Liverpool-Real Madrid Prediction & Tips
Who will lift the 2021/2022 Champions League trophy to the sky? At the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris, everything is ready to welcome Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool and Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, respectively winners of 13 and 6 Champions (or Champions Cups as the competition was once called). The Reds last triumphed in 2019, when they defeated Tottenham 2-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, while in the previous three editions it was Real who scored a hat-trick, defeating Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Liverpool, who were defeated 3-1 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev on 26 May 2018.
And, speaking of direct confrontations, there have been eight previous official cup clashes between these two teams with a balance of 3 wins for Liverpool, 1 draw and 4 successes for Real Madrid. The balance of the finals, on the other hand, is 1-1 because in the 1980/1981 season, in the final of the Champions Cup, Liverpool won 1-0 in Paris. On that occasion the match was played at the Parc des Princes. The most recent head-to-heads, on the other hand, date back to the double-header played in the quarter-finals of last year’s edition when Real Madrid’s 3-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu was not matched by Liverpool, who failed to go beyond a 0-0 draw at Anfield Road. Liverpool boast 17 wins, 14 draws and 15 defeats against Spanish teams in European cups, while Real Madrid have 16 wins, 13 draws and 13 defeats against English teams.
Liverpool come to this final after the disappointment of second place in the Premier League final sprint mitigated by their success a week earlier in the famous and historic FA Cup. Klopp’s team has a respectable roster in this edition of the Champions League and in the elimination phase they have racked up four wins against one draw and one defeat. Another Spanish team fell under the Reds’ blows in the semi-finals: Unai Emery’s Villarreal lost both at Anfield Road 2-0 and at the Estadio de la Ceramica 3-2. Real Madrid, on the other hand, raised the La Liga trophy to the sky and did so a few weeks ago, thus limiting their efforts in the season finale. The Merengues had a more difficult path in the Champions League and against PSG in the round of 16, Chelsea in the quarters and Manchester City in the semi-finals they always lost a match. In the last two rounds, then, they only went through to the round in extra time.
The two teams arrive in high spirits at this final and are both capable of taking home yet another cup in their history. It is true that Liverpool did not manage to make the final breakthrough in the league, finishing behind Manchester City, but it is also true that Klopp’s team has just won the FA Cup and has had a very, very positive path in this edition of the Champions League. Real, on the other hand, arrive at this final strong with the La Liga title and with a Karim Benzema in ‘super’ format, who has scored 10 goals in the last five games of the cup with the big ears.
This match brings to a close the long and wearing season of two top teams that have struggled until the end of the season to achieve their respective goals. Both coaches have to deal with elements that are not at their best. Liverpool, for example, have defender Joe Gomez, midfielders Alcantara and Fabinho as well as striker Origi who are to be assessed. In Real Madrid, on the other hand, Carlo Ancelotti will have to deal with the not 100 per cent physical condition of defenders Alaba and Marcelo and strikers Hazard and Bale. Liverpool’s last competitive engagement was the league win on 22 May at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1, while two days earlier Real Madrid ended their 2021/2022 La Liga campaign by drawing 0-0 at home against Real Betis.
Liverpool-Real Madrid FREE TIPS
Vitesse – Win @ 2.25
