Unexpected Motivation

The Champions League final in 2022 will be marked by an attempt by Liverpool to take revenge on Real Madrid for the defeat in the decisive match of the tournament four years ago.

That meeting in Kyiv was remembered not only by the grossest mistakes of Loris Karius and an incredible goal through himself performed by Gareth Bale, but also by the injury of Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian at that time was in excellent condition and was the leader of the team.

His forced departure from the field already in the 30th minute seriously knocked her down and served as one of the reasons for the failure.

It is also important how exactly the attacker was injured.

Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, during the fight, unnoticed by the judge, pulled his opponent by the hand and he unsuccessfully fell onto the lawn, injuring his collarbone.

As a result, the striker was not only left without a victory in the main European Cup, but also missed the opportunity to prove himself at the World Cup in Russia.

He only recovered at the last moment and did not look his best, although he scored two goals, and his team did not reach the playoffs.

It is not surprising that on the eve of the next confrontation with the Spanish team, the football player aims to take revenge.

In various interviews, he repeated several times that he dreams of getting even with the offenders, although Ramos is no longer in the squad.

So, after the opponent’s incredible away victory over Manchester City in the semi-finals, Salah emphasized that in Liverpool everyone wanted to play with Real Madrid, and not with the townspeople, whom they lost in the fight for the Premier League gold medals.

“Everyone preferred to meet them.

I don't know why we can't talk about it... I wanted this match!

I wanted us to play Real Madrid rather than Manchester City.

Of course, I don't over-praise them.

They have an incredible team with a great coach and great players, ”Sky Sports quotes the Egyptian.

Last Battle for the Ballon d'Or

The final in Saint-Denis is important for the African for another reason.

He is one of the main contenders for the Golden Ball, which in 2022 will be awarded for the first time at the end of the season, and not the calendar year.

Thus, the decisive game of the Champions League can largely become decisive in the struggle for the main football individual award of the planet.

Salah, regardless of the outcome of the match, had an incredibly powerful season.

In the Premier League, he scored 23 times and shared first place in the tournament scorers race with Son Heung-min.

Moreover, he turned out to be the best in terms of the number of assists (13) and with a margin - according to the "goal + pass" system - 36 (23 + 13).

Also, the striker hit the opponents' gates eight times in the Champions League.

No less impressive statistics have his partner in the line of attack, Sadio Mane, who is also considered by many to be among the voting favorites.

The Senegalese has scored 16 goals in the Premier League and five in the Champions League.

However, the main contender for the Golden Ball is Karim Benzema.

The Frenchman at the age of 34 is experiencing a second youth and literally drags Real Madrid with him.

To his credit, an incredible 44 goals in 45 matches in all competitions, makes the fans remember the heyday of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Especially the striker shone in the main European Cup.

At the group stage, he scored five times, and left the main achievements for the playoffs.

First, the captain scored a hat-trick in the return confrontation with PSG, and then upset Chelsea four times in total.

Finally, his three goals helped Madrid get past Manchester City.

Most importantly, the veteran on the eve of the final is in excellent shape and will try to break Ronaldo's Champions League record for the number of goals in a season (17).

Benzema has 15 hits to his name so far.

The accomplishments of Karim helped the creamy to get to the decisive match of the Champions League.

At the same time, Real Madrid put on several incredible fights at once and forced their own fans to spend a lot of nerve cells.

At almost every stage of the playoffs, it seemed that Madrid had no chance, but they miraculously escaped.

For example, in the first meeting of the 1/8 finals, the creamy lost to PSG - 0: 1, and in the return they conceded at home and were one step away from relegation.

But the miracle was almost single-handedly created by Benzema, who upset Gianluigi Donnarumma three times and led the partners to the quarterfinals.

There, Ancelotti's wards, on the contrary, had a successful first match and took the upper hand - 3: 1, but they conceded three unanswered goals at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, Rodrigo's goal moved the confrontation into extra time, and Benzema's accurate shot allowed his team to make another incredible comeback.

Finally, football fans will remember the outcome of the return semi-final match with Manchester City for a long time.

In a seemingly hopeless situation with a total score of 3:5, Rodrigo, who came on as a substitute, scored a double in two minutes.

And in extra time, the penalty kick was realized, of course, by Karim.

Thus, in the decisive confrontation with Liverpool, one should definitely not relax even with a comfortable result.

An intriguing confrontation on the coaching bridge

But before the start of the season, few people could have imagined that the cream ones would get so far.

Last year, in the national championship, they lost the title to Atlético Madrid, and in the semi-finals of the main European Cup, they unexpectedly lost to Chelsea.

Moreover, the head coach Zinedine Zidane left the team.

His place was taken by Carlo Ancelotti, who had already worked with Real Madrid in 2013-2015.

The return of the Italian raised questions, because the main accomplishments of the specialist were left behind, and he did not take trophies in Napoli and Everton.

Nevertheless, this step of the leadership fully justified itself, because the creamy ones have already won the gold of the national championship.

It remains only to win the Champions League.

And the Italian is better than anyone for solving this problem, because he took the Champions League or the European Cup that existed before it five times: two as a football player and three as a coach.

The next victory will make him the champion among his colleagues.

He currently shares the lead with Zidane.

At the same time, Ancelotti, at the head of Milan, twice crossed paths in the finals with Liverpool, and the 2005 match in Istanbul entered the golden fund of world football.

After the first half, the Rossoneri were leading - 3:0, but in the second they conceded three times and eventually suffered an insulting defeat in the penalty shootout.

Two years later, the paths of the teams converged again in a decisive confrontation, and the Italian team took revenge - 2:1.

And in 2014, Carlo won the trophy with Real Madrid.

Jurgen Klopp has only one victory in the Champions League and two defeats in the final so far - in the same meeting with Madrid in 2018 and in 2013 with Borussia Dortmund, and therefore he paid tribute to his colleague.

“I just recently saw a list of forwards he has coached over the course of his career.

Immediately I thought: “Is there at least one world-class forward with whom he did not work?”

It's incredible.

And I must say that he is a very pleasant person.

A very successful specialist who inspires his teams to great deeds.

Yes, this is a great guy, ”Klopp said in an interview with the official UEFA website.

Illustrative statistics

At first glance, it seems that the German has an excellent opportunity to again lead his charges to success.

They spent the season more evenly and suffered fewer defeats in all tournaments than the opponent in one Champions League (three against four).

And in the Premier League, the Merseysiders lost the title to Manchester City only at the last moment.

Also, Klopp's wards face an equally important task.

Even though they lost the chance to get a quadruple at the end of the season, they still have the power to knock out a treble for the first time since 1981, since the team has already won the FA Cup and the League Cup.

On the other hand, Real Madrid is able to boast of a richer and more successful cup history, because the creamy ones made it to the CECH / Champions League final for the 17th time against nine of the opponent.

Moreover, they suffered only three defeats, and not a single one in the Champions League, having won seven victories.

Liverpool's figures are much more modest: six trophies and three misfires.

And the statistics of face-to-face meetings are on the side of Madrid, because in the last five matches they won four victories and one draw.

In 2014, they were twice stronger in the group stage, in 2018 they took the upper hand in the final, and in 2021 they knocked out an opponent in the quarterfinals.

But in the very first confrontation, in 1981, the opponents' paths also crossed in the final, and the Merseysiders broke the resistance of Real Madrid thanks to Alan Kennedy's goal in the 82nd minute.

It is curious that after only three years, Liverpool again reached the decisive match of the KEC and put the squeeze on Roma in the penalty shootout.

Ancelotti at that time defended the colors of the Romans, but watched the game from the podium due to a severe knee injury.

Fortunately, the rivals approach the fateful meeting almost without loss.

The Italian can count on all performers at all.

Liverpool will definitely not be helped only by striker Divock Origi, who, however, is not a main player.

Thiago Alcantara's entry to the field is also in question, but the Spaniard flew to France.