Champions League Final is almost upon us and Klopp and Zidane have most likely resolved their last designs at this point. Liverpool is required to reveal their ordinary 4-3-3 with their extreme squeezing and progress based style, while Zidane’s strategies and lineup choices remains a riddle. By and by, there is sufficient example estimate for Klopp to take a gander at Madrid and distinguish qualities and shortcomings that have rise above Zizou’s frameworks. Zidane can unquestionably do likewise, however it may be somewhat less demanding for him to find patterns.
Liverpool’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Pressing
The German manager has always managed intense pressing teams, but pundits tend to overestimate Klopp’s commitment to his pedal-to-the-metal style of play. While his team always presses, he instructs his side to be more reserved and sneaky against quality passing teams.
Counterpressing
Klopp’s famous gegenpress entails a ball-oriented press immediately after the ball is lost. His players swarm the ball carrier from multiple angles and seek to win possession in order to create high-quality transition opportunities.
Counter-attacking
Thanks to the fearsome trio of Mané, Firmino, and Salah, Liverpool have become the best counter-attacking outfit in the world. Firmino – the fulcrum of the counter – positions himself in the center of the pitch in order to receive the ball, pivot, and create after possession is regained. Salah and Mané burst upfield on either side of him to provide immediate attacking options and to stretch the opponent’s defense. The trident’s pace, intelligence, dribbling, passing ability, and lethality, makes this counter-attacking scheme almost unstoppable.
Real Madrid’s Strengths & Weaknesses
No matter the formation or personnel, Real Madrid nearly always excel at crossing the ball and beating opposition presses. Ronaldo’s ability in the air and intelligent movement is the perfect complement to Marcelo’s 1v1 trickery and inch-perfect deliveries, and the rest of the team builds around those two by overloading the flanks and piling into the box.
This makes Real a force to be reckoned with in the final third, which means that teams might be advised to stop the Whites in their own half. While this seems logical, Los Blancos have generally tore opposition presses to shreds thanks to the fluid movement of their midfielders and forwards and the individual press resistance qualities of nearly everyone involved.
This isn’t to say pressing Madrid can’t work. Casemiro is notorious for being susceptible to pressure due to his lack of scanning before he receives the ball and his unreliable first touch. This has led for fans to call for his exclusion from the final eleven, but he garners a first team spot for a reason.