25 May 2018 00:29:48
Honestly this could be the game that finishes off my life as a football fan. I have never felt so anxious and uncontrollably excited in anticipation for anything. I have been totally unable to concentrate on my exams or life in general for days. The only comparable feeling was racking my brains as a child in the days leading up to Christmas, wondering if I was going to get a PlayStation or not, how happy I would be or gutted I would be depending on how things went.

I am predicting a 3-1 win to Madrid purely for my own sanity. They are the only team in the competition I never wanted to face, they have such experience and a habit of winning that is unnatural, and as a fan of our club i am scarred by our past failures. I was too young to appreciate Istanbul or the 2006 final, as they were virtually my first experiences as a Liverpool fan.

While we have done very well to finish 4th two years in a row, breaking our hoodoo, we crucially need to win something, if not in Kiev then some time in the near future. Since 2006, think of all the false dawns and failures we have had since then. We have lost another champions league final, and a cup final, a league cup final, a Europa league final, and bottled 2 seemingly nailed on premier league titles, with only a single league cup under dalglish to show for our efforts. It’s all well and good playing good football, having good players, but if this team truly wants to assert their quality and greatness something has to be won, if not in kiev then certainly soon.

Having said that, Madrid are behaving awfully confident and we should have a lot of encouragement from that. They have only won 4 of their last 11 games in all competitions, and they have not come up against a side so good on the counter attack as us. Furthermore, spurs beat them 3-1 earlier in the season, playing very similar football to ourselves.

I think it is also worth noting that the nature of the last few finals. Since the Bayern vs Dortmund final, almost all of the finals have been an attack vs defence scenario, with the offensive team winning virtually every time. We do not play like that, this will be much more akin to the Dortmund Bayern final; a final which Klopp lost mind you, a notable cause for concern, but a Klopp side that also demolished prime Madrid 4-1 I believe. Madrid’s recent record has been reliant on the other teams willingness to sit back and allow them to play, similar to the same mistake teams make against city, something which we did not do. In fact, for all the talk of Madrid’s quality in midfield it is in a similar style to Man City’s, and I would argue Man City’s is far more impressive. Ramos and Marcelo’s lack of discipline, akin to otamendi and Delph, should be exploited to the fullest. On paper, there are only a few advantages I see Madrid having over us, namely the matchup of Marcelo and Ronaldo vs Arnold and Lovren, their midfield quality and their experience, as well as the potential blow to our team from Oxlade-Chamberlains injury and being replaced by Wijnaldum.

The only thing I can ask for is that the lads give their all and enjoy it, regardless of what happens, I have never been more proud to be a Liverpool fan. If we play to th best of our ability, and play without fear, we have a fighting chance. The whole world of football is rooting for us to knock these smug fascists off their perch, but all I ask for is to not leave me with the feeling of a missed opportunity, that we didn’t play to our best and leave it all out on the pitch. If we do that I can sleep peacefully, whatever the result.

1.) 25 May 2018
25 May 2018 01:13:24
2005 but well said A. W.
Not a bad read mate considering you are to young to remember the 2005 final. does make me feel ancient though haha.

2.) 25 May 2018
25 May 2018 03:01:20
YNWA AW.

3.) 25 May 2018
25 May 2018 04:32:00
It was actually my first ever proper experience as a Liverpool fan Redhof. My dad called me into the room and said something about an important game, I’d never been into sports but I gave it a go. The only thing that sticks with me from the entire game is turning to my dad at half time to ask what on earth was the point in bothering watching the rest, only for him to tell me it’s not to give up and that it’s only over when it’s over. I am old enough to slightly remember how gutted I was In 2007 mind you, a repeat of that on Saturday and I might not leave my room for the next year or so.

4.) 25 May 2018
25 May 2018 05:23:10
I was young during Istanbul as well. Must have been only about 10 years old. Liverpool fan but didn't watch games or much. At half time i asked if i could go to bed but my dad made me stay up and watch it! Great decision that turned out to be.

5.) 25 May 2018
25 May 2018 10:31:37
Predicting a 3-1 defeat for your own sanity?

Don't get this aspect of AWs thinking.

Anyone?

6.) 25 May 2018
25 May 2018 11:05:54
I was 20 and hung out with a group of 10 or so lads and we would go down to our local village pub and hang out in the 'shed end', a tiny little cubby hole of a room with a hatch through to the bar. We loved that room and the locals loved that we had it so the rest of the pub was in peace, at least. We had a tele in there and watched all of the matches singing 'lasagnaaa' to the the champions league theme whenever it came on. We were a right laugh, as you can tell.

Anyway, the night of the final we were all in there our mates supported rival clubs, but none of the close ones and were still looking forward to cheering on the reds with us. At half time the 3 of us Liverpool supporting mates were devastated. So much so, the landlord gave us a free pint as commiserations. The other lads were laughing at us and it was not turning into the the wonderful night we had all imagined. We persevered nonetheless, just hoping it wouldn't get worse but then in the following hour and a half something amazing happened. Everybody was cheering us on and became temporary reds for the night and when Dudek stopped that pen from Shevchenko we erupted in to dellerium, suffice to say.

When it was done, for the first time as a football fan, I saw genuine envy on the faces of all of my mates. Not just at winning the Champions League, but in the manner of it. It brought rival fans together to cheer my team home and it reaffirmed why this club and the way we do things is so special. There is a certain romance associated with Liverpool which you can't help but get absorbed in and the bitter few would never understand. YNWA.

7.) 25 May 2018
25 May 2018 14:42:01
i was 11 and got sent to bed at full time because it was already "past my bed time". Spent the next 45 mins sneaking to and from the spare bedroom to watch the game cos every time i heard movement i retreated temporarily

just remembered feeling dead guilty in the morning because my grandad had recorded the end and hadnt even watched it himself yet because he waited for me.