The NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev is ready, as fans around the world prepare for the showpiece of European club football.
Real Madrid are in their third straight final, and aiming for their third successive triumph.
In recent years, Liverpool have not come anywhere near Real in terms of CL success, and this is their first final since 2007, when they lost to AC Milan.
The Merseysiders go into this one as the underdogs, but memories of Istanbul in 2005 – and a penalty shootout win against the same Italian opponents – still remain fresh in the mind.
Real have won on their last six appearances in a Champions League final, but there has been an air of invincibility about Liverpool this season.
This is because Liverpool have been the highest scoring team in the competition with 3.33 goals per match, and were undefeated until the second leg against Roma in the semi-finals.
This is the fourth Champions League meeting between the clubs this century. Liverpool won twice in 2009 (1-0, 4-0), with Real returning the favour in 2014 (3-0, 1-0).
Their first ever meeting was in the 1981 final, when Liverpool won, albeit in a totally different climate where the Reds ruled at home and abroad.
Players to watch: Cristiano Ronaldo is ‘Mr. Champions League’. The final will be his 156th European appearance for Real, in which he’s scored a staggering 121 goals. He currently has 15 from 12 games this season.
Liverpool’s Egyptian wizard Mohamed Salah has been a revelation this season, scoring 44 goals in 51 matches (11 in 14 matches in CL).
Stat attack: Not counting Liverpool’s 0-0 draw against Porto, ALL the remaining 11 knockout stage matches involving these teams have produced over 2.5 goals.
If Real are to triumph, they must quell Liverpool’s early enthusiasm.
The Reds have scored first and/or scored a first-half winner in five of their last seven matches.
Real Madrid Vs Liverpool Live Stream May 26 2018 Kick Off 18:45 GMT added by Brian Kisembo on
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