on Saturday, which kicks off at 9pm in Paris (19:00 GMT), including 20,000 supporters of each side who have officially got their hands on precious tickets for the game.
The final promises to be a fitting climax to the European season, with Liverpool looking to win a second Champions League in four seasons since losing 1-3 to Real Madrid in Kyiv in 2018, when Mohamed Salah went off injured in the first half and Gareth Bale scored twice for the Spaniards.
The Anfield side can win their seventh European Cup, a tally that would see them go level with AC Milan and leave only Real with more victories. Indeed Madrid are looking to win their fifth Champions League in nine seasons and, ominously, have won on all of their last seven final appearances.
Team News
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti hopes to have everyone available for the 17th European Cup/Champions League final. David Alaba returned to training this week after an adductor injury.
Alaba missed the Betis game but should start here, demoting Nacho Fernandez to the bench.Marcelo has overcome fitness issues to be available but will play second fiddle to Ferland Mendy.
Eder Militao will expect to keep his berth despite requests to dismiss him.Eduardo Camavinga has been effective off the bench during Real’s run to the final, but he would only start if Casemiro, Toni Kroos, or Luka Modric were injured.
The Liverpool high line allows Vinicius and Rodrygo to rush in behind, but Rodrygo’s influence as a substitute may push Ancelotti to play Federico Valverde more forward.
Another hat-trick for Benzema in the showpiece event would break Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most Champions League goals in a single season (17 in 2013-14), while he just needs to make the net ripple once to become the outright third-highest goalscorer in the competition (86).
On the side, Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara suffered an Achilles injury before the end of the first half against Wolves. Klopp was initially gloomy about Thiago’s chances of playing in the final, but he has since altered his tune.
Fabinho’s hamstring injury should improve when he returned to training on Wednesday. Joe Gomez should also be available after recovering from an ankle injury.
Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah were both fit for the bench in the FA Cup final and should return here. Salah scored Liverpool’s second goal to share the Golden Boot with Son Heung-min.
Diogo Jota will be replaced by Mohamed Salah, while Ibrahima Konate will compete with Joel Matip for a spot in the final.
Starting Lineups
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Predictions
This is the best Champions League final matchup we’ve had since the last time these two met in 2018. This go-around will surely delight all watchers, with legends at play, exciting attacking football and all the drama and intrigue you could ask for.
As much as Liverpool will want to end the season on a high after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title, capturing a massively impressive treble in the process, there is just something about this Real Madrid side.
Knocked down but never out, Ancelotti’s men have willed themselves to victory on more than one occasion and have the intangibles across a massively talented squad to do it one last time this season.
The City of Lights will crown a 14-time European champion on this late May evening, with Real Madrid coming away 2-1 winners at the Stade de France.
HOW TO WATCH, STREAM CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
Date: 05/28/2022, Time: 21:00 CET, CAT (local time), Venue: Saint-Denis, Paris, France.
Available TV: TUDN (USA), DSTV (Channels 201-210) (AFRICA), BT Sport 1 HD, Ultimate (UK)
Available Streaming: Paramount+, TUDN.com (USA), Fubo.TV (USA), BT Sport App, btsport.com, BT Sport Youtube Channel (UK)
