Time heals all wounds, but Liverpool still feel hard done by with what happened in Kyiv four years ago.
The Reds will face Real Madrid in the Champions League final after their stunning comeback against Manchester City in what is a rematch from the 2018 showdown where the Spanish side ran out 3-1 winners.
It was a bad day at the office for Jurgen Klopp's men as Mohamed Salah went off injured in the first half with a dislocated shoulder following a challenge from Sergio Ramos.
Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale pounced on two dreadful mistakes from Loris Karius with the Welshman also scoring an acrobatic overhead kick - one of the best goals ever seen in a Champions League final.
It was a case of what could have been after Salah limped off clutching his arm and although the Reds avenged that defeat by lifting the European title the following year, there are clearly still some hard feelings. Salah claims Liverpool have a "score to settle" after Madrid booked a place in the final, while Jamie Carragher insists the Egyptian winger will want "revenge" after what happened four years ago.
He told CBS Sports: "Mo Salah will want revenge, 100%. It was a massive blow for Salah himself. For him, he’d just come alive that season and everyone knew what he was about. He got over 40 goals and that was going to be his moment.
"Ramos definitely knew what he was doing. You talk about the dark arts of football and there’s probably nobody as bad. It’s part of football but he pushes it to the limit. Ramos won’t be involved but Mo Salah will be desperate to put that final to bed."
Liverpool and Real Madrid both look fairly different in 2022 but there are still some players who remain from that final in 2018.
Klopp could easily deploy his deadly trio of Salah, Mane and Firmino once again who led the line against Madrid, but Luis Diaz or Diogo Jota will be pushing them for a start. Jordan Henderson skippered the side on that occasion and should retain his spot in the starting XI, but James Milner could find himself on the bench while Georginio Wijnaldum has since joined PSG. Fabinho and Thiago should make up the midfield three.
Karius has since been displaced by Alisson but the back four is more or less the same besides Dejan Lovren with Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate vying for the other centre-half spot next to Virgil van Dijk.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, almost have a completely new backline with Keylor Navas, Ramos and Varane all gone while Marcelo doesn't get near the first team these days. Dani Caravajal went off injured not long after Salah in 2018 and will likely be handed another start in Paris.
Who will the Champions League final? Liverpool or Real Madrid. Let us know in the comment section below
The legendary trio that is Toni Kroos, Luka Modric are Casemiro are still firmly intact, however, while Karim Benzema will lead the line once again. It will be Vinicius instead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Federico Valverde over Isco, while it remains to be seen if Bale can play super-sub once again given his recent injury struggles.
Liverpool XI in 2018 : Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson, Milner, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane, Firmino.
Predicted Liverpool XI in 2022 : Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago, Salah, Mane, Jota.
Real Madrid XI in 2018 : Navas, Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, Kroos, Modric, Casemiro, Ronaldo, Benzema, Isco.
Predicted Real Madrid XI in 2022: Courtois, Militao, Mendy, Carvajal, Nacho, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Vinicius, Valverde, Benzema.
