Karim Benzema against Sadio Mané, Carlo Ancelotti against Jürgen Klopp, the revenge of Mohamed Salah, tens of thousands of fans in the French capital: everything is ready for “the most important match in world football”, as the Italian coach of Real.
More than 300 million viewers from all over the world are expected in front of their TV for this unmissable event, according to the boss of the Canal Plus Group, which produces the match.
He won’t miss any stars on the pitch. Midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho, an uncertain time, are good starters for the English, according to their club.
On the Spanish side, an “eleven” without surprise will start, with a five-star midfielder, made up of Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos.
The “White House” can extend its incredible record with a 14th trophy, and the “Reds” conquer a seventh and join AC Milan in second place among the European giants.
Liverpool-Real becomes the first poster played three times in the C1 final, but this classic is furiously modern: it will clarify the duel for the Ballon d’Or between Karim Benzema and Sadio Mané.
To win this prestigious prize, which will be awarded in October, Benzema will be a huge favorite in the event of European coronation on Saturday. “If he has this title in addition, it can only go in the right direction” for the Ballon d’Or, summed up the coach of the Blues Didier Deschamps on Saturday.
“Benz”, captain at kick-off, sublimated Real this season in C1, with 15 achievements. He is “the most underrated player in history” launched UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, interviewed by AFP.
Mané, he missed the Premier League by one point, beaten by Manchester City, but he won the two national cups in England.
The striker also guided Senegal to their first African Cup of Nations in February against partner Mohamed Salah’s Egypt.
The latter, another candidate for the Ballon d’Or, had to abandon the previous final against Real in kyiv in 2018, injured after a muscular intervention by Sergio Ramos.
A beautiful more than a revenge
“I am very motivated, fully motivated, warns Salah, after what happened with Madrid the last time. It was the worst moment of my career. »
Rather than a revenge, it is a beautiful one, since Liverpool had won the first final, in 1981 (1-0), at the Parc des Princes, at a time when the Stade de France, built for the World Cup- 1998, did not exist.
This title remained in the memories of Liverpool fans, who swept over Paris where we had not seen so many football fans since Euro-2016.
In all, 6,800 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were mobilized by the Paris Police Prefecture to ensure the security of the match, with an eye on the thousands of “Reds” fans who came without tickets, a figure which could reach 30,000 to 40,000 supporters.
On Saturday, a red wave swept over the “fan zone” reserved for Liverpool supporters, on the Cours de Vincennes side, in the east of Paris, where concerts and giant screens are planned to follow the match.
All in an atmosphere for the moment good child. The police carried out a dozen arrests for minor offenses such as street selling, the Prefecture of Police said in the afternoon.
“Sunshine, cold beers, all our friends around, a nice big screen: what more could we want? Thank you Paris for the warm welcome! “, loose with a smile Henry Coyle, 52, from Belfast.
“We have taken all of Paris! “Adds Rohan Sood, 22, who arrived from London on Thursday with a group of friends and who says he is transported by” the crazy atmosphere “.
The people of Madrid gathered in another “fan zone” in Saint-Denis, where some supporters dressed in white danced to the rhythm of Latino pop songs.
“I’m very calm, I think we’re going to win, Real Madrid are very lucky”, explained, confident, Mariano Brasal, 66, a retired baker, who came to watch the match with his son.
Ancelotti-Klopp duel
The final also offers a superb duel of coaches.
Twice an unfortunate finalist, with Dortmund in 2013 and Liverpool in 2018, the German Jürgen Klopp learned to win the following year.
On the other bench, the Italian “Mister” Carlo Ancelotti, who directs his men with an eyebrow movement, is a great specialist in the event, which he has already won three times as coach, with AC Milan (2003, 2007) and during a first visit to Madrid (2014).
However, Liverpool also reminds him of a bad memory: in 2005, his Milan led 3-0 in the final before being brought up in six minutes by the Reds and losing on penalties (3-3 after, 3 on pens). 2).
But this season, it is the Real of “Carletto” which has specialized in fantastic comebacks. Swallowed PSG (0-1, 3-1), jostled Chelsea (3-1, 2-3 ap), knocked down Manchester City (3-4, 3-1 ap)!
With such a disheveled storyline, this finale would truly go down in history.
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