"The only good thing for us" - Thibaut Courtois explains why Champions League final will be 'harder' for Liverpool than Real Madrid
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois feels Liverpool’s Premier League bout with Manchester City could leave them fatigued for the Champions League final. The Whites will take on the Reds in the grand event in Paris on May 28.
Having registered comeback wins over Paris Saint-Germain (Round of 16) and Chelsea (quarter-finals), Los Blancos pulled another miracle out of their hat on Wednesday (4 May).
In the second leg of their Champions League semi-final clash against Manchester City at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid secured a last-gasp 3-1 comeback win. The victory, courtesy of a Rodrygo brace and a Karim Benzema penalty, overturned Madrid’s 4-3 first-leg deficit, taking them to a 6-5 aggregate win.
This guy deserves a lot of credit. There's no comeback without @thibautcourtois' HUGE saves late in the game. He deserves this Champions League title. Has been the world's best GK for more than a year now. https://t.co/H13FHzumYu
The win saw them book a place in the final, where they will take on Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in all their glory. Fresh off slaying Villarreal (5-2 on aggregate) in the semi-finals, the Merseyside giants have every right to fancy themselves against Los Merengues.
Madrid keeper Courtois, however, thinks the Whites will hold the edge in the Champions League final, thanks to the Red’s Premier League ambitions.
Speaking to beIN Sports (via Liverpool ECHO), the Belgian said:
“Liverpool are playing really amazingly this season, so it will be a really hard game. The only good thing for us is that we aren’t playing anymore for anything, we can rest really well for that game, whereas they are playing for the Premier League, so for them it will be a bit harder. But we just need to keep training well and do our best and hopefully win it.”
While Real Madrid have already won La Liga, Klopp’s side are a point behind Premier League leaders City with four games left in the season. The Reds are also in the final of the FA Cup, where they will take on Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea on 14 May.
Liverpool vs Real Madrid set to be a grand spectacle
The Reds and the Whites are destined to set the world alight when they cross paths on the last weekend of May. On paper, Jurgen Klopp’s side seem to be the superior of the two.
They boast a great attack, a solid defense, and a creative midfield. To top it off, they have an enviably deep squad, full of players who can make a difference off the bench.
We’ll face @realmadrid in the #UCL final 👊 https://t.co/8TXpOaN2d4
Real Madrid, on the other hand, have an unmatched winning mentality. Their squad is not as deep, but they have an abundance of experienced players in their ranks, players who never throw in the towel.
The comeback wins against PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City have proven what they are about, and Liverpool would be wise not to take them lightly.
May 28 is expected to be a spectacle, and we are confident that it will not fail to deliver on its promise.
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