Finally Klopp decided to play with all his artillery despite rumors that Thiago was doing poorly in the warm-up. The Spanish midfielder was even replaced in the run-up to the match by Naby Keita, but after testing himself he came out without any problems to play in the final. Fabinho, who became a doubt for the Stade France game, was also a starter.
Alisson: His first half was correct, although Benzema’s disallowed goal left him in doubt as he came out and was about to emulate Karius just before the break, but this time fortune was on the Brazilian’s side. In the second half, he couldn’t do anything about Vinicius’s goal as Valverde’s cross-kick completely baffled him.
Alexander-Arnold: his duel against Vinicius was one of the keys to the match and the winger barely suffered with his dance partner during the first 45 minutes. He generated two clear chances for Salah and was a constant danger on the right flank. However, he appeared in the photo of the goal, unable to read Valverde’s center-shot that ended in Vinicius’s goal after grabbing his back.
Konate: the French once again showed that he is a player with unusual physical power. He took out Vinicius one on one with extraordinary ease and his powerful drives went over the lines. His second half was correct, but he couldn’t do anything on Vinicius’ goal.
Van Dijk: he hardly suffered in the first half with Benzema as Liverpool monopolized almost all the attacks. However, he broke the offside on the Frenchman’s disallowed goal just before the break. In Vinicius’s goal, the ball passed in front of him before ending up in the Brazilian’s boots.
Robertson: much timid than Arnold on the climbs. Solid in defense and not very participative in the rival field during the first half. Liverpool missed his internships on the left wing a lot. To make matters worse, he measured Valverde badly in Vinicius’s goal.
Thiago: a timer. He organizes, shakes, moves the ball from side to side… His physical problems hardly mattered before the final. He went from more to less and he ended up being replaced by Firmino. The physical only lasted 60 minutes.
Fabinho: Liverpool’s mainstay. When Fabinho is well, the team gains speed with the ball and, furthermore, suffers much less from rival transitions. He played a fairly complete first half to enhance Thiago. After Real Madrid’s 1-0, he lost impact in the game and succumbed to Modric and Kroos in midfield.
Henderson: his work without the ball was the opposite of what he brought when Liverpool were attacking. He tried it in the first half with several breaks behind Mendy’s back, but they didn’t find him. The second half that he did was quite discreet and for this reason he ended up being replaced by Naby Keita.
Luis Diaz: Quite surpassed by Carvajal in the first half. He constantly tried, but the Madrid winger beat him many times. It was Klopp’s first change in the second half due to his inability to beat Carvajal.
Salah: He was not successful in the first half. A high shot, a header at the hands of Courtois and another shot from close range were some of the most outstanding occasions for Liverpool in his boots. From his boots came the two clearest chances for Klopp’s men in the second half, both repelled by an immeasurable Thibaut Courtois.
Mane: He enjoyed the clearest chance in the first half with a shot that, miraculously, Courtois took before his shot crashed into the post. His game went from better to worse and he ended up quite tired due to the great physical effort he made during the 90 minutes.
Substitutions
Diego Jota: Klopp entered him in the second half to try to improve Luis Díaz’s weak game on the left wing. He enjoyed a very clear opportunity in a center-shot from Salah that Courtois repelled, but his impact in the match was not what was expected.
Firmino: their participation was practically testimonial. It had no impact on the match.
Near Keita: Barring a bitten shot up front that was apparently a blatant chance for Liverpool, the midfielder was unable to assert himself in midfield.