A third all-English Champions League last in four years seemed to be on the cards however Real Madrid's extraordinary late rebound against Manchester City on Wednesday has set up a rematch between the Spanish club and Liverpool in Paris on May 28.
Madrid's legendary European mission hit new heights as they resurrected against Pep Guardiola's City, following 1-0 on the evening and 5-3 on total before a Rodrygo support in the 90th and 91st minutes constrained additional time.
Karim Benzema then changed over a penalty five minutes into the additional half-hour to make it 3-1 on the evening and 6-5 on total for Carlo Ancelotti's side who then, at that point, clutched secure their last spot, four days subsequent to recovering the Spanish title.
Their loss of City came after they recuperated from 2-0 down on total to take out Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, and afterward also retaliated to beat Chelsea in additional time in the quarterfinals.
Madrid's unprecedented victory on Wednesday followed 24 hours on from Liverpool's 3-2 win away at Villarreal, in which they returned from two goals down on the night to win 5-3 on total.
The last at the Stade de France will be a rehash of the 2018 showpiece, when Gareth Bale's stunning twofold secured a 3-1 win for Real Madrid in Kiev and gave them their record-expanding thirteenth European Cup.
Seven members of the Real group included that evening four years prior also highlighted against City on Wednesday, just as seven Liverpool players in 2018 played in the success at Villarreal.
"We have a score to settle," composed Mohamed Salah on Twitter as the Liverpool forward started off the hostilities early.
It will be Liverpool's third last in five seasons after they proceeded to win their sixth European crown in 2019, overcoming Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in Madrid.
One more triumph at the Stade de France will see them go level on seven European Cups with AC Milan, with just Madrid having won more.
Without a doubt Real have won each of their seven previous last debuts in the Champions League time, their last loss at this stage coming in 1981 against Liverpool in Paris.
ANCELOTTI'S PERSONAL HISTORY
Fans of the Anfield club might attempt to see that as a sign, reviewing Alan Kennedy's late goal at the Parc des Princes that gave Bob Paisley's side triumph as Liverpool won the European Cup for the third time in five years.
When this season's last comes around they might be seeking to finish a historic fourfold - having previously won the League Cup, they trail a chastened Manchester City by just one point at the highest point of the Premier League and face Chelsea in the FA Cup last on 14 May.
Real need history as well, however, as does Ancelotti, who won the Champions League two times as a coach with Milan and drove Madrid to triumph in 2014 during his first spell in control at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He was on the Milan seat when they lost on penalties to Liverpool in the 2005 last in Istanbul, the Italians discarding a 3-0 halftime lead.
Nonetheless, Ancelotti's Milan acquired retribution two years some other time when they beat the Reds 2-1 in Athens.
"Yet again I am really pleased to be in another last, against Liverpool. It will be my third last against them as a coach," said Ancelotti, who was also previously accountable for their Merseyside rivals Everton.
"I lived in Liverpool for a very long time so this is a derby for me."
Ancelotti is level with Liverpool legend Paisley and ex-Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane on three European Cups as a coach, yet triumph on May 28 would see him become the first director to win the prize four times.
He last confronted Liverpool during his 18-month spell responsible for Everton, in which time he was unbeaten against them in three Premier League meetings and strikingly oversaw a 2-0 win at Anfield.
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