UEFA Champions League final: Liverpool vs Real Madrid - All you need to know

It's the UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid on Saturday 26 May..... who walk out with the trophy?

Madrid are gunning for their third consecutive European crown – and their 13th overall – while Liverpool are in their first final since 2007, and looking to add a sixth title after last winning it in the memorable 2005 final against AC Milan.

Cristiano Ronaldo will go head-to-head with Mohamed Salah in a battle of two of Europe’s hottest strikers.

Real Madrid having won a European record of 12 Champions Leagues and Liverpool a British record f five, are two of the four most successful clubs in the competition’s annals.

Liverpool’s route to the final

Qualifying play-off: Liverpool 6-3 Hoffenheim (aggregate)

Group stage: Finished top of Group E with three wins and three draws and scoring 23 goals in the process.

Round of 16: Liverpool 5-0 Porto (aggregate)

Quarter-finals: Liverpool 5-1 Manchester City (aggregate)

Semi-finals: Liverpool 7-6 Roma (aggregate)

Real Madrid’s route to the final

Group stage: Finished second in Group H behind Tottenham Hotspur having won four, drawn one and lost one, scoring 17 goals in the process.

Round of 16: Real Madrid 5-2 Paris Saint-Germain (aggregate)

Quarter-finals: Real Madrid 4-3 Juventus (aggregate)

Semi-finals: Real Madrid 4-3 Bayern Munich (aggregate)

Predicted line-ups

Liverpool: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson; Milner, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Mane, Firmino, Salah.

Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Kroos, Modric; Vasquez, Benzema, Ronaldo.

Facts about the teams

-Real are the first side to reach three consecutive CL finals since Juventus achieved the feat between 1996 and 1998. While they had their Spanish rivals Atletico Madrid in 2016 in the final, they fended off a challenge from Juventus in 2017.

-Liverpool, though, are not going to be easy. Unlike Atletico and Juventus, Liverpool are an attacking side and just like Real, they like their free-flowing football.

-Interestingly, Real Madrid, who have won the title 12 times (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016 and 2017), have come out triumphant in their last six finals.

-On the other hand, Liverpool have won the Champions League five times in their history (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005). The point to note here however is none of the current Liverpool members have ever played a CL final.

HISTORY:
-Real Madrid and Liverpool have met five times in Europe and Liverpool lead their head-to-head record 3-2. Considering the goals, Liverpool have scored six in their clashes while Madrid have scored four.

-The match is a repeat of the 1981 title clash where Liverpool prevailed 1-0 in Paris thanks to defender Alan Kennedy's 82nd minute goal. Interestingly, that was Madrid's last defeat in the final of the competition.

- A win for Real will make them the first team to claim three straight European Cup titles twice. Ajax (197173) and Bayern Munich (197476) are the only others to win three titles in a row.

Where is it?

The 2018 Champions League final will be held at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine. It is the home of Dynamo Kiev.

The stadium previously hosted the Euro 2012 final and holds a maximum capacity of 63,000 - the second largest in eastern Europe. 

What time is kick-off?

7.45pm BST.

My prediction

Liverpool win 3-1