Jordan Henderson has warned Real Madrid that his Liverpool team is not the same as the one Real Madrid beat in the UEFA Champions League final four seasons ago.
Recall that Real Madrid beat Jurgen Klopp’s team 3-1 last time they met, thanks to Gareth Bale’s nightmarish performance against the Reds goalkeeper Loris Karius. The two sides will meet again in this year’s finale on Saturday, May 28.
While the squad’s physical makeup hasn’t changed much since that day, Henderson told The Guardian that Liverpool’s mentality has changed.
“I would say they are facing a different Liverpool, for sure,” he said. “We did very well to get there when we played Madrid in the final in 2018. The lads were incredible.
“But we’ve grown since then. New players have come in, we’ve been successful, we’ve had bad moments as well within that period, and all of that you learn from. I definitely feel this is a different team to what Madrid faced a few years ago.”
Jordan Henderson might follow in the footsteps of Emlyn Hughes as the second Liverpool captain to win two European Cups, but the current captain preferred to focus on his teammates.
“You say Emlyn Hughes is the only Liverpool captain to win it twice, I’m sure he would have said it was the Liverpool team who won it twice, not him,” Jordan Henderson added.
“That’s the way I look at it. If we do manage to win it twice it’s because of the team, it’s because of the manager, it’s because of the staff and everybody involved. When the time comes for me to look back on it, that’s what I’ll think about. I never really see it as ‘me’.
“Yes, I wear the armband on a match day and I’ve been here a long time but there are so many other leaders within the dressing room, so many big players, and it is a collective effort. It’s not about me trying to match other amazing captains that Liverpool have had, or trying to beat records. I am fortunate enough to be in a world-class team and very proud to be able to wear the armband and lead the team out. We will give it everything and hopefully bring another Champions League back to Anfield.”
Finally, Henderson praised the entire team for dealing with the high degree of expectation they have placed on themselves in recent years.
“I try [to enjoy the journey],” he concluded. “It is difficult with all the pressure and all the games but I’ve got to give so much credit to the lads for how they deal with it, for the mentality, the focus in every single game every three days, it’s incredible.
“We’ve got one last big push in a Champions League final and we’ve got to give it absolutely everything. Hopefully we can bring the trophy back to Anfield. It will be a pretty good season if that’s the case. The lads and the fans deserve it no matter what.”
Champions League Final
On Saturday night, May 28, Liverpool and Real Madrid will face off in the Champions League final at the Stade de France in Paris.
This match is a rematch of the 2018 final, which saw Los Blancos triumph 3-1 in Kyiv thanks to a goal from Karim Benzema and a brace from Gareth Bale.
Thiago Alcantara limped off in the win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the final Premier League match of the season, adding to the Reds’ injury woes.
Thiago is dealing with an Achilles injury and is racing against the clock to be ready for the Paris extravaganza.
Fabinho has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since the win over Aston Villa on May 10, but he has returned to training and is expected to be available soon.
Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk will return to the starting lineup after missing the FA Cup final.
Carlo Ancelotti has a fully fit roster to pick from at Real Madrid. David Alaba is expected to return to the starting lineup alongside Eder Militao in central defense.
Due to physical weariness, the Austrian has not played since the first leg of the semi-final against Manchester City.
Bale will be available off the bench for the Italian coach, and the Welshman will be hoping for a similarly memorable cameo as he did in the 2018 final.
Bale came off the bench that night and scored two goals, the first of which was an incredible overhead kick.
Liverpool vs Real Madrid predicted line-ups
Liverpool’s predicted line-up (4-3-3): Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahim Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz.
Real Madrid’s predicted line-up (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy; Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Luka Modric; Fede Valverde, Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior.
When does Liverpool vs Real Madrid start?
The Champions League final takes place this Saturday at 21:00 CEST, which is local time in Paris. This match will begin at 20:00 BST in the United Kingdom, and 12:00 PT/15:00 ET in the United States.
Where to watch Liverpool vs Real Madrid?
The Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid can be seen on CBS Sports Network in the United States. The match will be televised live in the United Kingdom on BT Sport 1, BT Sport Ultimate, and the BT Sport YouTube channel.
