One Final Game: A Preview of the 2022 Champions League Final

Saturday, May 28, 2022. The final game to end the 2021-2022 Champions League campaign. A Real Madrid side led by manager Carlo Ancelotti takes on one of Liverpool’s best ever sides led by manager Jürgen Klopp. Looking back at history, Real Madrid has gone on to win the competition a staggering 12 times, while Liverpool has won the trophy five times, giving the former the advantage. However, in the Champions League, anything can happen. We’ve seen it all too many times. Barcelona’s iconic comeback against Paris Saint-Germain. Cristiano Ronaldo’s bicycle kick against Juventus. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s quick corner to Divock Origi to seal the iconic comeback for Liverpool against Barcelona. This final will be a highly contested match between two sides in excellent form, so let’s analyze this game and discuss where the strengths and flaws of each team lie heading into the pitch.

On one side of the spectrum, there is Real Madrid. Having won the La Liga title comfortably, the squad is going into this matchup with an abundance of confidence, never mind the fact that they pulled off three comebacks against three of the world’s best teams: Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Manchester City. Combine the elite mentality of this team with their core players in forward Karim Benzema, who leads the tournament with a staggering 15 goals in 11 games, starlet Vinícius Júnior, and experienced midfielder Luka Modrić, and you’ve got one of the most balanced units in the game.

Coming into this game, we know what to expect from Real Madrid tactic-wise. They will likely be on the back foot of this game, as they thrive off counter-attacks and Liverpool is a team that dominates possession, which means that it is extremely crucial that their counters are executed perfectly. Defenders Daniel Carvajal and Ferland Mendy will have their hands tied in this game with the incessant threat of Liverpool forwards Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah, the latter who is expected to be fit for the game. It is vital that when they join the attack, a Madrid player drops back to cover the open wings. One weakness of this Real Madrid team is that they are very vulnerable to crosses in the penalty box. This fits right into Liverpool’s gameplan, in which their fullbacks Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are two of the best crossers of the ball. Because of this, Real Madrid have to avoid any mistakes on their defensive end, and need to make sure to clear any incoming balls in the final third.

On the other side, we have Liverpool. As a team that is still contesting for trophies this season, this Champions League match will be one of their priorities. Victories against Inter Milan, Benfica, and Villareal in the knockout stages have propelled them to this final fixture. Jürgen Klopp’s side truly has all of the qualities of a stellar team—a modern fullback in Alexander-Arnold, technical elegance in midfielder Thiago, and a constant thorn of any opponent in Díaz.

On the technical aspect, we shouldn’t be expecting anything surprising from Liverpool compared to what they have done this season. It is probable that their play will revolve around the wings, with overlaps from Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Regarding the fitness of the team, there should be no worries on any key players. In a press conference previous to their game against Southampton, Klopp said, “But if not then we take each day afterwards. But we are very positive, or [have] no doubt about the final.” This news is extremely positive for Liverpool fans, but a significant question lies underneath. Who will the starting front three for Liverpool be in the final? Based on form, it should be Luis Díaz, Sadio Mané, and Mo Salah. However, Diogo Jota has been firing on all cylinders this season, so it is possible that we will see him slide into the lineup.

By no means will it be easy to predict who will win the Champions League. Victory is a privilege, and both of these teams will be putting every remaining ounce of sweat on that pitch over the 90 minutes. Based on their history in the Champions League and the experience of certain players in the team, Real Madrid will have the upper hand in this game. Their repeated dominance in the competition over a multitude of years as well as the mentality of their team after making comebacks in each round of the knockouts is what gives them the edge over Liverpool. However, it is impossible to predict how this game will play out, and we will have to see until match night which side will emerge victorious in this contested final.