Champions League Final- Classics Liverpool vs Real Madrid

Mohamed Salah vs Ferland Mendy

In the first leg of the quarterfinals Champions League Last year on the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium, Mohamed Salah and Ferland Mendy met and each has its own mark.

Salah directly scored to shorten the score in the match that Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1. Mendy did not completely control the opponent, but he had an outstanding game and participated in the attack very well, indirectly bringing the second goal for the home team.

Salah’s form has not been good lately. He only scored 1 goal in the last 8 matches. The motivation of the Egyptian star is to pay off the debt with the opponent from the final in Kiev 2018.

Mendy has had a difficult season due to injury. However, he recovered in the late stages and kicked great. The Frenchman had two assists in the first leg of the semi-final against Man City and continued to stand out in a spectacular comeback in the second leg.

Luis Diaz vs Dani Carvajal

The new signing of Luis Diaz in the January 2022 transfer window has changed Liverpoolproviding a more varied and balanced attack quality.

With Luis Diaz in charge of the attack on the left, Sadio Mane was pushed into the “virtual 9” as he liked. Since then, the conflict between Mane and Salah has also decreased.

Luis Diaz’s dexterity and instinctive kick are a big challenge for Dani Carvajal, who is often involved in attack and defense is quite weak.

To ensure safety, coach Carlo Ancelotti can switch the system from 4-3-3 after 4-4-2. At that time, Fede Valverde played as a right midfielder to easily support Carvajal in defense.

Thiago Alcantara vs Luka Modric

An intriguing clash between the masters of ball control and game creation, Thiago Alcantara took on Luka Modric.

They are so familiar with each other, from the Super Classics when Thiago was still in Barcelona, ​​or the epic battles between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Thiago has just overcome injury and is desperate to equal Clarence Seedorf’s record, becoming only the second person in history to win the Champions League with three different clubs.

To achieve the goal, Thiago must beat Modric in a direct encounter on the pitch. Without muscles, their duel was merely the art of masters, having a major impact on the final outcome of the Champions League final at the Stade de France.

Sadio Mane vs Eder Militao

Last season, Eder Militao (along with Nacho) became a reluctant choice for Real Madrid’s defense, but both played excellently to help the home team eliminate Liverpool in the quarter-finals.

Militao closely followed Diogo Jota in the first leg to win 3-1, then “pocketed” Roberto Firmino in the second leg, a goalless draw. This time, his opponent is more annoying: Sadio Mane.

Jurgen Klopp turns Mane into a comprehensive “virtual 9”. Not only scoring, the Senegalese player also created and backed down to make the ball to create balance for the squad.

The guidance of Carlo Ancelotti helped Militao to mature greatly. With David Alaba at his side, the central defender is responsible for locking down Mane, as well as preventing situations where Luis Diaz penetrates from the right wing of Real Madrid to finish.

Virgil van Dijk vs Karim Benzema

The fact that Virgil van Dijk was in the audience last season is said to be a big reason why Liverpool lost to Real Madrid.

This season, with Van Dijk in charge of the defense, Liverpool are one of the teams with the best defense in Europe. They did not let the opponent have many opportunities to approach Alisson’s goal.

In the match in Paris, the Dutch midfielder must control Karim Benzema – the best player of 2022 up to this point. The French striker won Pichici in La Liga and is now also the top scorer in the Champions League with 15 goals.

Benzema is on a streak of five consecutive goalscoring matches in the knockout stages of the Champions League, including two hat-tricks. He is the fierce god of English football representatives, with 7 goals against Chelsea and Man City after 4 matches in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.

Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Vinicius Junior

The battle of April 2021 was a real disaster for Trent Alexander-Arnold, when the left wing he defended became Liverpool’s weak point to Real Madrid exploit.

That match can be considered a turning point in Vinicius’ life, after being distrusted by Zinedine Zidane. He scored a double and has matured in many ways, since then he has improved continuously with Ancelotti.

The style of kick that Liverpool deploys allows Alexander-Arnold to rise very high. The 23-year-old English player is one of the best attacking right-backs available today.

Alexander-Arnold will have to focus when advancing, because Kroos, Casemiro, Modric or defenders Mendy, Alaba and Militao are all capable of kicking the ball behind him for Vinicius to speed up the counterattack. The Brazilian player’s goal against Man City at the Etihad Stadium is a lesson.

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