On Saturday 1 June 2019, two English Premier League teams will face off in the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid in a bid to become crowned the Champions of Europe.
Tottenham Hotspur will take their place in a European Final for the first time since winning the UEFA Cup in 1984, as they pursue their first ever Champions League title.
Liverpool take their place in the final for the second consecutive season, chasing their 6th Champions League (Or European Cup) triumph, which would be the Reds first since the 2005 success in Istanbul.
This tactical analysis preview will examine the familiarity between both of these sides, and the tactical themes that could occur in Madrid.
Pochettino vs Klopp
Since Jurgen Klopp arrived in the Premier League in 2015, it commenced a fascinating rivalry between his vibrant Liverpool side and Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs. Indeed the German’s first game in the Premier League was a 0-0 draw with Tottenham.
Since then the two sides have locked horns eight times in the Premier League.
Liverpool lead 11-10 combined, with Understat’s expected goals model suggesting 12-10 in favour of the Reds. In terms of individual games, Liverpool edged six of these eight games, with Spurs best two games both coming in the 2017/18 season.
Importantly, the tactical battles that have defined these games provide a fascinating basis for how this Champions League final will play out.
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