Liverpool Real Madrid

The Spanish champion is seeking its record 14th European title on Saturday in Paris. Liverpool, the Premier League runner-up, is chasing its seventh.

Liverpool has, of course, be in this spot before: It lost to Real Madrid in the 2018 final. A favorable knockout-round draw and a helpful upset — not to mention playing some of the best soccer in the club’s history — meant that its opponents were swatted aside relative ease. Real Madrid faced all the so-called new money clubs in the knockout rounds, and in doing so came face to face with elimination multiple times. It has now played a quarter of the all the finals that have been contested, in fact, including — after Saturday — five of the past nine. As of 15.00 on 26.05 until 18.00 on Sunday 29.05 it is prohibited to wear any football club colours in the area of the Champs Elysees. This includes scarves, hats, displaying banners etc. That might have been related to a warning issued to supporters of both teams that they risked fines of 135 euros (almost $150) if they turned up wearing club colors in places like the Eiffel Tower or the Champs Élysées, the grand avenue that is typically flooded with visitors. Real Madrid is in the final for the fifth time since 2014; in each of its previous four visits since then, its fans will quickly point out, it has left town with the trophy. Chelsea, Manchester City and P.S.G. could not disabuse Real Madrid of its abiding belief in its own agency; Ancelotti and his players have plenty of reason to be confident that Liverpool will go the same way. Europe and the rest of the world. Ordinarily, at a club as proud and demanding as Real Madrid, those twin embarrassments would be enough to spark some sense of mutiny. Real was imperious in the first leg against Chelsea. That aside, it has had to weather fairly consistent storms. Just give Real Madrid the trophy and save everyone the bother.

Follow along here as the two European giants meet in a dynamic title match in Paris, where more history will be made.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid won its 35th Spanish league title earlier this year. Four years ago, the two sides met in the Champions League final in Kyiv. Real Madrid prevailed, 3–1, thanks in part to two second-half goals from Gareth Bale. However, the game has been widely remembered for Sergio Ramos injuring Mohamed Salah in the first half, and the Egyptian has vowed to exact a measure of revenge with his new opportunity. The road to Paris has been filled with twists and turns, but on Saturday, two European giants in Liverpool and Real Madrid will meet to decide the Champions League title.

Two soccer titans meet in a match to determine the best club in Europe. Follow along for live updates and analysis.

Real Madrid finished second in La Liga last season to qualify for the Champions League. It topped Group D with five wins and one loss. It won all six of its Champions League group-stage matches and then beat Inter Milan, Benfica and Villarreal in the knockout round to advance to the final. (Scottish club Celtic in 1966-67 became the only team to achieve a quadruple of major European trophies). Liverpool won a pair of domestic cup competitions earlier this season. Twelve minutes later, after a Sadio Mané equalizer, Gareth Bale angled an acrobatic bicycle kick over Karius, who again became the focus of fan ire when Bale drilled a long shot through his hands to score 20 minutes later. The governing body initially described the reason for the delay to late-arriving fans, but updated the attribution as a “security issue.” Thiago made his return after sustaining an injury during Sunday’s Premier League finale. Its best chance came around the 20th minute when Sadio Mané cut inside and unleashed a shot that hit the near post as Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois scrambled to recover. Return to menu Madrid rode a second-place finish in Spain’s La Liga, followed by a 5-1 record in the group-stage and knockout wins over Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City, to the final. Return to menu Two of the top clubs in European soccer renew acquaintances Saturday in Saint-Denis, France, as Liverpool meets Real Madrid for the UEFA Champions League crown.