Champions League Final 2019: Date, Venue, Predictions for Tottenham vs. Liverpool

By
Lucas Moura of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League semi final match Ajax Amsterdam and Tottenham Hotspur FC at the Johan Cruijff Arena on May 08, 2019 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool both completed remarkable comebacks in the last four to earn the right to contest the 2019 UEFA Champions League final at Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Saturday, June 1.

Spurs went through on Wednesday by earning a 3-2 win away to Ajax thanks to a last-gap, hat-trick goal from Lucas Moura. His injury-time finish sent the Lilywhites through on away goals after Ajax had added to a 1-0 first-leg aggregate lead by going two goals in front by halftime in Amsterdam thanks to Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech.

Embedded video
B/R Football ✔@brfootball

Moura's three-goal star turn after the break came 24 hours after Liverpool overturned a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona by smashing 4-0 past the Blaugrana at Anfield on Tuesday.






Embedded video
Football on BT Sport ✔@btsportfootball
🧠 Genius from Alexander-Arnold.
😴 Barca sleeping.
🧊 Ice in Origi's veins.
717

Braces from Georginio Wijnaldum and Divock Origi's have given the Reds a chance to go one better after slipping to defeat in last season's final, losing 3-1 to a Real Madrid side inspired by former Tottenham hero Gareth Bale.
       
Schedule
  • Date: Saturday, June 1
  • Time: 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET
  • Venue: Wanda Metropolitano
Liverpool to Overpower Spurs and Win
The psychological edge belongs to the Reds after they beat Spurs twice in the Premier League. A scoreline of 2-1 on both occasions, at Wembley Stadium back in September and at Anfield in March, reflected how little there is to choose between the two familiar foes.
Similarities extend to the managers and the respective styles of play they preach. Liverpool chief Jurgen Klopp has built his success on intense pressing, while Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino also demands his players maintain pressure on the ball.
Each team is also defined by awesome pace in attack, with Moura and Heung-Min Son deadly for Spurs, while Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah lead the line for Liverpool.
Salah missed the second leg against Barcelona with a concussion, while fellow striker Roberto Firmino sat out with a groin problem, according to Andy Hunter of the Guardian.
Liverpool will count on the fitness of both for the final, particularly Firmino, who scored against the Lilywhites in both league games this season.
With a fully fit forward line, along with the energy and tenacity in midfield to deny Spurs schemers Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen time on the ball, Liverpool boast the personnel to win this final by yet another 2-1 scoreline.     
Tottenham Will Bring Back Harry Kane, and It Will be a Mistake
Spurs' run to the final, past both Manchester City and Ajax, who dispatched holders Real Madrid and touted Juventus in earlier rounds, was achieved without star striker Harry Kane.
Rather, Tottenham have made it though because their regular focal point has been unable to play because of an ankle injury. While a world-class finisher, Kane makes Tottenham more predictable, since possession is naturally funnelled his way.
Before the fightback in Amsterdam, Kane told former Spurs midfielder turned BT Sport pundit Jermaine Jenas (h/t Football.London's Rob Guest and Paul Clarke) he will be back for June: "He basically said to me that he will be fit for the [Champions League] final. But I think we all knew that no matter what if Spurs were to get to any type of final he would be playing."
Yet Pochettino should think twice about bringing Kane back into the starting XI. Spurs are tougher to defend when Moura is making runs from out to in alongside Son roaming the final third, moving from the left, through the middle and dropping off the front.
Their pace and perceptive movement destroyed Borussia Dortmund, City and Ajax en route to the Spanish capital. Said pace will be Tottenham's greatest asset against a Liverpool side playing a high defensive line.
Leaving space in behind is the risk the Reds are willing to take to make their pressing game work. Spurs can exploit it by going long and over the top to Son and Moura in the inside channels.
It's understandable for Pochettino to want to trust Kane with the same task, since the England international has netted 23 goals in all competitions this season, including five in Europe.
Yet restoring Kane from the start will slow the pace of Tottenham's attack just enough to play into Liverpool's hands.
         
Prediction: Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prostitution; Nigerian Women At Growing Risk From Human Traffickers In Germany.

By
Image
According to InfoMigrants, Nigerian women are at growing risk from traffickers in Germany who exploit and engage them in prostitution. Read the full report below by InfoMigrants. The new prostitute protection law in Germany was meant to identify victims of human trafficking – most of them migrant women. More than 18 months after the law came into effect, thousands continue to be targeted for exploitation, and the risk for Nigerian women seems to be increasing. There are campervans parked by the roadside. Some have hearts painted on them, one says “girls, girls” in red letters. It’s an easy matter for someone to stop for a quick transaction in one of these Love-Mobiles – sex with one of the “girls” in exchange for the going rate. Prostitution is mainly legal in Germany, as are these mobile brothels. But many of the women in the business – including those working from the Love-Mobiles – are victims of illegal human trafficking. Most of the women are from Eastern Europe or Nige
Read more

FULL TEXT: A sacrifice for our new political order – Ezekwesili

By
Image
“When the ACPN leadership approached me in a series of visits to appeal that I run for office on their platform, the party appeared to be a good fit. It was founded by some disgruntled PDP members some years ago, but when its prime founder decided to return to the PDP, a core of its membership refused to move back with him. I was told that they stayed back because of their opposition to the ways of the PDP. Considering my vocal disapproval of the PDP and the APC, I admired the ACPN’s decision to stand firm and refusal to be co-opted.” It has been an interesting one week since I made the tough but necessary decision to suspend my campaign for the presidency. I have been truly overwhelmed by the reactions to my announcement from Nigerians. Even in airports outside the country as I travelled last week, Nigerians walked up to me with questions, concerns, encouragement, and motivation. I also saw disappointment by some who had poured their hearts and hopes into actualising our mission
Read more

Update On Slay Queen Who Was Stripped Naked And Tortured Over Missing Phone.

By
Image
The League of Patriotic Lawyers has given Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusegun Odumosu, 24 hours to unravel those behind the torture and insertion of pepper into a girl’s private part in Benin City over alleged stealing of a mobile phone.  Chairman of the platform and former Student Union President of the University of Benin, Mr. Abubakar Yesufu, who said this in a statement yesterday, also urged the state Director, Department of State Services, DSS, to be involved in the investigation. A video of the incident, seen by Vanguard yesterday, showed the girl being stripped naked by a group of people, who inserted pepper into her private parts for allegedly stealing a phone. The unidentified girl was heard crying and saying she didn’t steal any phone, while she was being humiliated by the crowd. Yesufu said: “The League of Patriotic Lawyers has given the Edo State Commissioner of Police 24 hours to arrest and commence prosecution of all the street urchins behind this ba
Read more