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After 11 years, Liverpool have finally returned to the grandest stage in club football. This will be their eighth Champions League final, having won five of the previous seven.
After blowing away a lot of teams this season, Liverpool have a chance to make their mark in the club's history books. This season was the Reds' first real crack at the Champions League since 2009, and they have taken Europe by storm.
However, they are up against the strongest side in the history of European club competition, Real Madrid who have won back-to-back Champions League titles, and may be heavily favoured to land one more.
However, Liverpool are more than capable of spoiling their party, as they have done to several teams over the past few years. Here are some of the keys for Liverpool to come away with a victory in Kiev.
#1 Do not sit back
Liverpool have improved defensively over the course of the season. The winter signing of Virgil van Dijk has played an instrumental role in the transformation. The Reds finally have a vocal leader in defence, somebody they have been lacking since Jamie Carragher retired.
Despite the improvements, Liverpool are still extremely vulnerable when put under pressure. It is no secret that most of Liverpool’s collapses have occurred because they have failed to take the game to their opposition. When their players sit back and defend, instant pressure is put on them and they usually fold.
The Reds conceded four goals past the 80th minute over two legs against Roma. This is because of the defensive nature they employed at that stage. Klopp’s teams are set up to attack the opposition throughout the game, so a defensive minded approach would backfire. Liverpool cannot afford to show Madrid too much respect, or they will be punished by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and the rest.
#2 Play simple passes
Real Madrid's midfield consists of the stellar trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro. The battle in the middle of the park could be a crucial one but it will be a very difficult one for Liverpool to win. The starting midfield of Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum and James Milner are in for a really tough game.
It is important that the Liverpool midfielders don't allow themselves to be bossed by their Real counterparts. They must keep effective possession of the ball and avoid any sloppiness that could cause some problems for the team. It is encouraging, though, that Henderson and co. comfortably won their midfield battle against the likes of Radja Nainggolan and Daniele De Rossi in the semi-final.
Henderson has improved a lot this season, in part because of his awareness and simplicity in passing. He, along with Wijnaldum and Milner, must be efficient in possession and simple in their passes. Patience is the key to try and find a way past a very strong set of defenders, and the midfielders must not try anything outrageous during the game.
#3 Avoid the wider areas
One of the most spoken about player battles is 19-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold coming up against one of the greatest players ever, Cristiano Ronaldo. This is a cause for concern for Jurgen Klopp. As brilliant as the young right-back has been this season, facing one of the top two players in the world in a European final is an entirely different prospect.
It is natural for a player to get nervous during a Champions League final, especially when you are about to face the best big-game player in recent Champions League history. Ronaldo's record in Champions League knockout games in the last few years is unbelievable, and he will be relishing the prospect of facing off against Alexander-Arnold. It will be no surprise at all if Madrid target the right side of Liverpool's defence.
Manchester City targetted him in the quarter-final, but he was superb and won his battle against Leroy Sane. But the Reds must try and avoid that risk. Real's full-backs are also potential threats out wide, while the battle on the other side is more evenly poised. Welshman, Gareth Bale and Scotsman, Andrew Robertson will have one of the more interesting match-ups of the final. However, Liverpool should keep the game as central as possible, and maintain essential cover out wide. This could be the most critical factors of the final.
#4 Create a proper link between midfield and attack
Keeping the play central would require a proper link between the midfield and attack to avoid straying out wide. The midfield three discussed in the last point are not exactly the most creative players in Liverpool's squad. The departure of Philippe Coutinho and the injury to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have really sold the Reds short on creativity in midfield. Adam Lallana's return from injury could be a major boost, though.
The passing would be aided by the footballing awareness of Roberto Firmino. Not your typical centre-forward, Firmino usually drops back and bridges the gap between midfield and attack. This allows Mo Salah and Sadio Mane to make darting runs into promising positions. He perfectly integrates the midfield and the attack, and can outsmart Madrid's entire defence and midfield with his quick thinking and movements.
Firmino is probably Jurgen Klopp's most important player because of this. The movement across the front three would keep Real's defenders on their toes, all game. When the Reds press high up the pitch, they usually cause problems for the defenders. The link-up play and chemistry among the front three is an embodiment of the togetherness of the entire Liverpool squad, both on the pitch and off it.
#5 Use pace to hurt Madrid
A recurring theme for Liverpool this season has been the way they have hurt the opposition and killed games in just a few minutes. The pace in their attack is one of the biggest strengths of the team this season. When Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are in form, they are unstoppable. They can do some serious damage to any team in Europe.
The two African wingers will have pace to burn in Kiev. They can really cause major problems to Real's full-backs, as they have done to many full-backs across England and Europe this season. His pace is one of the main reasons Salah has made such a sudden and immediate impact at Liverpool. If Liverpool get an opportunity to counter-attack, it could be disastrous for Madrid.
The quickness and the flair of Liverpool's front three can take the game to any opponent and kill them off in a matter of minutes. It has happened to almost every team the Reds have faced in the Champions League this season. 46 goals in Europe is no joke, and 31 of them have been scored by Salah, Mane and Firmino. Pace is Liverpool’s main weapon at the moment.
Jurgen Klopp has built something special here, at Liverpool. However, the only way to symbolise this great new era in Liverpool's history is to win a trophy. Saturday is a huge opportunity for this wonderful group of players to rise to immortality, and they can very well do it.
