Liverpool‘s hopes of winning an unprecedented quadruple may have been quashed by Manchester City last weekend but the Reds could still cap a remarkable 2021-22 campaign by becoming European champions for the sixth time.
A 2-0 victory over Spurs in the 2019 Champions League final in Madrid signified Jurgen Klopp’s first major trophy as Liverpool boss, acting as a springboard to further success.
Liverpool followed up their fifth European Cup by winning the Club World Cup and then the Premier League in 2020 – ending the club’s 30-year wait for a top-flight title – and this group of players have now completed the set by lifting both the FA and Carabao Cups this season.
While it has already been a historic season for the club, it will be all the more satisfying for Klopp, his players and Liverpool’s supporters, if they end it by beating Real Madrid in Saint-Denis, in a rematch of the contentious 2018 final between the clubs.
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On that occasion, Liverpool fell short, losing 3-1 in Kyiv with Gareth Bale coming off the bench to play the role of match-winner with two goals, the first of which was a stunning overhead kick.
Mo Salah has made no secret of his desire to enact revenge on the La Liga champions after he was forced off with a shoulder injury during that game following a challenge by Sergio Ramos, who has since moved to PSG.
“I’m very motivated, motivated through the roof,” Salah admitted during a press conference on Thursday. “I think after what happened with Madrid last time, and also what happened on Sunday [in the Premier League], everybody is motivated to win the Champions League, because this is, like, [an] unbelievable trophy for us. I think every season we fight for it since I came here, I think everybody is excited for it.
“I remember when I went out after 30 minutes or something. That was the worst moment in my career,” he added. “I was really, really down in that time, because playing the Champions League… I had a good season that time and just playing the Champions League [final], coming off after 30 minutes, it’s the worst thing that could happen to any football player.”
Jordan Henderson was less bullish on whether Saturday’s reunion will be a revenge mission for Liverpool but insisted the players have already put losing the Premier League title behind them.
When is the Champions League final 2022?
The 2022 Champions League final kicks off at 8pm (BST) on Saturday 28 May.
How to watch Champions League final 2022
UK viewers will be able to watch Liverpool take on Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League final on BT Sport 1 from 6pm.
Can I watch a free live stream of the Champions League final 2022?
You can watch a live stream of the 2022 Champions League final on BT Sport’s YouTube channel here.
“Of course, we were disappointed on Sunday with the outcome, coming so close and then finding out what was happening in the other game, it was tough to take, but I couldn’t be more proud of the lads this season and how we’ve competed in every single competition,” he said.
“We’ve given absolutely everything [and] played the maximum number of games that we could have played. We’ve won two trophies so far, and we’ve got a big opportunity on Saturday to win another.”
Salah has shaken off a knock that he suffered in the FA Cup victory over Chelsea earlier this month and is in line to start, as is Virgil van Dijk who missed the final Premier League game of the season against Wolves. Klopp also believes there is a “good chance” that one-time Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara will be available to play.
Liverpool have an allocation of 19,618 tickets for the Stade de France but thousands more supporters are expected to make the short trip.
Those not crossing the channel will be able to watch the game on BT Sport 1 with coverage starting at 6pm, two hours before an 8pm kick-off [9pm local time]. As has become customary in recent years, the final will be broadcast for free on BT Sport’s YouTube channel.
A 30-minute period of extra time will come into play if the scores are level after 90 minutes and penalties will determine the winner if the outcome still hasn’t been decided after 120 minutes.
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