Real Madrid vs Liverpool - Champions League Final - 26th May 2018

IncognitoMan

@RoboKlopp

How are you doing it?

IncognitoMan

IncognitoMan wrote: »

@RoboKlopp

How are you doing it?

Didn't get a ticket in the ballot unfortunately.

I needed to be back on the Sunday so had flights ready to book. Was costing over 1k for those.

Same flights and touted ticket in Liverpool end about 3k now .

mada999

Phoenix Wright wrote: »

It looks pricey from what I can tell, still around €600 but it would be fantastic as I am familiar with the area. Is there someway of getting there cheaper from Cologne?

dont worry about accomodation... the people of Kyiv are offering beds for free... check it out on FB... "Kyiv Free couch for football fans 26/05/18"

you'll get sorted..

MD1990

Going to have to be good in the air.

Crosses from Marcelo & Carajval are Real's most used attacking tactics

Fitz*

Real seem pretty confident apparently.

Why Everyone in Madrid Is So Confident Real Will Beat 'Mentally Weak' Liverpool

On Saturday, Real Madrid will play Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final in Kiev, Ukraine. In Madrid, they couldn't be more composed at the thought of it. There is a sense of stillness in the air. You could almost reach out and touch it. There's little to trouble the mind about the prospect of facing Jurgen Klopp's freewheeling Liverpool side.

"There isn't any sensation of fear in Madrid about Liverpool—among the directors, among the players," says Diego Torres, a journalist with El Pais. "They're relaxed in Real Madrid before this final. They've never been so calm and confident in the club before a final than now. This final is the easiest final they have in front of them, all of them—[club president] Florentino Perez, the captains. Everyone."


Real Madrid have history on their side. It's a theme that the press in the city is playing up. "Liverpool will be crushed by Real Madrid's legend," Julian Ruiz wrote in El Mundo once the final pairings were decided. Real Madrid have been here before. They know how to win. They have played in 15 European Cup finals. They have won 12 of them.

"People say history and statistics don't necessarily play a part, but it does," says Phil Kitromilides, who works as a presenter for Real Madrid TV. "Maybe not for the opponents—maybe they can block it out; maybe they can't—but for Real Madrid, it certainly plays a part in their self-belief, in believing their own hype. They believe they are the kings of Europe—the fans sing, 'We are the kings of Europe.' They believe they are the strongest team in this competition. And history shows they are."

"Real Madrid are favourites because of the weight of history and because of the experience the players have in these finals," added Tomas Roncero, a journalist with Diario AS. "The other day they did a study and the Real Madrid squad has 46 Champions League-winning medals; Liverpool don't have a player who has won the Champions League."


Roncero points towards the doggedness that dragged Real Madrid through previous finals against Atletico Madrid in 2014 and 2016, for instance, in which they were under the cosh but pulled through.

"They learned how to suffer and to win," he says. "Liverpool may have the dream and the hunger, but Madrid have the experience—they know how to deal with the pressure of a match like this.


"Real Madrid have been created to play finals. Sometimes they might play poorly in second legs en route to the final—in the second leg this season against Juventus, for example, and also in the second leg against Bayern Munich, but it's very hard to see them playing so badly in a final. Real Madrid in finals are very secure, very competitive. The whole team are convinced they are going to win. They never play with a fear of losing. In a final, that makes their rival shrink."

When assessing Liverpool's mindset, critics in Madrid see a team with a soft underbelly, says the English broadcaster Kitromilides: "Liverpool are viewed as being a bit fragile mentally. If they were a boxer, they might have a glass chin. They can be got at. If it gets tough, they don't necessarily find a way to grind out results and hold on, like Real Madrid do.

"Even in the semi-final tie against AS Roma, in the first leg, once those two second-half goals went in, there was a sense of, 'Uh-oh, Liverpool could throw something away here when they'd played so well.' It's the two sides of Liverpool, which people are aware of here—that this is an incredibly exciting, attacking side but one prone to big, defensive lapses and one that is weak mentally. Even if Liverpool take the lead, Real Madrid won't be too terrified because of their strength mentally and Liverpool's perceived weaknesses."

Real Madrid also have a full deck to play with. There are no injury concerns. Their manager, Zinedine Zidane, has the pleasant problem of choosing between Isco, Karim Benzema and a resurgent Gareth Bale—who has scored four goals in his last three games—for the final two pieces of his attacking jigsaw alongside perennial Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.


When pundits in Madrid consider the squad at Jurgen Klopp's disposal, however, they see it is riddled with flaws. Apart from the vaunted attacking front three—Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane—it smells of mediocrity. It's a team made up of more artisans than artists.

"Liverpool probably is not even among the top 10 teams in Europe," says Torres, "because it doesn't have a good goalkeeper. It doesn't have a good defence. It only has one international-class defender—Virgil van Dijk. Its full-backs are very limited. Maybe they're strong, fast; they're able to do OK in the English Premier League, but none of them signed for Chelsea or Manchester City or Manchester United because they don't have the level to play for those teams. The full-backs for Tottenham Hotspur are much better than Liverpool's.

"Liverpool's midfield has players who are also forceful, disciplined, self-sacrificing. They know their profession. They are tradesmen. Footballers like Jordan Henderson and James Milner are footballers that lack creativity. There are other British teams with better midfielders. Liverpool doesn't have a player like [Paul] Pogba, nor [Ilkay] Gundogan, nor [Kevin] De Bruyne nor [David] Silva, nor Dele Alli in the centre of their midfield. Liverpool is missing footballers in this part of the pitch with ingenuity."

Torres admires the pragmatic mind of Klopp. He is a coach whom Roncero believes will be first in line to replace Zidane when the Frenchman leaves Real Madrid. There is nothing wantonly cavalier about Klopp's philosophy of football, argued Torres. The gung-ho brand of football Liverpool play springs from necessity; Klopp makes do with the resources at his disposal. He is compelled to make his team adventurous.


"Klopp couldn't come from any other place in the world than Germany," says Torres. "He's from a very defined school. He places a lot of emphasis on physicality. He's modern. He understands contemporary football very well. He's not crazy. The other way around—if he were crazy, he wouldn't have been able to get a team with a lot of deficiencies to the final of the Champions League. He's a very rational coach even if he seems very boisterous and sentimental.

"Klopp has no other option than to be reckless—reckless in the sense of being very attacking. It's a calculation. If his team doesn't attack like crazy, they're lost. They're dead because they don't have players who can defend a lead. They don't have a competent defence. They don't have a midfield that can dictate the rhythm of a game. This is the reason they attack like crazy."

In Salah, Liverpool has a player who has wreaked havoc on defences in England and around Europe this season in an unexpected, thrilling manner. A defining performance in the final at Kiev could put him in the shop window as a future Real Madrid player, reckons Roncero, although both Roncero and Torres say Neymar Jr. is the Real Madrid president's prime target in this summer's transfer market.

"I don't think Mo Salah will be a Galactico in the future," says the well-informed Torres. "Florentino wants to buy other footballers. Florentino wants to buy Neymar. He doesn't have the money to buy Mo Salah. If he can't buy Neymar, he intends to buy Harry Kane or Eden Hazard. Real Madrid have never been interested in buying Mo Salah from what I know."


All eyes will be on Salah to see if he can be decisive in Saturday's final (7:45 p.m. BST, 2:45 p.m. ET). He's part of an irrepressible attacking trident that threatens to derail Real Madrid's ambition to win a fourth UEFA Champions League crown in five seasons. It would be an achievement Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos stated would cement their place in the history books as the defining team of an era, per Marca. It all hinges on which Liverpool turns up.

"Real Madrid have respect for Liverpool because they are a team, who, if they are inspired, they can make your evening bitter," says Roncero. "Man City saw that at Anfield in the quarter-final. Some people here have that match in their mind as an example of what Liverpool are capable of or the 60 minutes they played against Roma at Anfield. Liverpool have a lot of football, and for that reason, Madrid have respect, but not fear."

Morzadec

FitzShane wrote: »

Real seem pretty confident apparently.

OwaynOTT

Hard to argue with any of that really. Unless you've played at least junior level soccer.

Iang87

like under 8s level or even perhaps had the sport of football described to you by some form of eskimo in the north pole.

Some load of tripe

ERG89

Just one thing on that. Milner as much as a tradesman or grafter as he is has the record for assists in a Champions League season.
Liverpool came up against a midfield with De Bruyne, Silva & Gundogan too.
Madrid are clearly a very strong side but the local press in Spain talk about them and Barca like they are Greek gods. They must have still not accepted Roma beating Barca.

LuckyLloyd

They should be confident. They've won three of the last four European Cups. Their squad is exceptional in all areas. There isn't a single player or coach quoted there, it's simply the opinions of the Madrid pundits. There was a similarly confident aura around Milan in 2005 with good reason. The only real significance to be drawn from that article is that Zidane and the squad will be SAVAGED if they lose. And maybe we'll get a similarly mopey chapter in Ronaldo's autobiography about it ala Pirlo. :pac:

yourdeadwright

I quite like Madrid's arrogance ,its exactly what Liverpool need,
Spurs played Madrid twice this season and where the better team twice,
I think Madrid will be surprised at how effective our limited players are,
This Madrid side have lost so many times this season its hard to keep count, there not unbeatable at all .

Mr.H

The obvious weakness for Madrid is Marcelo. It's been mention a lot so this is not new. But I really think it depends what real do about Marcelo that will define the game. If Marcelo gets too far forward you will see Ramos try to close Salah. We know how Ramos can often lose the head so it could be a big issue for them. Liverpool tried to bypass the midfield a lot against city and I expect the same again. Quick direct passing up to the front three. Of course Liverpool's defence is our worry also but we did deal with city's fire power. Even in he second leg we conceded early only to go on and win the game.

I can see Liverpool getting at least two or three. It just depends if we can stop them from getting more than us.

My prediction is 3-2 Liverpool Salah first goal.

yourdeadwright

Mr.H wrote: »

The obvious weakness for Madrid is Marcelo. It's been mention a lot so this is not new. But I really think it depends what real do about Marcelo that will define the game. If Marcelo gets too far forward you will see Ramos try to close Salah. We know how Ramos can often lose the head so it could be a big issue for them. Liverpool tried to bypass the midfield a lot against city and I expect the same again. Quick direct passing up to the front three. Of course Liverpool's defence is our worry also but we did deal with city's fire power. Even in he second leg we conceded early only to go on and win the game.

I can see Liverpool getting at least two or three. It just depends if we can stop them from getting more than us.

My prediction is 3-2 Liverpool Salah first goal.

We have great at the back bar the Roma away game since VVD has signed, and in a second leg that your 5-2 up its very hard on players to know what to do, look at Real v Juve and Barca v Roma,  When your losing you've no choice but to attack but defending the lead is tricky in a mental aspect,
I think we will give Madrid a real run for there money on Saturday, I just hope the ref doesn't bottle it and favour Madrid

Mr.H

That could be an issue alright. Refs do tend to give real a couple of dodgy shouts. Hopefully we won't give the ref a chance to do it

LuckyLloyd

Predictions :pac:

I have no clue how this game will go. The full spectrum of outcomes is possible, with a bias towards a positive result for Madrid.

theteal

Strange that Liverpool's keeper and defense are the first thing he dismisses. Has he see Real's keeper and back line this season???

Let them be confident. Will it lead to complacency?

A few weeks ago I was fully behind a Liverpool win, now with Bale back on form it give Real another dimension, it may just swing it back in Real's favour. All I know is, I can't remember the last time I've looked forward to a match as much.

rob316

Way too much been made of Liverpool's defence, if you want to say they switch off when ahead and let the other team back in fair enough but Liverpool's defence is bad is 6 months ago. Just lazy journalism when they keep saying it.

citytillidie

Works out Liverpool conceded a goal a game average over the league season. Real 1.15 goals a game over their league season

gimli2112

citytillidie wrote: »

Works out Liverpool conceded a goal a game average over the league season. Real 1.15 goals a game over their league season

Spurs and City did a lot of damage to that stat and Watford.

martyos121

FitzShane wrote: »

Real seem pretty confident apparently.

Liverpool doesn't have a player like [Paul] Pogba

Thank fcuk for that! We’d probably have been knocked out by now.

TitianGerm

rob316 wrote: »

Way too much been made of Liverpool's defence, if you want to say they switch off when ahead and let the other team back in fair enough but Liverpool's defence is bad is 6 months ago. Just lazy journalism when they keep saying it.

Liverpool have conceded 9 goals in the league since VVD joined, that's the second lowest in that time.

Agent Coulson

TitianGerm wrote: »

Liverpool have conceded 9 goals in the league since VVD joined, that's the second lowest in that time.

They conceded 6 in two games against Roma in the Champions League.

TitianGerm

Agent Coulson wrote: »

They conceded 6 in two games against Roma in the Champions League.

They did. Two were penalties that shouldn't have been given, one was a fluke that cannoned off Milners face and one was a super goal from Roma so you can't really say they could have done much more to stop those.

Agent Coulson

TitianGerm wrote: »

They did. Two were penalties that shouldn't have been given, one was a fluke that cannoned off Milners face and one was a super goal from Roma so you can't really say they could have done much more to stop those.

It is still 6 goals conceded in 2 games is it not and VVD played in both those games ?

TitianGerm

Agent Coulson wrote: »

It is still 6 goals conceded in 2 games is it not?

Yes it is? But 9 goals conceded in the League since VVD joined is still 9 goals conceded in the league and the second best over that period, is it not?

yourdeadwright

Agent Coulson wrote: »

TitianGerm wrote: »

Liverpool have conceded 9 goals in the league since VVD joined, that's the second lowest in that time.

They conceded 6 in two games against Roma in the Champions League.

2 while 5 n-0 up which is fine,
Then the second leg is unlike any normal football game, the team ahead does not know what to do ,
They don't know weather to sit and hold out or attack , You see it so many times in second legs , Real v Juve , Real 3-0 down at home in jury time and get a peno,  Roma v Barca , it happens a lot, The losing team has no option but to attack, 
Mentally the Liverpool players knew a few goals wouldn't hurt them so its a strange situation and often cause's mad results,

5starpool

Agent Coulson wrote: »

It is still 6 goals conceded in 2 games is it not and VVD played in both those games ?

It we win 7-6 I'll be happy enough in the end.

Agent Coulson

Ah Ok those goals don't count then because we were 5 nil up right blinkers on there is now issues with the Liverpool defence.

Agent Coulson

5starpool wrote: »

It we win 7-6 I'll be happy enough in the end.

If it finishes 7-6 after 90 minutes I think we all could be dead from heart attacks.

yourdeadwright

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Ah Ok those goals don't count then because we were 5 nil up right blinkers on there is now issues with the Liverpool defence.

The Madrid defence have conceded a higher number of goals per game than Liverpool this season,
That is without even adding the fact that Liverpool have improved so much since December ,

the whole year inn

Can't see past a Real win.They have the metal that they have done it before,they have a better team.Liverpool will have to find another gear to beat that team and I don't think they have it.

yourdeadwright

the whole year inn wrote: »

Can't see past a Real win.They have the metal that they have done it before,they have a better team.Liverpool will have to find another gear to beat that team and I don't think they have it.

Real are no doubt favourites but They have lost a huge number of games this season so anything is possible.
I kepet going back to the two games v Spurs , I know Madrid where not in good form at the stage of the season but Spurs really dominated both ties by out running Madrid , I can see Liverpool doing the same,

IncognitoMan

RoboKlopp wrote: »

Didn't get a ticket in the ballot unfortunately.

I needed to be back on the Sunday so had flights ready to book. Was costing over 1k for those.

Same flights and touted ticket in Liverpool end about 3k now .

Buy yourself a little Ronaldo jersey and head over as a Madrid fan so :cool:

garra

Anyone know what UEFA are doing with the 2000 tickets that Madrilenos didn't want? Apologies if already discussed

the whole year inn

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Real are no doubt favourites but They have lost a huge number of games this season so anything is possible.
I kepet going back to the two games v Spurs , I know Madrid where not in good form at the stage of the season but Spurs really dominated both ties by out running Madrid , I can see Liverpool doing the same,

Liverpool are 4th in the league for a reason,with draws to Stoke ,West brom Everton and they even drew with Spurs.
How ever you slice the Roma game ,Roma lost by only one goal aswell Liverpool nearly bottled it and where 5-0 up at one stage.
Everybody knows how Liverpool going to play this I just think it's to easy for Real and if Salah Mane and Firmino can't get through have you any faith in Ings or Solanke to save the day.There is literally no plan b with that team .

TitianGerm

the whole year inn wrote: »

Liverpool are 4th in the league for a reason,with draws to Stoke ,West brom Everton and they even drew with Spurs.
How ever you slice the Roma game ,Roma lost by only one goal aswell Liverpool nearly bottled it and where 5-0 up at one stage.
Everybody knows how Liverpool going to play this I just think it's to easy for Real and if Salah Mane and Firmino can't get through have you any faith in Ings or Solanke to save the day.There is literally no plan b with that team .

Sure City walked the league and Liverpool could only draw with Stoke, West Brom and Everton but Liverpool still knocked City out of the Champions League.

IncognitoMan

I really do get the feeling that this Real side is at the end of its run. On paper and 1-11 it looks a better team but there's always that step that's a step too far for great sides and they lose a game that on paper you wouldn't expect them to lose. I think this is that game.

Liverpool will need to build up a 2-3 goal cushion though because I still expect Real to score.

Royal Irish

TitianGerm wrote: »

Sure City walked the league and Liverpool could only draw with Stoke, West Brom and Everton but Liverpool still knocked City out of the Champions League.

I think the violence towards the Man City team in the first leg played a big part in Liverpools win.

Man City weren't in the right frame of mind for the game after being attacked.

TitianGerm

Royal Irish wrote: »

I think the violence towards the Man City team in the first leg played a big part in Liverpools win.

Man City weren't in the right frame of mind for the game after being attacked.

Yea that's it. They were hammered by the better team over two legs. No shame in that.

And the fact that he thinks Liverpool nearly bottled the Roma games shows he's on the wind up or has very little knowledge of the game.

Roma were behind in the tie from the 35th minute in the first leg, over the next 150+ minutes not at one point we're they even close to going through, they did manage to get within one goal of drawing level in the 94th minute of injury time of the second leg, oh so close to bottling it though :pac:

garra

Royal Irish wrote: »

I think the violence towards the Man City team in the first leg played a big part in Liverpools win.

Man City weren't in the right frame of mind for the game after being attacked.

Agreed. Gegenpressing can be quite a shock to the system, poor lads.

Turtyturd

Some City fans still taking being knocked out hard?

TitianGerm

Turtyturd wrote: »

Some City fans still taking being knocked out hard?

Just one really.

Ah bless

OwaynOTT

The gravitonal pull from he moon favoured liverpool in every game so far too. So lucky to be there. They'll fine it hard with the Ukrainian moon.

NIMAN

I just hope its an open and entertaining final as we are all expecting.

I can't see it being anything else if I'm honest. Both teams don't do defensive, they only know one way to play.

sabat

Even as a Liverpool fan speaking I don't think it's unrealistic to say that they've never at any point in this competition looked in danger of going out-maybe after City got their goal in the 2nd leg there was a bit of "oh sh1t" but that didn't last long. Real on the other hand could easily have gone out in each of the last 2 rounds.

Oranage2

Really hope Madrid win, I don't think I Could bare Liverpool supporters singing we've won it Six times as if it was a double welfare payment week.

Agent Coulson

Lol

Harry Palmr

Report the post and leave it there

the whole year inn

TitianGerm wrote: »

Yea that's it. They were hammered by the better team over two legs. No shame in that.

And the fact that he thinks Liverpool nearly bottled the Roma games shows he's on the wind up or has very little knowledge of the game.

Roma were behind in the tie from the 35th minute in the first leg, over the next 150+ minutes not at one point we're they even close to going through, they did manage to get within one goal of drawing level in the 94th minute of injury time of the second leg, oh so close to bottling it though :pac:

Just highlighting the fact that they where 5 goals ahead and still only Roma went out of the tie because of one goal.Thats getting into bottle territory all right.