After more than a decade, Liverpool are back amongst the best and have got themselves a Champions League final against Real Madrid, which will be played in Kyiv on Saturday. The Reds lost their first game in the whole campaign, in the second leg at Roma but remain the top goal scorers in the competition this season.
They also have been excellent defensively and deserve to take on the defending champions in the most prestigious competition in the world of club football. Every member of the squad has been equally important in their run to the final but who will they depend on to get a result in this game? Here are three players who need to be at their best for Liverpool to lift their 6th UCL title:
Dejan Lovren:
The Croatian international, who is statistically among the best defenders in the Champions League this season, is prone to errors in crunch games and Real Madrid will certainly put pressure on him. But he has the ability to step up against the best and if he can dominate his box and stay error-free, he will be a real tough nut to crack for Real Madrid. He will be up against a superstar in Cristiano Ronaldo and if he can keep him quite, Lovren will certainly give Liverpool a better chance of winning this game.
Trent Alexander Arnold:
Preparing to face up against Marcelo and Ronaldo on the right flank, the teenage scouser is certainly living his footballing dream but he will face the toughest test of his young career so far, at Kyiv on Saturday. He will certainly be targeted by the Real Madrid players and if he can put in a performance like he did against Manchester City in the quarter-finals, he will take his side a step closer to glory. He is not one to be fazed by the occasion and we could be looking at a superstar in the making if he has a decent outing against the best side in the UCL.
Mohamed Salah:
After breaking his mini goal drought with a goal against Brighton on the final day of the league season, the Egyptian international has broken a number of records in England and has also been effective in the Champions League. His partners-in-crime, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, have been involved in more goals than him in the competition and Salah will certainly be ready for the challenge. He troubled the Real backline the last time he faced them, in a Roma shirt and if he finds his rhythm, Real Madrid will certainly feel the pressure at the back.
