The most successful club in the history of the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid, will take on Liverpool on Sunday, who’ve won this competition six times, in the ultimate clash to add the latest chapter to this historic rivalry.
The last time Real Madrid met Liverpool in a Champions League final, they ran out 3-1 victors in 2018, but Liverpool are the only side to have defeated Real Madrid in the last Champions League final which they lost, dating back to 1981, which coincidentally came in Paris itself.
Team News:
Real Madrid:
For Real Madrid, David Alaba looks set to be in contention after a month on the sidelines.
The defender has not played since the first leg against City in the semi-finals due to muscle fatigue and missed out on Real’s final game of the La Liga season against Real Betis but is expected to make a return.
Champions League veteran Marcelo has also shaken off fitness woes to make himself available but will once again play second fiddle to Ferland Mendy, while Eder Militao will expect to hold his spot despite calls for the Brazilian to be dropped.
Liverpool:
Both Fabinho and Thiago were fit to fly out for the match on Friday afternoon.
Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah were both fit enough for places on the bench last weekend after their FA Cup final knocks and will expect to return to the first XI here, with the latter bagging the Reds’ second to share the Golden Boot with Son Heung-min.
Diogo Jota is sure to make way for Salah, while Ibrahima Konate was mainly at fault for Wolves’ quickfire opener at the weekend, but the Champions League regular will aim to hold his spot over Joel Matip for the final.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
Real Madrid are unbeaten in the last five meetings between the sides, including that 2018 Champions League final win and last season’s quarter-final tie.
Liverpool wins: 3
Draws: 1
Real Madrid wins: 4
Form guide
Liverpool:
Route to final: Group B winners, 2-1 agg vs Inter (R16), 6-4 agg vs Benfica (QF), 5-2 agg vs Villarreal (SF)
Form (all competitions, most recent first): WWDWDW
Where they finished: 2nd in Premier League, FA Cup winners, League Cup winners
Real Madrid:
Route to final: Group D winners, 3-2 agg vs Paris (R16), 5-4 agg vs Chelsea (QF), 6-5 agg vs Man. City (SF)
Form (all competitions, most recent first): DDWLWW
Where they finished: La Liga champions
Possible starting XIs:
Liverpool’s possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz
Real Madrid’s possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Time, Date and Venue:
When: Saturday 28 May (21:00 CET kick-off)
Where: Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France