Champions League: There’s so Much to Look Forward to in this Final

Liverpool vs Real Madrid

When Liverpool and Real Madrid step out for the Champions League final in Paris, the eyes of the world will be watching as two of the finest teams in world football battle it out for European supremacy.

The showcase final brings together clubs which are banging in form. Liverpool are enjoying a remarkable season and, at the time of writing, are still on course for an historic quadruple.

The Premier League showdown takes place on Sunday but Real Madrid have already been crowned La Liga champions and they are seeking a record 14^th title, which is twice as many as any other club and the fifth in a decade.    

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are marginal favourites here at SBOTOP to win within 90 minutes at a price of 2.09, while Los Blancos are priced at 3.16.

When the two teams met in Kyiv in 2018, Real Madrid ran out 3-1 winners. But this game is a decider as Liverpool won the European Cup by beating Real Madrid in the 1981 final again in Paris.  

History will be made one way or another. But in the meantime, let’s see what we have to look forward to. 

Benzema vs Van Dijk

One of the hottest strikers in world football will come up against arguably the best defender on the planet when Karim Benzema comes face-to-face with Virgil van Dijk.

French hitman Benzema has been sensational in Los Blancos’ league triumph, top scoring in La Liga with 27 goals and his movement and finishing ability is second to none in the Spanish league.

But he will meet a commanding presence at the heart of Liverpool’s rearguard in Van Dijk. The Dutch centre back has marshalled a defence which has conceded just 25 league goals this term and he is class personified on the biggest stage.    

Luka Modric’s ageless genius

There will be a galaxy of stars on the pitch next Saturday when Real meet the Reds. As well as Benzema and van Dijk, we have Mohamed Salah, Vinicius Junior, Andrew Robertson, Rodrygo, and Alisson. But one player I’m really looking forward to watching is Los Blancos’ creative midfielder Luka Modric.

Since he joined Real Madrid in 2012 for a fee of £30-M, he has been one of the club’s most influential players as the team has picked up four Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles.

And at 36 year of age, the Croatian playmaker is as good as ever. With a beautiful poise on the ball, quick feet, and a fantastic array of passing, Modric is one of Europe’s finest players in a generation.   

He has won 18 trophies in total with Real Madrid and in 2016 was voted the best midfielder in La Liga. And he is his nation’s most capped player, leading Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final.

Always a pleasure to watch, I hope this is not Modric’s last appearance in a major final. 

Is this Liverpool’s destiny with history?

Whatever the outcome of the Premier League shootout on Sunday, this will be a phenomenal campaign for Liverpool. Klopp’s Reds have already won a domestic Cup double, beating Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals, both times on penalties.  

The Reds are at home to Wolves on Sunday, and if they win, then they will hope that old friend Steven Gerrard can guide his Aston Villa to a shock win over Manchester City to hand them the league treble.

And then it’s down to the Champions League final in Paris where the Reds could become immortal. 

Or will Los Blancos make it a Premier League hat-trick?

Of course, there are a couple of huge if’s in the way of Liverpool’s dream outcome, and one is that they have to beat a Real Madrid side capable of beating the best in the world since Los Blancos have already seen off two of the Premier League’s finest.

While Liverpool had a relatively calm path to final, Carlo Ancelotti’s side had to pull out some spectacularChampions League 2022 resultsto make the Paris date.

In the quarter-final, they overcame the luckless Chelsea in extra time as Benzema scored a 96^th minute winner to make if 5-4 on aggregate.

And then in the semi-final, Los Blancos launched a stunning comeback to beat Manchester City. The Sky Blues were seemingly coasting through to an all-English final with two goals to the good and as injury time began, Rodrygo struck twice to take the tie to extra time and, of course, Benzema scored the winner in a 6-5 aggregate victory.   

Betting Tip

One thing the Champions League 2022 betting odds can confirm is that we’re going to see a sensational final which could go either way. But I can’t resist making a call, though I won’t side with either team. Salah and Benzema will lead two exciting attacks against some of the best defenders in the world and the goal scorers will have the upper hand.

 

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