Liverpool will look to cap off a great season in the Champions League final versus Real Madrid. On the night of the 28th of May, two of the biggest European clubs will clash at Parc des Princes in Paris. Liverpool are coming into the game as favorites and they will look to capture their second Champions League title in four years. As with any final, it is very hard to predict what exactly will happen. However, we can certainly try to look for certain things to expect out of Liverpool. Here are three bold Liverpool predictions for the Champions League final versus Real Madrid.
Liverpool Bold Predictions for Champions League Final
Mohamed Salah will get his revenge
These two teams met in the Champions League Final in 2018. That was the last season of the Real Madrid three-peat, as Liverpool lost mainly due to two Loris Karius mistakes. However, another major reason why they lost was the absence of Mohamed Salah.
Salah was arguably even better back then, or at least at the same level. He was injured by Sergio Ramos around the 30th minute and could not continue the match. While it is unclear how much Salah's absence was really the reason why Liverpool lost, we can definitely say that the English team would look much better offensively with Salah there. Now, he has a chance to play a full final versus the Spanish team and to prove he can win Liverpool this title against this team specifically.
He is now entering this match with a magnificent season behind him. He scored 23 goals and dished out 14 assists, and eight of the goals came in the Champions League. The whole Liverpool season should be looked at through a team effort. But, it is not wrong to say that Mo Salah is their best player and one of the key reasons why they are in this final. Due to the aforementioned injury, there will be special motivation for the Egyptian to dominate this game and show the world what they missed out on in the 2018 final.
The Liverpool high press will draw huge results
If there is anything that Real Madrid have not wanted to face all season long, it is the high press. Against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Barcelona in the league, they just could not cope with the amount of pressure on their last line of defense. That is interesting for a variety of reasons.
One of them being that Real Madrid's defenders and midfielders are not that bad with the ball in their feet. Liverpool might pose the biggest challenge yet with their high press. Jurgen Klopp's patented “Geggenpress” is deeply rooted in this Liverpool squad, and they have utilized it to destroy opponents.
Now, they are facing a Real Madrid squad that does not always respond well to that type of play. Thus, it is easy to expect that Liverpool and their insistence on the high press will yield great results when it comes to dispossessing Real Madrid off the ball and not giving them a chance to create attacks. Of course, it can backfire and lead to some counter-attacking possibilities. It is an even bigger issue versus Real Madrid, that have the rapid Vinicius Jr on the left flank, but due to the past responses of the Madrid backline versus this tactic, Liverpool should be just fine.
Liverpool will be crowned winners of the 2021-22 Champions League
All that Real Madrid Champions League magic is cool, but nothing beats quality and effort, and that is exactly what this Liverpool squad personifies. This team has not let go of their game plan for the entire season. While it has not always led to great results, it has been good enough for many things.
For instance, Liverpool, up to the last match day and about 30 minutes to go in the Man City-Aston Villa game, had a chance to lift a quadruple, despite being down double-digit points in the EPL title race. They never let go of that title for a second and while they did not win it, their effort level is worth all the praise.
In the Champions League, one could criticize their path to the final, facing off against Benfica and Villarreal in the quarters and semis, but no one can criticize an entire run to the UCL final with a single draw and a single loss. Real Madrid's run is impressive, but it came from points of despair, while Liverpool's came from points of dominance. Thus, it only feels natural to say that Liverpool will be lifting the Champions League trophy, come the end of the game on the 28th of May. It will be their third cup of the year and a crown on a great season for the Reds.
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