Jamie Carragher says he is “confident” that Liverpool will beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday, as the Spanish team has been “very lucky” to be in the most important event in Paris.
Jurgen Klopp’s reds are looking for their third trophy of the season after winning the FA and the Carabao Cup at the start of the campaign.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Real – who has won the competition 13 times – will be a difficult task after eliminating Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain on their way to the final. But Carragher believes the whites were very lucky in those knockout victories, which saw the Spanish giants come from behind to win those draws.
Carragher told Sky Bet’s The Overlap podcast: “I’ve seen Real Madrid in the Champions League this season and they’ve lost more Champions League games than Liverpool all season in all competitions.
“Real Madrid are a very good team, but they are not as good as Man City and I don’t think they are as good as Chelsea, although they have beaten both.
Image: Rodrygo made a spectacular turn for Real Madrid against Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final
“You can spin it in both directions with the spirit, the victory, the return, but they have brought a lot of luck in these games, which you need. If you win every game at the last minute coming from behind, if you are so good team you don’t put yourself in that position all the time.
“Man City should have mistreated them, they should have won [their semi-final first leg ] 6-2 at home, and then they lost 3-0 at home to Chelsea.
“Of course, Real can win, it’s a unique match. I just think that if City or Liverpool played Real Madrid in a one-off match, having their team and playing to the fullest, they would win the game. I’m sure.”
Image: Luis Diaz gave life to Liverpool’s load until the final
Nev: Real’s midfield could dominate Liverpool
Sky Sports teammate Gary Neville believes Klopp’s men will fall short on Saturday night as Ancelotti’s midfield options for Real will be too much for the Merseyside club.
Real coach Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos are likely to play in this weekend’s final, with Federico Valverde supporting from a wider role and Eduardo Camavinga likely to leave the bench.
“I don’t think Liverpool will win the European Cup,” Neville told The Overlap podcast. “I thought a lot [the final in] Paris and I have been thinking about Real Madrid and why they have won their matches, why they keep coming back.
Image: Gary Neville says Real Madrid’s midfield is too strong for Liverpool
“I thought about 1999 and how we kept coming back to the games and winning late. It was our midfield [Roy] Keane, [Nicky] ass, [Paul] Scholes, [Ryan] Giggs i [David] Beckham. They were absolutely phenomenal, beyond any level of what I’ve ever seen.
“I look at Real Madrid’s midfield to Casemiro, Kroos, Modric – in addition to the two who arrive late with Valverde and Camavinga – these five players lead them from the first minute to the end. And Carlo Ancelotti interferes with them until the end. very final.
“I think Liverpool’s midfield is their weak point and in the last 15 minutes this Real Madrid midfielder – the five combined – will see them win Saturday’s game.”
Real Madrid, lucky or brave?
Image: Real Madrid will face Liverpool in the Champions League final this week. AP / PA / Getty Credit.
Is Jamie Carragher right? Was Real Madrid lucky enough to beat Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Chelsea? Or is there something else with Carlo Ancelotti’s team in this Saturday’s Champions League final?
The pattern of these victories – especially in the return match at the Santiago Bernabéu – has been similar. Real started badly in the return matches, fit first, saw their rivals lose many opportunities to seal their respective progressions at the expense of the whites, before Karim Benzema led the comeback.
Follow this link to see Sky Sports’ analysis of Real’s career in the Champions League final.