Nobody knows how Real Madrid got to the Champions League final except for a combination of fate, luck, and exceptional individual ability.
Carlo Ancelotti's side has been outplayed at every round of this year's campaign, but they have managed to scrape their way through to face a scary Liverpool side in Paris.
Liverpool has a faster tempo, better defenders, and a wider range of attacking threats, but they must avoid slipping into the Real Madrid trap.
Liverpool were undone four years ago by blunders and Gareth Bale's overhead kick, and they must be wary of Real Madrid's brilliance once more.
Jurgen Klopp's club must avoid the catastrophe that has befallen PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City this season, according to Telegraph Sport.
Assist Alexander-Arnold in his fight against Vinicius Junior.
Despite Liverpool fans' vehement protests, Trent Alexander-Arnold is a defensive vulnerability. It's easy to see how he's identified as a pinch point in the places where Liverpool's opponents funnel attacks.
When Alexander-Arnold is isolated in one-on-one scenarios, he suffers, and when his body shape can be closed, he is vulnerable to diagonal passes over his head.Alexander-Arnold versus Vinicius Junior could be the game's defining matchup, however Liverpool will hope that their right-back can impact the game offensively to make his defensive issues irrelevant.
The winger is Madrid's major link to Karim Benzema, and Ancelotti allows him to 'cheat' by staying high and ready for the counter-attack. With 78 completed dribbles, the Brazilian winger leads all Champions League players this season. Man City were so worried about stopping him that they put Kyle Walker on the field with one healthy ankle.
Liverpool must back Alexander-Arnold and provide him with cover in numbers, mostly through Jordan Henderson, who plays in places more suited to a right-winger or right-wing back. Inside, stumbling over and supporting Alexander-Arnold will be helpful.Another strategy Klopp might use is to construct assaults down his left wing, so that if Liverpool lose control, they can press Madrid against the touchline, making it impossible for Madrid to get to Vinicius on the other side.
Fabinho keeps an eye on Benzema.
In Benzema, Madrid have one of Europe's most dangerous forwards, but his game is much more than a penalty box menace. Benzema has a knack for dropping between the lines and either buying a foul or forming a connection with his teammates.
The issue Liverpool will confront against a player who is comfortable dropping into both the left and right half-spaces is demonstrated by his wide-ranging touch map in the quarter-final first leg against Chelsea.
Benzema is more than a match for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.Fabinho must be fit and blazing in order to close down passing lanes for Benzema and force Madrid's midfielders to divert their attention away from their striker. The day calls for a one-in-front, one-behind strategy.
Casemiro should be lured in using Casemiro, a defensive midfielder for Mane Madrid, has committed 17 fouls in the Champions League this season but only three yellow cards, proving that he is a master of the dark arts.
Sadio Mane playing in the role formerly assigned for Roberto Firmino has been one of Liverpool's tactical finds in the post-Christmas season. Mane, unlike Firmino, is not known for one-touch play and wall passes, but he can receive the ball in dangerous areas and dribble straight through the opponent's heart.
Mane saunters enters
Mane is also acutely aware of where his elbows are in challenges, and his dribbling ability, along with his dribbling ability, could result in a booking for Casemiro early in the game. If you can get the better of Casemiro, Liverpool's midfield will have more time on the ball.
To deal with Madrid's fresh legs, manage the game.
Ancelotti is unaffiliated with any tactical ideology or strategy, yet he has played his in-game cards to perfection during this run to the final.
Madrid's midfield of Casemiro, Luka Modric, and Toni Kroos is full of technical ability, but it is aging, therefore Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, and striker Rodrygo have come off the bench to provide fresh vigor.
Camavinga has been particularly efficient late in games, moving the ball across the field with a combination of passing and dribbling. The Frenchman is also a good defender.
With recent injuries to Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara, Klopp must ensure that Liverpool maintains their intensity in the middle third of the pitch. However, he excels at creating opportunities in games, and Liverpool may have guys like Naby Keita and Harvey Elliott on standby.
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