Carlo Ancelotti has indicated that Real Madrid will employ similar tactics in the Champions League final against Liverpool to those utilised successfully against Manchester City.
Ancelotti’s side overcame a first-leg deficit to secure a 6-5 aggregate win over Manchester City after extra time in the second leg to reach the final in Paris.
The Italian could become the first four-time winner of the European Cup if his side are successful on 28 May.
Having sealed La Liga triumph with several games to spare, Ancelotti has been able to focus on preparing for the challenge of Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, and has indicated he will make few alterations to the approach used in the semi-final success.
Asked how he was intending to line up his side for the final, Ancelotti said: “4-3-3. That will sometimes change to a 4-4-2.
“I think there is no defined system, sometimes to put pressure on the pivot, as we did against City, you go from 4-3-3 to 4-4-1-1.
“The idea does not change much, just a little the way of defending the opponent, of putting pressure on them.”
Fede Valverde, more typically a central midfielder, was used high up on the right in the second leg against Manchester City, but Ancelotti may consider returning Rodrygo to the starting side.
The Brazilian forward scored twice in the final moments at the Bernabeu to take the tie to extra time before Karim Benzema’s penalty secured Real Madrid’s place in the Paris showpiece.
The Spanish capital club, then under the management of Zinedine Zidane, beat Liverpool in the 2018 final of Europe’s premier continental club competition.
