REAL MADRID VS LIVERPOOL: TV CHANNEL, LIVE STREAM, SQUAD NEWS & CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL PREVIEW
The showpiece event of European club football takes place in Ukraine this weekend, with Zinedine Zidane’s Blancos facing Jurgen Klopp’s Reds
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The curtain will come down on the European season in Kiev on Saturday as Real Madrid and Liverpool face off in the Champions League final for the right to be crowned continental kings.
Reigning champions Madrid are chasing their third title in a row – and their 13th of all time – while five-time winners Liverpool are in the final for the first time since 2007, when they lost to AC Milan.
The Reds overcame Roma in the semi-final to book their trip to Ukraine, marginally edging a remarkable 13-goal tie, with Los Blancos narrowly beating Bayern Munich in the other tie.
Both sides are known for their attacking talent, with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the scoring charts, while Liverpool are the most prolific team in the tournament this season, so supporters are in for a treat.
| Game | Real Madrid vs Liverpool |
| Date | Saturday, May 26 |
| Time | 7:45pm BST / 2:45pm ET |
| Stream (US only) | fubo TV (7-day free trial) |
TV Channel & Live Stream
In the United States (US), the game can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial).
New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| FOX | fubo TV (7-day free trial) |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched live on TV on BT Sport 2. It can also be streamed live online using the BT Sport app.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| BT Sport 2 | BT Sport app |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Real Madrid players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Navas, Casilla, Luca |
| Defenders | Carvajal, Vallejo, Ramos, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Theo, Achraf |
| Midfielders | Kroos, Modric, Casemiro, Llorente, Asensio, Isco, Kovacic, Ceballos |
| Forwards | Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale, Vazquez, Mayoral |
Zinedine Zidane has a fully-fit squad to choose from for the final and has brought the full complement of players to Kiev for the final.
Gareth Bale will be pushing for a starting place alongside Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, so the Blancos boss will have a decision to make as to whether or not he should go with that front three.
Potential Real Madrid XI: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo; Casemiro, Modric, Kroos; Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema.
| Position | Liverpool players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Karius, Mignolet, Ward |
| Defenders | Clyne, Van Dijk, Lovren, Klavan, Moreno, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips |
| Midfielders | Wijnaldum, Milner, Henderson, Lallana, Can, Jones, Camacho, Woodburn |
| Forwards | Firmino, Salah, Mane, Ings, Solanke |
Jurgen Klopp announced his squad for the final on Thursday and the German indicated that James Milner should be fit to play, while Emre Can, who is nearing a move to Juventus, is a surprise inclusion.
Defenders Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are absent from the panel due to long-term injuries.
Potential Liverpool XI: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Milner, Henderson; Salah, Mane, Firmino.
Betting & Match Odds
Real Madrid are considered to be favourites, with dabblebet offering odds of 6/5 on the Liga giants to triumph. A Liverpool victory is available at 2/1 and a draw over regulation time is 14/5.
Ronaldo is 14/5 to open the scoring in Kiev (4/6 any time), while Mohamed Salah is 7/2 to score first (5/6 any time).
Match Preview
Two of Europe’s most celebrated clubs lock horns in the 2018 Champions League final as Premier League side Liverpool attempt to bring an end to the hegemony of Real Madrid, who have won three of the last four tournaments.
The Reds are the most successful British club in the competition’s history but, despite their European pedigree, it has been 11 years since their last final appearance and 13 years have passed since their last triumph – when they beat AC Milan in Istanbul. Klopp, who tasted Champions League final heartache in 2013 with Borussia Dortmund, has yet to win a trophy with the Anfield club and he will be desperate to deliver on the biggest stage in club football, but it won’t be straightforward.
While the Premier League giants boast one of the most prolific attacking tridents in world football – led by Salah – Madrid also possess a potent strikeforce, with the talismanic Ronaldo expected to drive Zidane’s men on to a historic third Champions League title in a row. The Liga outfit may have struggled domestically this season, but they have inevitably risen to the occasion on the continent, with the Portuguese forward hitting a remarkable 15 goals in 12 appearances.
Liverpool have already managed to overcome one of the tournament favourites in Manchester City, beating Pep Guardiola’s side with surprising ease in the quarter-final, and they will endeavour to upset the odds once more when they face Madrid. However, they will have to be wary of their own defensive fragility, which was excruciatingly exposed in their semi-final games against Roma.
Despite the abundance of attacking riches that will be on display in Kiev, Saturday’s game may well hinge on defensive performances and Madrid have a slight edge in that regard. Indeed, for the majority of their squad, playing in Champions League finals is not new and that nous may prove to be the crucial difference between the teams.
