Champions League final primer: Everything you need to know
Get ready for the Champions League final with theScore's comprehensive preview package.
How to watch
- Who: Real Madrid vs. Liverpool
- Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy (Kyiv, Ukraine)
- When: Saturday, May 26 (2:45 p.m. ET)
- TV: FOX Sports (United States), TSN (Canada), BT Sport 2 (U.K.)
Analysis
Tactical battles:
- UCL final marquee matchup: Salah's trickery vs. Marcelo's positioning
- UCL final marquee matchup: Can Henderson tame Isco's wobbly wizardry?
- UCL final marquee matchup: Van Dijk faces monumental task vs. Ronaldo
- Why this Champions League final could be a classic
- 1 major concern for Real Madrid, Liverpool ahead of UCL final
Individuals:
- Why indefatigable Milner is playing best football of his career at 32
- Why oft-criticised Benzema remains a strong option for Real Madrid
- Personal torment: Klopp seeking end to streak of forgettable finals
A dip into the archive
- 4 moments that define Liverpool's ruthless Champions League run
- Real Madrid's best European XI: Cristiano Ronaldo leads frightening attack
- Liverpool's best European XI: Rush, Gerrard, and the golden 80s
- 3 classic matches between Liverpool, Real Madrid
By the numbers
| Real Madrid | Liverpool | |
|---|---|---|
| 8-2-2 | Record | 7-4-1 |
| 30 | Goals | 40 |
| 15 | Goals against | 13 |
| 89% | Pass completion | 84% |
| 7 | Shots on target per game | 7.4 |
| 11.9 | Shots allowed per game | 11 |
| Ronaldo (15) | Top scorer | Salah & Firmino (10) |
Related - Standout statistics as continental giants set to clash in Kyiv
What they're saying
Jurgen Klopp: "They don't hang silver medals at Melwood. There's still a job to do but that's how it is. Going to a final is really nice but winning is even nicer."
Cristiano Ronaldo: "(Mohamed Salah) plays with the left, I play with the right, I'm tall, he's a little bit shorter. I play with my head, you know - we are completely different. But I have to say he has had a fantastic season, but Saturday, let's see." (ESPN)
Mohamed Salah: "It doesn't matter who scores. Winning games, getting points, that's the most important thing for us because as you can see, I've scored 10 goals in the Champions League, Sadio nine, Firmino 10, so all of us are the same.
"None of us is selfish or only wants to score. We try to help each other to score goals."
Toni Kroos: "My experience of (Klopp) is it is always tough to play his teams. When we played against his team, it was difficult. We always had a lot of problems against Dortmund. Always.
"That is what I expect on Saturday also. His teams are always aggressive, they press you a lot - for 90 minutes. They are highly motivated." (AFP)
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)