CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL COUNTDOWN Reds can climb past falling Real
REPORTS WHEN he was doing touchline duties for BT Sport before the Real Madrid-Bayern Munich semi-final, the prolonged hugs Steve McManaman received from a succession of staff from the Spanish club caused his producers mild panic.
With their slot fast approaching, kit men, backroom staff and players from his four years in the Spanish capital approached one after the other in a snaking line to ask after his family and exchange greetings.
So when McManaman says that his heart is divided ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final, it is easy to understand, even for hardened Liverpool fans.
While the heart may be conflicted, the head is clear as the former attacking midfielder surveys Saturday’s Kiev clash.
And for his first love, if not his last, the news was good.
“Liverpool just look stronger and quicker,” he says “I take them to win a high-scoring match.” McManaman spent four years in Madrid between 1999 and 2003, securing two Champions League winners’ medals, including in 2000 when his fantastic volley – the second goal of three – tilted the final away Valencia. Two La Liga also came his way.
He was there at the Big Bang of the Galacticos policy, sharing a dressing room with Zinedine Zidane plus Luis Figo, Ronaldo (he remains close to both) and Roberto Carlos, and while getting game-time was not always easy, he laid some deep from titles roots. “I do love the club”, said McManaman. “Despite the fact that where there were 25 staff, there are now about 250 and these super-clubs have become worth billions, the majority of those 25 are still there.
“People who worked there when I was there. Whose children and wives I know. People have preconceptions about Real Madrid as this great club who do what they want, fire who they want, but it is not true.
“At the heart of it are families who have grown up together and they were the ones who were coming up to me against Bayern.” Comparisons with Liverpool off the pitch might be easily made but it is his analysis of the relative strengths on it that will interest fans.
He said: “Madrid have huffed and puffed their way through on occasions and they aren’t as good as they were two years ago. They might be just slightly coming down the hill. Liverpool are the ones on the climb.”
Directing Liverpool’s ascent is manager Jurgen Klopp, who McManaman feels can build something long term at Anfield.
That project eventually beat him at Borussia Dortmund, where their Champions League final appearance in 2013 proved a high-water mark but the signs are more promising on Merseyside.
“It has been said that at Dortmund after a couple of years his highpressing style ran out of steam as his players burned out but I don’t agree with that,” said McManaman.
“At Dortmund his best players were going to Bayern Munich all the time and there was a natural dip in the form. I don’t think that will happen at Liverpool.”
But for the players an opportunity awaits that McManaman knows is one to last a lifetime. “The chance to be a Champions League winner
They’ll win high-scoring match
– you keep telling them this and hope they hear it,” he said. “Liverpool have won five times but here we are in 2018 and Jordan Henderson, if they win, could lift the trophy. That is something special.”
WATCH Real Madrid v Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final on BT Sport 2 and BT Sport 4K UHD from 6pm on Saturday May 26, For more information, visit www.BT.com/sport