UEFA Champions League Final
Date: Saturday, 1st June 2019
Kick-off at 20.00 UK/ 21.00 CET
Venue: Wanda Metropolitano (Madrid).Whoever lifts the trophy this time, it’s going to be a great story. Such was the level of thrill provided by this competition this time around.
Importantly, it was the season of comebacks and upsets. And it’s fitting that both semifinals saw major turning around of fortunes in the second leg.
Liverpool ‘pulled a Barca’ over Barca itself. After losing the first leg 3-0, the Reds made a magnificent comeback at Anfield, with a 4-0 home win – one to remember for the ages. And after losing their neck-to-neck league race against Manchester City, Liverpool will be particular about seeing through their European dream.
By the time the halftime whistle had blown at Johan Cruijff Arena, in Amsterdam, even Spurs fans had switched off their TV sets. After losing their home leg, the team had gone down 0-3 on aggregate and had 45 minutes to script a comeback, against the spectacular and youthful Ajax side, at their own home.
But what happened next was just pure fairytale material. Lucas Moura raised to the occasion and fired three goals in a row, the third one coming in the 95th minute, to take his team to one step closer to continental glory.
Tottenham vs Liverpool team news and predicted line-ups
Pochettino was keeping tight-lipped on Friday night over whether Harry Kane would start the Final.
Kane has not played since the quarter-final first leg against Manchester City in early April when he suffered a “significant” ankle ligament injury.
The England captain has declared himself fit for the showpiece clash with Liverpool and trained without problem at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on Friday night.
Kane would likely replace Lucas Moura – the hat-trick hero of Amsterdam – if he was to start and Pochettino is preparing himself for a “painful” decision.
Given that the match could well go to extra time and penalties, it may be wiser to use his star man as a second-half substitute – and Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle revealed on Friday that he believes Kane already knows he will be on the bench.
As for Harry Winks, he is confident after returning to training with the first team. Jan Vertonghen (ankle), Davinson Sanchez and Danny Rose (both thigh) missed the final day of the league season but have all shaken off niggling injuries.
Dele Alli (knock) was withdrawn at half-time against Everton as “a precaution” and is also not considered a doubt for the final.
Squad: Lloris, Trippier, Rose, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Sanchez, Son, Winks, Kane, Lamela, Wanyama, Vorm, Dier, Walker-Peters, Sissoko, Llorente, Dele, Foyth, Gazzaniga, Eriksen, Aurier, Lucas, Davies, Whiteman, Marsh, Skipp
Liverpool
Roberto Firmino has been passed fit. The Brazil international will return to action after missing the last three matches with a thigh problem, but Klopp was coy over whether Firmino would start in Madrid.
Teenager Rhian Brewster has been included in the 23-man squad but fellow youngsters Ben Woodburn and Curtis Jones have not made the cut.
Squad: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane, Mignolet, Gomez, Lovren, Moreno, Lallana, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Shaqiri, Sturridge, Origi, Brewster, Kelleher.
