Bayern are most people’s favourites – but I think the Final will have a Silva lining

I was lucky enough to win three European Cups with Liverpool, and have a strong connection with the competition.

So, needless to say, I’ll be watching the Champions League Final tonight between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-germain.

The Germans start as clear favourites, and that’s understandable after they battered Barcelona 8-2 in the semi-final.

But, you know what? I have a sneaky feeling for PSG.

They have top players in Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, and they also have that extra wee advantage of having a German manager, Thomas Tuchel.

He has worked in the Bundesliga, and will be clued up on Bayern and very aware of their every strength and weakness. So PSG can do it.

Of course, Bayern also possess fantastic players.

Robert Lewandowski is in

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I could see last season, when Liverpool played Barcelona, that there were problems

stunning form, and has been one of the top players in the world in the past year.

The Pole will be looked after tonight by Thiago Silva, PSG’S Brazilian defender.

Sure, at 35, the years are ticking by for him – but he is one of the best central defenders I’ve ever seen.

Lewandowski versus Silva could be the battle that decides the destination of the trophy.

Both sides will look to attack and put the other on the back foot. That should open the game and there will be goals.

I believe both Bayern and PSG will score, but think that the French club may well just get there.

That might surprise you after the Germans’ performance against Barcelona.

It led to Quique Setien being sacked, and I’m fascinated to see how things will work out for his replacement, Ronald Koeman. The Dutchman has a rich history with Barca, and this is his dream job. He helped them win the European Cup in 1992 when he scored the winning goal against Sampdoria at Wembley.

Koeman has left a stable position as head coach of the Dutch national

Robert Lewandowski and Thiago Silva clashed in the Champions League three years ago

side, that he had guided to next summer’s Euro Finals.

But the opportunity to take charge at Barca was clearly too good an opportunity to turn down.

That’s understandable as Barca are one of the clubs in world football you would put in the “irresistible” bracket.

However, he goes there with the club feeling pressure from within and from outside, and he needs to help them get their house in order quickly.

It could take a wee while for him to get them going, and if things don’t go well then he may well get the blame.

There could be a period of time before they are back to achieving their former glories.

This, though, hasn’t happened overnight. I could see last season, when Barca played Liverpool, that there were problems.

Yes, they defeated us 3-0 in the Camp Nou in the first leg, but I felt the scoreline really flattered them and said in this very column that the tie wasn’t over.

I felt Barca lacked legs and pace.

Liverpool exposed that in the return leg to go through and went on to win the Champions League. The same problems were still there in the game against Bayern.

It has led to a change of leader and some of the older, established players may also go.

Lionel Messi is one guy Koeman will definitely want to keep as he still has the ability to win a game.

He is truly special, but he needs to have a better quality of player around him than is there currently.

Sporting director Eric Abidal was also removed from the club, and his replacement will need to source proper players for Koeman.

The lure of Barca is still massive, and, remember, they were able to prize away Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool.

It’s the chance to be part of a new era and become a dominant force again, the way they were for the past decade.

They already have an excellent young talent in Ansu Fati. He is highly-rated, but only 17, and needs to be treated with due care.

Frenkie de Jong is another fantastic footballer. He was one of the most-sought-after players in Europe last summer, and Barca pulled it off to get him from Ajax. It’s down to his new boss and fellow countryman, Koeman, to get the absolute maximum out of him.

Henrik Larsson helped the club win the Champions League in 2006, and he will look to do it again as part of Koeman’s backroom staff.

I wrote a few weeks ago that I wanted to see Henrik being given another opportunity in the game. He is a first-class fella, and I wish him all the best.

I also want to see Barca doing well. They are one of European football’s glamour clubs, alongside the likes of Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Juventus and Bayern Munich. Make no mistake, I also have Liverpool in that bracket.

I lived the dream at Anfield as a player, and was never offered the opportunity to move abroad and play for the teams I’ve mentioned.

I’ve no idea why. Maybe they all thought I was garbage!