MX23RW : Sunday, November 24 06:56:38| >> :120:25758:25758:

5 talking points ahead of the Champions League final

5 talking points ahead of the Champions League final
© Reuters
Liverpool and Tottenham play for the silverware in Madrid.

Premier League rivals Liverpool and Tottenham face each other in the Champions League final in Madrid on June 1.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at some of the talking points ahead of the game at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Final redemption for Salah

Mohamed Salah's first Champions League final ended in tears after a tangle with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos
Mohamed Salah's first Champions League final ended in tears after a tangle with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos (Peter Byrne/PA)

A year ago Mohamed Salah's Champions League dream ended after just 30 minutes following a clash with Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos. The Egypt international left the pitch in tears after a shoulder injury prematurely ended what should have been the climax to an individually-brilliant first season with the club. While he has not reached the levels of last year he still has 26 goals in 51 appearances and remains a pivotal figure – and with a point to prove on the biggest stage.

Poch to ponder future?

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has already dangled the prospect he could walk away from the club if they were to win in Madrid. "To win the Champions League with Tottenham in these circumstances this season, maybe I need to think about maybe doing something different in the future," he said prior to their comeback win against Ajax in Amsterdam. The Argentinian marked his five-year anniversary at the club in the lead up to the final and has previously admitted winning the Champions League would be difficult to repeat.

Klopp's midfield conundrum

Fabinho could be competing with captain Jordan Henderson for a place in the Champions League final
Fabinho could be competing with captain Jordan Henderson for a place in the Champions League final (Pete Byrne/PA)

Judging by his past record in the competition this season, Jurgen Klopp has a big call to make over whether to pick his captain Jordan Henderson or Fabinho. The pair have started only one Champions League match, the 4-0 semi-final second leg win over Barcelona, after Wijnaldum was rested. However, Wijnaldum and James Milner are the manager's trusted pair, having each started 10 of their 12 matches, so look certain to be in the XI but it is a toss up for the third place. Fabinho arguably put in his best performance for the club in the 4-0 comeback against Barcelona but Henderson has been performing at a consistently-high level over the last six weeks of the season.

Race for fitness

Both teams have fitness concerns, most significantly in their forward line. Roberto Firmino has been out since the start of the month with a groin injury, missing the Barcelona comeback, but remains hopeful of making the final. Spurs' leading scorer Harry Kane has been out with an ankle injury since April 9, when he was forced off in the crucial quarter-final first leg win over Manchester City. However, he is optimistic of being fit having started running a fortnight before the final. Jan Vertonghen, who sustained an ankle injury in the semi-final second leg against Ajax, is anther concern as is the general fitness of Dele Alli.

Who needs it most?

PA Graphics

Klopp's record in finals is well known and remains the stick with which he is beaten. Since winning the 2012 German Cup with Borussia Dortmund the German has lost the last six finals he has contested, three of which were with Liverpool (Champions League, Europa League and League Cup). For all the plaudits his side have received for the way they play, and despite Klopp's insistence to the contrary, they do need to start picking up trophies. Pochettino is another manager who has been criticised for having no end product. By contrast he has been in only one final, losing the 2015 League Cup final to Chelsea. Silverware would give his methods some validation and provide an answer to his critics.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Carl Markham, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', 'ab3fb015-1a00-4c53-8567-0427a859f00d');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': '5 talking points ahead of the Champions League final'});

ID:360777: cacheID:360777:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:10394:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah gives the thumbs up on May 12, 2019
Read Next:
Liverpool's route to the Champions League final
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Vikings
@
Bears
6pm
Lions
@
Colts
6pm
Patriots
@
Dolphins
6pm
Buccaneers
@
Giants
6pm
Chiefs
@
Panthers
6pm
Titans
@
Texans
6pm
Cowboys
@
Washington
9.05pm
Broncos
@
Raiders
9.25pm
49ers
@
Packers
9.25pm
Cardinals
@
Seahawks
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Crystal Palace121561017-78
19Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
20Southampton11119721-144


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!