Real Madrid v Liverpool Predictions & Betting Odds – 26th May 2018

Reds can secure Champions League title in Kiev

Liverpool
Liverpool © GEPA pictures

Real Madrid v Liverpool Betting Preview – UEFA Champions League 26th May 7.45pm

Twelve months ago Real Madrid created history by becoming the first ever team to successfully defend a Champions League title. Now they are back in the Final once again after a campaign where they have bent but haven’t broken, and they can create more history as they look to win the title for a third time in a row. Will they be able to handle the powerful attack of Liverpool though, because the defence of the Spaniards has not looked very convincing through their campaign? This will be a high-profile showdown in Kiev between two of the most decorated sides in Europe.

Champions League Final 2018 Infographic

Real Madrid News and Form

It has not been plain sailing for Real Madrid through the UEFA Champions League this season, as they have had various scares and they found themselves being pushed hard on several occasions. For the second season running Real Madrid could only finish second in the group stage, this season trailing Tottenham. However that didn’t stop them going all the way to success last season in a historic title defence and now they can become the first club to win three UEFA Champions League finals on the bounce. In the quarter-finals of this season’s competition Juventus had them on the ropes at the Bernabeu but they managed to squeeze through thanks to an injury-time penalty by Cristiano Ronaldo. Then in the semi finals the Spaniards were second best to German powerhouses Bayern Munich and once again Real Madrid found themselves on the back foot quite a bit. But with a positive show of resilience and fortitude they managed to hang in and squeeze their way through to the Final. This competition means everything for them. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how you get things done as long as you do. Their defence has been shaky this season and it will need to be at his best to try and keep Liverpool quiet, but based on the circumstances and the previous head-to-head between Real Madrid and Liverpool it may just be worth looking at under 3.5 goals at 46 odds with bet365* (Betting Odds taken at 00.35 a.m. on May 21st, 2018).

You cannot look at the defence of Real Madrid with any kind of certainty that there are going to go out and get a clean sheet. They don’t look anywhere near good enough but they find a way to get things done up front to compensate. They have scored in each of their last 29 UEFA matches and their overall record against English opposition is W15 D11 L11. In their UEFA Champions League, this season around Madrid are W8 D2 L2 so far with just the three clean sheets in 12 games. They are currently on a 27 match scoring streak in the UEFA Champions League and while both teams to score bet365 is going to be an obvious place for punters to look it’s not going to offer up very much value. Cristiano Ronaldo managed to score in every group stage match, in both legs of their round of 16 tie against PSG and again in each leg of their quarter-final tie against Juventus. He did not manage one in either leg of the semi-final against Bayern Munich but he is the 3/1 odds-on favourite at bet365* (Betting Odds taken at 00.35 a.m. on May 21st, 2018) in the first goalscorer market. Real Madrid are looking for their the 13th European Cup/Champions League title and they have already beaten an English side this season as they defeated Manchester United in the UEFA Super Cup back in August.

Liverpool News and Form

Liverpool have five previous European Cup/Champions League successes and it has been some season from them once again in Europe. They are the top scoring side in this year’s UEFA Champions League and between them, Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have netted 29 of their 40 goals in total. They have been thrilling to watch, through sheer attacking brilliance and they have been up against some tough challenges but they have managed to get through them with flying colours. They took down Premier League champions Manchester City convincingly in the quarter-finals after kicking off as underdogs for the tie. Then in the semi finals Liverpool had to take on Roma, the side who had spectacularly knocked out Barcelona the previous round. After a slow start to the first leg, that man Mo Salah set them on their way and they never looked back. Once their immense attacking power started to click, they ran up a big first-leg advantage at Anfield which they were able to defend in Rome despite losing the second leg. Mo Salah, the Premier League Golden Boot winner is a 5/6 odds anytime goalscorer option with bet365* (Betting Odds taken at 00.35 a.m. on May 21st, 2018).

Liverpool have won five of their seven previous European Cup/UEFA Champions League finals. However no player in the current squad has any previous experience of being in a UEFA Champions League final. That’s in stark contrast to all of the experience that Real Madrid can boast. Will that have an effect on their approach and the temperament on the night in Kiev? Realistically is hard to see the lack of experience playing its part in Liverpool’s challenge, the Premier League side play one way and that’s going to cause Real Madrid plenty of problems. Liverpool holds a W14 D12 L1 record against Spanish sides currently. Outside of England Liverpool have won just one of their last seven games against Spanish opposition which was the 2009 success against Real Madrid. The Reds hold a W7 D4 L1 record in this season’s UEFA Champions League, going unbeaten in 11 games before losing that semi-final second leg in Rome against Roma. They have a fierce front three that they can unleash on the defence of the Spaniards and with the pace and how clinical they are on the break, Liverpool have every chance of getting their hands on the cup. Bookmakers have them as slight underdogs and the shortest priced option in the bet365 correct score market is a 1-1 draw at 13/2 odds. Liverpool success it coming in at 11/1 odds* (Betting Odds taken at 00.35 a.m. on May 21st, 2018).

Real Madrid v Liverpool Head to Head

There have been five previous fixtures between Real Madrid and Liverpool and from those previous encounters it is Liverpool who are 3-2 up. The goals count from the five previous encounters is at 6-4 in favour of the English side. The most recent coming together between Real Madrid and Liverpool was in their 2014/15 Champions League group stage when the Spaniards won both encounters. Real Madrid had Karim Benzema score in both of those fixtures. Each of the five previous meetings between Real Madrid and Liverpool all produced a win to nil. That is the only time that an English club has beaten and Spanish club in the final of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League and incidentally is the last time that Real Madrid lost a European Cup/Champions League Final.

Real Madrid v Liverpool Betting Odds*

Real Madrid 6/5, Liverpool 21/10, Draw 13/5* (Betting Odds taken at 00.35 a.m. on May 21st, 2018)

Real Madrid v Liverpool Predictions

Liverpool do look good option going into the final of the UEFA Champions League on Saturday. Their powerful front line has all the tools and all the pace needed to completely overwhelm and completely unravel Real Madrid. The Spaniards look nothing special at all especially at the back and if the Reds can keep Cristiano Ronaldo quiet there goes the attacking threat of their opponents. Liverpool can deliver on the night and get the win.