This weekend's Champions League final is sure to be a hugely intriguing clash.
Liverpool will enter the game as the the more talented side and arguably in better form, but this Real Madrid team have shown time and time again this season that they are more than capable of upsetting the odds on the biggest stage.
The Spanish club's journey to the final certainly has not been an easy one. Few sides in recent years have faced a more perilous route than PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City in the knockout stages. What's more, Madrid were also forced to produce a comeback of sorts in each of those ties.
That is a remarkable trait, with Gary Neville believing that their propensity to win the midfield battle could provide to be crucial against Jurgen Klopp's side in Paris.
Speaking on The Overlap, the Sky Sports pundit said that he thinks that Real Madrid will win the Champions League final due to the way they can drive the momentum of the game from the middle third of the pitch, an area he feels is Liverpool's biggest weakness.
I've thought a lot about Real Madrid and how they've won these games where they keep coming back, and I thought about how we won it in 1999 and he kept coming back in games and winning late on.
It was our midfield of Keane, Butt, Scholes, Giggs, and Beckham. They were absolutely phenomenal, beyond a level I've ever seen.
I look at Real Madrid's midfield with Casemiro, Kroos, and Modric, then Valverde and Camavinga, and think them five drive them from the first minute right until the end. Liverpool's midfield is the weak point in their team.
I think the five of them combined, because they tend to always come on and play a part and Ancelotti interferes a lot with the midfield, I think that will see them win the game on Saturday.
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The Brazilian makes it 𝟰-𝟰 on aggregate, but WHAT A BALL from Modric 🤩🇭🇷#UCL pic.twitter.com/wVVJ3fv549— Watch the UCL on LiveScore 🇮🇪 (@LiveScoreIE) April 12, 2022
Real Madrid's midfield has certainly proven to be decisive on a number of occasions in this year's competition. Liverpool could have their own problems in that position, with Fabinho only just returning from injury and Thiago looking like a doubt for the game.
However, it must also be said that the English club will enter this fixture in better form and with a superior squad.
Replaying to Neville's comments, Jamie Carragher said that while Real Madrid could certainly win this game, Liverpool should be able to beat them if they perform anywhere near their best.
I would have agreed with that if [Neville] said that four years ago when Liverpool played Real Madrid in that final (in 2018).
Real Madrid have lost more games in the Champions League than Liverpool have lost all season in every competition. Real Madrid are a very good team, but they're not as good as Manchester City, I don't think they're as good as Chelsea, even though they've beat them. They beat PSG.
You could spin it that 'it's the spirit of Real Madrid and they're coming back', but they've carried a lot of luck in them games, as you need. If you're winning every game in the last minute by coming from behind, if you're that good of a team you don't get yourself into that position all the time...
Manchester City should have battered them, that should have been 6-2 at home. They're 3-0 down at home to Chelsea.
Of course they can win it because it's a one-off game, but I think if City or Liverpool were playing Real Madrid in a one-off game and had their team and played anywhere near their best, they would win the game.
Liverpool will enter as slight favourites, although the game is sure to be a very tense one.
Whichever teams holds their nerve better of the two will likely be lifting that famous old trophy come Saturday night.
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