For many Soccer fans around the world, the Champions League Final is the biggest game of the year. The Champions League is filled with some of world's best teams from every major pro soccer league on the planet. When you turn on a Champions League match you can guarantee a great game because of the quality of play by either team, no matter what stage of the tournament you watch.
This Saturday is a rematch of of the 2018-2019 Champions League Final pitting Real Madrid vs Liverpool. During that game Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 3-1. The following year, Liverpool beat Tottenham to win their first Champions League since 2005. Liverpool, however, still has a bad taste in their mouth from that '18-'19 loss and clearly has a score to settle with Real Madrid. Mohamad Salah, the star forward on Liverpool, was asked earlier in May who he would rather face in the finals, Real Madrid or Manchester City. Salah responded, "If you ask me personally, I would prefer Madrid. We lost in the final before against them, I want to play them and hopefully we'll win."
You ask and you shall receive Mr. Salah. After a monumental collapse by Manchester City, giving up 3 goals after the 90th minute, Salah and the Reds get an opportunity to get revenge on that loss from a few years ago. It's personal to Salah because of the historic year he had in 2018. For Salah, and the club, this was the season they truly started to assert their dominance as a true power-house in the sport. There was also the Sergio Ramos incident in which Ramos committed an egregious foul at around the 25th minute that dislocated Salah's shoulder and forced him to leave the game. Sergio Ramos is no longer apart of Real Madrid, as he left for Paris Saint-Germain last summer, but Salah definitely would enjoy the revenge regardless.
(PhotoCredit: @MoSalah on Twitter)
If Liverpool wants to accomplish their goal of revenge, they need to neutralize Karim Benzema. Benzema could win his 5th Champions League with Real Madrid this year. The only difference is this would be the first Champions League Final without Cristiano Ronaldo. Its Benzema's team now and he sure is welcoming the challenge of being the centerpiece of the offense. Benzema has scored 43 goals in 43 games and 15 in 11 Champions League appearances. This incredible run likely puts Benzema in line for his first Ballon d'Or award. On the Liverpool side, Mo Salah, and Sadio Mane are as talented as a tandem you will see on the pitch. Both are quick with the ball and can score with the best of them. They both are having a very productive season, as Salah won the Premier League Golden Boot (awarded to the leading goal scorer in the Premier League). Salah and Mane are in the conversation to win the Ballon d'Or.
(PhotoCredit: @sportbible on Twitter)
With rumors swirling around both Mane and Salah on their futures at Liverpool, they have a lot of pressure to seal this victory against Real Madrid. My Prediction is Liverpool gets their revenge after the loss in '18-'19. Liverpool's offense proves to be too much for Real Madrid and they advance with the same score they lost by in their previous encounter, 3-1.
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