Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia
United Arab Emirates

Five things spotted in Liverpool training on eve of Champions League final

mirror.co.uk, 27 May 2022, 19:44
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have been training ahead of their game against Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid this weekend with both sides aiming to add another Champions League trophy to their cabinet

Liverpool geared up for Saturday night's Champions League final against Real Madrid with a pre-match training session at the Stade de France.

Jurgen Klopp's side are aiming to secure their third trophy of the season having already won the EFL and the FA Cup. The Reds have enjoyed a brilliant campaign even though they missed out on the Premier League title on the final day, with Manchester City pipping them by a point.

Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti's side are looking to complete the double after lifting the La Liga title. They finished 13 points above Barcelona in the table and are vying to be crowned European champions for a 14th time with victory in Paris.

Both sides trained on Friday afternoon in preparation for the all-important final. So, with that mind, here are five things learnt from Liverpool's session as Klopp and Co. stepped out at France's national stadium.

Thiago and Fabinho in training

There were doubts over whether the Liverpool duo would make this weekend's game due to injury. Fabinho has not featured since the 2-1 win at Aston Villa on May 10 and missed the FA Cup final, while Thiago was taken off at half-time in the final-day clash with Wolves.

However, both were spotted training with the Liverpool squad in Paris. The pair appeared to be running with ease as they warmed up in the sunshine. This is positive news for the Reds, who could be with both midfielders for the game. The likes of Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and James Milner are also in the squad.

What is your scoreline prediction for the Champions League final? Have your say in the comments!

Van Djik looking sharp

Another possible injury doubt for Liverpool is Virgil van Djik, who was an unused substitute in their victory over Wolves last weekend. He has not played a minute since the FA Cup final, missing the 2-1 win at Southampton and their final league game of the campaign.

But the Dutch international looked in fine shape when training with his team-mates. Van Djik, who injured his knee against Chelsea a fortnight ago, was sprinting with Ibrahima Konate and Andrew Robertson and it seemed as though he came through unscathed, which comes as more positive news for Liverpool fans.

Pick up tomorrow's Daily Mirror and get a FREE £2 Shop Bet with William Hill which can be used on the Champions League Final! 18+. Terms apply. See tomorrow's paper for your voucher.

Salah ready for revenge

This is more than just another final for Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian is seeking revenge for the 2018 Champions League final, where he was taken off during the first half with a shoulder problem after a coming-together with Sergio Ramos.

He has not forgotten about the incident and tweeted "we have a score to settle" after it was confirmed Liverpool would take on Real Madrid in the final. The 29-year-old looked typically focused when training and will no doubt be motivated to win his second Champions League winners' medal.

Positive mood

The mood inside the Liverpool camp seemed upbeat despite the pressure leading up to such a huge game. The Reds can become the joint-second most successful team in European Cup and Champions League history alongside AC Milan with seven titles if they manage to beat Real Madrid.

But Klopp's side were in high sprits and looked as though they were enjoying themselves in the French capital as they played a game of 'no bounce'. Liverpool will need to take that confident mindset into the match as they try to add another trophy to their cabinet.

Oxlade-Chamberlain joins amid transfer interest

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer with the midfielder struggling for regular game time at the Reds. The 28-year-old has made just 16 starts in all competitions this season and has not made a Premier League appearance since February.

However, the former Arsenal ace has travelled with the Liverpool squad and is training with the group ahead of the game. The Reds have reportedly put Oxlade-Chamberlain up for sale and he could be able to leave the club for a fee in the region of £10million, with Aston Villa and West Ham United interested. He cannot let that be a distraction, however, as he may yet have a part to play in the final.

Show more

Top News

23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Virgil Van Dijk has reportedly decided to end his time at Liverpool, with Paris Saint-Germain touted as a likely destination. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Chelsea must pay Manchester United £5million if they don't sign Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal this summer, talkSPORT understands. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk France dramatically completed a terrific UEFA Nations League comeback over Croatia as they reached the semi-finals with a 5-4 penalty-shootout win following a 2-0 quarter-final second-leg victory and 2-2 aggregate draw at the Stade de France. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Portugal advanced into the UEFA Nations League semi-finals after beating Denmark 5-2 in the second leg at home on Sunday night, winning 5-3 on aggregate after extra time. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Spain booked their spot in the semi-finals of the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League courtesy of a penalty-shootout success over the Netherlands on Sunday night, with the two teams finally being separated after two blockbuster contests. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Michael Owen has revealed the formation he would have gone with to unlock the best of England's Golden Generation. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Phil Parkinson says win, lose or draw, Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have his back. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Julian Nagelsmann's Germany scraped into the semi-final of the UEFA Nations League after drawing 3-3 in a dramatic quarter-final second leg against Italy at Signal Iduna Park on Sunday night. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Egypt will aim to make it back-to-back wins in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers when they welcome Sierra Leone to the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday for a matchday six encounter. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk In-form Ecuador will make the trip to Santiago to face Chile in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday knowing they are within touching distance of reaching the finals. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Everton have reportedly identified Genoa centre-back Koni De Winter as a potential replacement for Manchester United-linked Jarrad Branthwaite. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Cristiano Ronaldo was denied from the penalty spot just six minutes into Portugal's crucial Nations League clash with Denmark. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's Alisson Becker, Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes and Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes will all drop out of the Brazil starting lineup for Tuesday's World Cup 2026 qualifying clash against rivals Argentina. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul is pushing to start Tuesday's World Cup 2026 qualifying clash against Brazil in Buenos Aires. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Edin Dzeko has shown off the brutal facial injury he suffered playing for Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Mohamed Salah wants to stay at Liverpool even though he hasn't yet agreed a new deal. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Argentina will look to officially secure their place at World Cup 2026 when they face rivals Brazil in Tuesday's clash at Estadio Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Morocco will look to continue their impressive start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers when they host Tanzania at Stade Municipal on Tuesday. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Republic of Ireland and Bulgaria have announced their starting lineups for Sunday's fixture in the UEFA Nations League. 23 March 2025 talksport.com It's almost been eight years since Andrea Pirlo retired from football, but he hasn't lost his world-class free-kick abilities. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Malaga's teenage winger Antonio Cordero ahead of the summer transfer window. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona have reportedly set their asking price for Ferran Torres, with the versatile attacker expected to be on the move during this summer's transfer window. 23 March 2025 talksport.com Steve Bruce has passionately responded to Dwight Gayle after he claimed he 'didn't do tactics' when in charge of Newcastle. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji this summer. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Luka Modric has revealed that he is yet to speak with Real Madrid over his future beyond the end of the campaign. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Flash back to the first few months of Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur reign, where the Australian took a marvellous 26 Premier League points from 30 on offer, the most by any head coach in their first 10 matches in the competition. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is reportedly giving serious consideration to returning to the Premier League during this summer's transfer window, with Liverpool said to be his preferred destination. 23 March 2025 talksport.com A pitch invader was tackled by former Premier League defender Brede Hangeland after charging at Erling Haaland. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly already decided to try to cash in on as many as five loanees during the summer transfer window. 23 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Juventus have confirmed that they have made the decision to sack head coach Thiago Motta.