Real Madrid and Liverpool set for Paris rematch
A third all-English Champions League final in four years seemed to be on the cards but Real Madrid’s incredible late comeback against Manchester City has set up a rematch between the Spanish club and Liverpool in Paris on May 28.
Madrid’s epic European campaign hit new heights as they came back from the dead against Pep Guardiola’s City, trailing 1-0 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate before a Rodrygo brace in the 90th and 91st minutes forced extra time.
Karim Benzema converted a penalty five minutes into the extra half-hour to make it 3-1 on the night and 6-5 on aggregate for Carlo Ancelotti’s side who then held on to secure their final spot, four days after reclaiming the Spanish title.
Their defeat of City came after they recovered from 2-0 down on aggregate to knock out Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, and then also fought back to beat Chelsea in extra time in the quarterfinals.
Madrid’s extraordinary triumph on Wednesday followed 24 hours on from Liverpool’s 3-2 win away at Villarreal, in which they came back from two goals down on the night to win 5-3 on aggregate.
The final at the Stade de France will be a repeat of the 2018 showpiece, when Gareth Bale’s stunning double secured a 3-1 win for Real Madrid in Kiev and gave them their record-extending 13th European Cup.
Seven members of the Real team involved that night four years ago also featured against City on Wednesday, just as seven Liverpool players in 2018 played in the win at Villarreal.
“We have a score to settle,” Mohamed Salah wrote on Twitter as the Liverpool forward kicked off the hostilities early.
Mohamed Salah has a score to settle 👀 pic.twitter.com/y3M7jktqio
— GOAL (@goal) May 3, 2022
It will be Liverpool’s third final in five seasons after they went on to win their sixth European crown in 2019, defeating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in Madrid.
Another victory at the Stade de France will see them go level on seven European Cups with AC Milan, with only Madrid having won more.
Indeed Real have won all of their seven previous final appearances in the Champions League era, their last defeat at this stage coming in 1981 against Liverpool in Paris.
SuperSport/Mercy Chukwudiebere
