Klopp won’t single out Real’s Ronaldo for special treatment
IT won’t bother Liverpool and their manager Jurgen Klopp whether Cristiano Ronaldo is fit, or if the in-form Gareth Bale is selected to start alongside him in Kiev on Saturday night.
It won’t change Liverpool’s gameplan because it is not based on stopping Ronaldo. In Klopp’s mind, he will always believe he can out-score his opponents.
Ronaldo and Bale are Real Madrid’s potential Champions League Final matchwinners.
Ronaldo, who has scored an incredible 27 goals since January 21, is the man for the big occasion, as he has proved so many times in the past. And no doubt there are Manchester United fans across the globe who are desperate to see their former player ruin Liverpool’s attempt to win a sixth European Cup. Bale, meanwhile, has been back to his very best in recent weeks.
None of this will faze or worry Klopp. He will have watched and analysed the DVDs, and he will remind his players of the talents the pair possess, as well as others in the Real Madrid side. But he will have total belief in his attacking talent.
Ronaldo’s fitness has been an issue since he was injured in the second leg of the semi-final win over Bayern Munich last month. He has been missing for a couple of games now, but the latest bulletins from coach Zinedine Zidane indicate he will be fit for Kiev. I can’t imagine him missing the final.
There may be doubts over his fitness but with another 40 goals to his name, Ronaldo has been brilliant again this season – particularly since the turn of the year and in the Champions League as Real go for a third-successive triumph.
Real’s real form player right now is Bale but he is not universally popular at the Bernabeu because there is clearly a problem in his relationship with Ronaldo, who doesn’t seem to appreciate Bale as much as the rest of the football world.
I would love to see Bale in Zidane’s first XI for the final but he has not started in the Champions League since the first leg of the quarterfinal against Juventus. Yet he looks strong, quick and in great shape and he is scoring and creating goals again.
They are a poorer side without him but I suspect the Welshman is paying the price for a clash of egos with Ronaldo, even if it is mainly the Portuguese superstar’s making. And when I look at the alternatives, he should be in the side. If you are looking for goals or a spark, then Bale can provide that, whereas the stats on the many others don’t stack up.
Marco Asensio – who is his direct replacement in the team – has scored nine goals this season, striker Karim Benzema has only scored ten – including just five in La Liga – and Lucas Vazquez has just eight. Bale has scored 17 goals in this campaign and that’s from 23 starts.
Liverpool are vulnerable defensively because they are so open, however they look considerably stronger with Virgil van Dijk in the side.
Dejan Lovren remains very erratic and Trent Alexander-Arnold is inexperienced, so Ronaldo will look to exploit them from his strongest position when coming in as the inside-left.
Liverpool’s keeper Loris Karius doesn’t inspire confidence, so Ronaldo will look to test him and shoot from all angles. They will all have to be fully focused to deal with his threat.
There have been questions asked about Liverpool’s front three over the last couple of weeks, with backto-back defeats to Roma and Chelsea and the home draw with Stoke City. But any worries were dispelled with their performance against Brighton last Sunday.
Roberto Firmino didn’t get on the scoresheet but he has been absolutely outstanding all season. He is the second best number nine in world football after Tottenham’s Harry Kane.
With his running and ability to free up space for others, Firmino is one of the main reasons Mo Salah has thrived at Liverpool this season and getting him tied down to a longer deal recently is great business for them.
Liverpool are going to be hard to stop.
Their gameplan will not be about stopping Ronaldo and/or Bale. They will be more concerned about what damage they can do at the other end.
Madrid may have produced two of the best defensive displays of the competition against Paris St Germain and Juventus. Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane were excellent in the middle, as were the full-backs Dani Carvajal and Marcelo, but they can be exposed.
Marcelo has been an influence in the Champions League this season, scoring three goals, but Salah can exploit the spaces he will leave and then expose Ramos in one-on-one situations.
Both sides have their strengths going forward and their vulnerabilities at the back. I just fancy Liverpool will win it.