The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Madrid mastery? Or revenge for Liverpool?
Pair of European giants face off for club soccer’s top prize today
Somewhere around 400 million people worldwide are likely to tune in today to watch Liverpool and Real Madrid square off in the final of the UEFA Champions League, the world’s biggest club soccer competition. The two sides met in the final in 2018, with the Spanish side coming out on top. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s battle of European soccer titans taking place in just outside Paris.
What is the Champions League?
The Champions League is a multitiered, nearly year-long tournament that annually determines the best club soccer team in Europe. It begins in June with a preliminary round and then progresses to a 32-team group stage, with teams qualifying mainly based on how they finished in their domestic leagues the year before. The eight group winners and eight runners-up advance to the knockout round, where teams are paired off in a bracket and advance on aggregate goals after homeand-away matches against their opponent. The two surviving teams meet in the final, a one-shot affair held at a predetermined site.
Who is playing in this year’s Champions League final?
Liverpool, from England’s Premier League, will face Real Madrid, which plays in Spain’s La Liga.
Where is the Champions League final?
This year’s Champions League final at Stade de France in Saint-denis, France, just north of Paris. It originally was supposed to be played in St. Petersburg but was moved after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Who is favored to win?
As of Wednesday, Liverpool was being given +105 odds to win in regulation, per Draftkings Sportsbook. This means a $100 bet would return $105. Draftkings has made Real Madrid the underdog at +240 odds, with a draw after 90 minutes getting +265 odds.
Are there penalty kicks in the Champions League final?
If the score is tied after 90 minutes of regulation play and 30 minutes of extra time, the Champions League final will be decided by penalty kicks.
How did Liverpool advance to the Champions League final?
Liverpool qualified for the Champions League by finishing third in the Premier League in 2020-21. It won all six of its Champions League group-stage matches and then beat Inter Milan, Benfica and Villareal in the knockout round to advance to the final.
How did Real Madrid advance to the final?
Real Madrid finished second in La Liga in 2020-21 to qualify for the Champions League. It was tops in Group D with five wins and one loss and then got past Paris Saint-germain, Chelsea and Manchester City in the knockout round.
Has Liverpool ever won the Champions League?
Liverpool has won the Champions League six times, most recently in 2019. This will be its 10th appearance in the final.
Has Real Madrid ever won the Champions League?
Real Madrid has won the Champions League a record 13 times, most recently in
2018. This will be its 17th appearance in the final. Real Madrid hasn’t lost a Champions League final since 1981, when it fell, 1-0, to Liverpool.
Have Liverpool and Real Madrid ever met in the Champions League?
This is the third time Liverpool and Real Madrid will meet in the Champions League final. Liverpool beat Real Madrid, 1-0, in
1981, and Real Madrid won, 3-1, in 2018. The teams have met three other times in the Champions League: the 2009 round of 16 (Liverpool won, 5-0, on aggregate), the 2015 group stage (Real Madrid won both matchups by a combined 4-0) and the 2021 quarterfinals (Real Madrid won, 3-1, on aggregate).
How has Liverpool played in England this year?
Liverpool finished just one point behind Manchester City in the Premier League standings this year but won England’s two other top-level competitions, the FA Cup and League Cup, both with penalty-kick victories over Chelsea.
How has Real Madrid played in Spain this year?
Real Madrid earned its record 35th La Liga title, claiming the championship with four matches to spare and finishing 13 points clear of second-place Barcelona. It also won the Supercopa de España, a four-team tournament featuring teams that had the most overall success from the year before, but lost in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, Spain’s annual knockout tournament.
Who are Liverpool’s top players?
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah (eight Champions League goals, 23 Premier League goals this season) said he has a “score to settle” with Real Madrid after he was forced to depart Liverpool’s loss in the 2018 final because of an injury caused by a Sergio Ramos challenge. Liverpool could be down a key midfielder, however, as Thiago Alcantara suffered an Achilles’ injury Sunday against Wolves and is questionable for the Champions League final. Forwards Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota, meanwhile, contributed 31 goals combined during the Premier League seasons.
Who are Real Madrid’s top players?
A lot of time has been spent in the run-up to today’s match talking about a player who won’t be taking the field for Real Madrid, namely French sensation Kylian Mbappe, who decided to stay with Paris Saint-germain instead of leaving for the Spanish power. But Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema has scored 15 goals in Champions League play this season, the most of any player, after also leading La Liga with 27 goals. Winger Vinícius Júnior has six assists, which is tied for second this Champions League season, after a 17-goal campaign in La Liga play.
What does the Champions League winner receive?
For starters, the Champions League winner receives an automatic berth into the group stage of the next season’s tournament, which itself is financially lucrative. On top of that, Liverpool and Real Madrid each will receive $17.5 million simply for reaching the final. Today’s winner will receive an additional $5.1 million, plus a berth in August’s UEFA Super Cup, where it will face off against the winner of the second-tier Europa League (Eintracht Frankfurt of the German Bundesliga).