Can Liverpool stop Real Madrid’s Champions league dominance?
By The city of Kiev will on Saturday, May 26th, at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev, witness the biggest club football finals as English Premier league side Liverpool seek to end Real Madrid’s supremacy in a battled for the prestigious Uefa Champions League trophy.
No doubt, history will be made in a colossal clash of two of football’s most headlined clubs.
Dogged and rugged performances have helped Liverpool arrive in the Champions League final to face the most decorated European club in history, Real Madrid.
In search of their 13th European title, Real will look to depose Jurgen Klopp’s in-form Reds, in what promises be a fascinating tactical duel at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev.
The Reds are into the final for the first time since 2007 with an attacking formidable force in the likes of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and ‘Red Hot’ Mohamed Salah leading the frontline.
But the big question remains as to whether the Reds defence has what it takes to stop the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest goal scores in the tournament and also looking to become the first player to lift the trophy five times with the same club.
To add to the spectacle on the night, two of the world’s top talents will vie for the headlines in a battle that could decide who is crowned this season’s Ballon d’Or winner.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has enjoyed one of the most mind-bogglingly dominant seasons ever seen and will get the chance to ice it when he comes face-to-face with the Portuguese phenomenon, Cristiano Ronaldo.
The outcome of the match will likely be decided by the technical and tactical competence of both managers.
It was hard to imagine how Zinedine Zidane could come remotely close to replicating the success of his incredible playing career after being reborn as a top-tier manager, even after he was handed the keys to football’s most influential, financial and star-studded team.
Zidane will the hoping to steer Los Blancos to an unprecedented third straight UCL title, but standing in his way is Reds boss, Jurgen Klopp. The cool German is on the verge of restoring one of football’s sleeping giants to the unstoppable force that yielded five previous European Cup titles.
Liverpool have not been in a Champions League final for 11 years.
Klopp will be tasked with masterminding a monumental upset on May 26th, but his record in such occasions won’t fill Reds fans with confidence.
The German tactician has failed to achieve victory in any of his last five finals, including a 2013 loss to Bayern Munich in this tournament while in charge of Borussia Dortmund.
But, according to Jordan Henderson, the seeds for an astounding cup run were sewn following a Europa League final defeat two years ago in the shape of a rousing Klopp oration.
“We were obviously down but when we got back to the hotel the manager had something different to stay,” he said.
“He looked at the bigger picture and the future and he felt as though it could be a big moment in our careers to learn from the experience.
“He had this sort of vision that made me think in the future we’d get to another final.
“He wanted to use the experience of that final to keep us together and use it as a positive. If we got to another final we would be ready.”
Klopp insists the finals record is of little importance in the lead up to this game, one in which he will attempt to utilise his formidable front three to exploit holes in the defensive structure of Real Madrid.
An intriguing tactical duel is expected as the lauded attacking power of Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane seek to make their mark while exploiting the space behind Brazilian left back Marcelo, who Klopp says “doesn’t defend.”
The Reds back four have been questioned despite the steadying influence of January acquisition Virgil van Dijk and will no doubt have their hands full against the likes of Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Isco look to find the net.
In the centre of the park, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will seek to control the tempo, while James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum press to close down the space and time afforded to the duo.
Most cup finals provide a golden platform for players to ascend into legend. One thing is certain; a new chapter will be rewritten in the already incredible history of European landmark as football fraternity set to witness an intriguing, exciting and mouth boggling final in Kiev.
Anthony Nlebem
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