The final of the UEFA Champions League 2022 will be held in the Stade de France on Saturday, May 28th. There are still three weeks until the final game, so a lot may happen in the next several days. Both teams will be looking to avoid injuries in their remaining regular-season games before facing off in the title match. This will be the third Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. In the previous two matches, each team had won once. Let's look at who have the best chance of winning this year's UEFA Champions League 2022 final match.
Liverpool’s ideal formation and Squad Analysis
Based on Liverpool's performance over the past two months, they should be confident of capturing the trophy for the seventh time, equaling AC Milan as the tournament's second-most successful side. Jurgen Klopp doesn't have to worry about team selection since the squad has adequate backup players. All of Klopp's players are capable of grasping his philosophy and exhibiting his techniques on the pitch.
Liverpool trailed Villarreal 2-0 after the first half in the second leg of their semifinal match. They were on the verge of being knocked out in the semi-finals, but Klopp's half-time team talk spurred the players to outshine their opponents and reassert their dominance on the field. Liverpool seized the lead within the first 30 minutes of the second half and went on to win 3-2. This demonstrates Jurgen Klopp's importance to his team.
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Klopp expects more from his players since he wants to press the opponent's defense. Therefore, every player who wants to be a part of his squad must be physically and mentally capable. This Liverpool team loves to play in a classic 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 formation.
Alisson Becker is one of the top goalkeepers in the world. They have Virgil van Dijk in defense, who is perhaps the finest center-back in the world. In addition, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, Joel Matip, and Fabinho are also formidable defenders. Thiago Alcantara is in fantastic form at the moment, having successfully carried out Klopp's strategy on the pitch.
Aside from that, players like James Milner, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are well-suited to Klopp's system. Liverpool have the finest attacking options in the world right now. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Firmino, and Jota can all be devastating on any given day.
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Predicted Starting XI
Goalkeeper: Alisson; Defenders: Andrew Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Trent Alexander-Arnold; Midfielders: Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita; Forwards: Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah.
Real Madrid’s squad breakdown and preferred formation
Real Madrid have had a fantastic run this season, something they certainly didn't expect at the start of the season. Los Blancos have already won their 35th La Liga title and have advanced to the Champions League final after defeating PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City in the knockout phases.
Real Madrid were underdogs against those opponents. But they came out on top owing to some spectacular late equalizers, which have been a feature of their games this season. They appeared to be done and out at one point, but they fought back strongly with some outstanding individual performances in most of the knockout games.
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Carlo Ancelotti has instilled enough drive in his players to allow them to mount a powerful comeback at any stage of the game. The players believe they have a chance until the last whistle blows. Counter-attacking football is Ancelotti's major strategy. Madrid prefer to play in a 4-3-3 formation, although they generally play it safe until they are obliged to.
The number one goalkeeper for Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois has been outstanding this season. He has made numerous outstanding saves and is a vital component of the team. In the backline, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, and David Alaba have looked solid for their team.
Toni Kross, Casemiro, Valverde, and Luka Modric have all been outstanding this season for the Los Blancos. Croatian Modric in particular has shown tremendous consistency at the age of 36. His passing, vision, and field positioning have all been outstanding.
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Real Madrid's true star this season is French striker Karim Benzema, who is having a great campaign. He always comes through for Madrid when they need someone to step up. Karim Benzema is without a doubt the finest forward in the world right now, and Real Madrid will be counting on him to produce in the crucial final against Liverpool.
Apart from that, two young Brazilian attackers, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo have been outstanding for Los Blancos this season. They have a fantastic camaraderie on the field, which shows in their performance week after week.
Predicted Starting XI
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois; Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy; Midfielders: Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric; Forwards: Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Karim Benzema.
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Bottom Line
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is aiming for a quadruple this season. They have already won the EFL Cup and advanced to the finals of the Champions League and FA Cup. Furthermore, Jurgen Klopp's side is only one point behind Manchester City in the Premier League's 2021–2022 season. With four games remaining, Liverpool are confident of dethroning Manchester City in the Premier League points standings. Therefore, the All-Red’s remaining matchups are extremely important. Liverpool can't afford to lose any games in their pursuit of the quadruple.
On the other hand, Real Madrid will be far less under pressure because they have already claimed the 2021–2022 La Liga title and only have one critical encounter left, the UEFA Champions League 2022 Final. Real Madrid can thus be considered early favourites to win Europe's most coveted club championship this season.
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