LIVERPOOL, MADRID IN THIRD EUROPEAN FINAL

Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and Spanish champions Real Madrid will meet in an European Cup/Champions League final for the third time at the Stade de France in the French capital city of Paris. They have one win in each from their previous two meetings in the final.

Liverpool were winners of the first meeting between the two teams during the 1981 European Cup final. The Reds won by a lone goal and Alan Kennedy was the recipient of the winning goal nine minutes from the end of the game. It was a third European Cup title for Liverpool and a fifth successive European Cup triumph for English teams.

In their second European final meeting during the 2018 Champions League final, Welsh international Gareth Bale scored twice after coming off the bench to propel Real Madrid to a 3-1 win over Liverpool. Liverpool were dealt a big blow when star player Mohamed Salah went off injured early in the first half after a collision with opposition captain Sergio Ramos and they never recovered from the injury setback.

For their third meeting in an European final, Real Madrid and Liverpool have had to play 12 games each to get to this stage.

Liverpool were drawn in Group B alongside Spanish team Atletico Madrid, Portuguese club FC Porto and Italian Serie A side AC Milan. It was a tricky group, but Liverpool made light work of it by winning all their six games. Liverpool saw off Italian outfit Inter Milan in the round of 16 before eliminating Benfica in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Liverpool saw off Spanish team Villarreal to reach the final.

Real Madrid were drawn in Group D alongside Moldovan side FC Sheriff Tiraspol, Italian team Inter Milan and Shakthar Donetsk of Ukraine. Real Madrid saw off PSG in the last 16 and then holders Chelsea in the quarterfinals. They eliminated Premier League champions Manchester City in the last four to book their place in the final.