Champions League final predictions: Will Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur win Europe?
With kickoff nearing to the biggest and last match of the domestic season, the Yahoo Soccer staff makes their picks for the Champions League final. Will Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur win at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid? Bookmark these so you can either point and laugh at us for being wrong, or fete us in the streets for being right.
Ryan Bailey: Liverpool 2-0
Tottenham have done incredibly well to reach the final, given that it looked unlikely they would even clear the group stage at one point. And if they can beat Manchester City, and the darlings of Europe Ajax, it stands to reason that they can go all the way.
However, there is a reason for Liverpool being strong favorites in this one. They have a far superior European pedigree, they beat Spurs in both their Premier League meetings this season, and they finished 26 points ahead of them. It would be tragic for Jurgen Klopp’s side to finish this campaign without silverware—and to falter in two consecutive Champions League Finals.
With or without Roberto Firmino, they should claim their sixth European Cup.
Henry Bushnell: Tottenham 2-1
Liverpool's last 18 months deserve a crowning achievement. The Reds really should win this. But, well ... PSV should have held onto a late lead and dumped Spurs out of Europe after four games. Inter Milan should have shuttered Tottenham's campaign after five. Barcelona should have done so after six. Manchester City should have ended this Spurs run in the quarters, and Ajax all but had in the semis
So, while all numbers and rational tactical analysis hint Liverpool ... I'll side with the unquantifiable witchcraft of this Spurs fairytale.
Joey Gulino: Liverpool 2-2 a.e.t. (4-2 PKs)
Champions League finals are always tricky to predict for a number of reasons, but I like Liverpool to go up two goals, then I like Spurs to flex the same grit they have throughout this exemplary run. This goes to penalties, and the penalties go to Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.
Doug McIntyre: Liverpool 2-1
The Reds’ attack is just too strong for Tottenham, which lost both its games against Liverpool during the Premier League season. No way does Jurgen Klopp’s team blow this after losing in the final a year ago to Real Madrid and narrowly missing out on the English title — the prize they coveted most — this spring.
Leander Schaerlaeckens: Liverpool 1-0
This is Liverpool's ninth appearance in a Champions League or European Cup final. It's Tottenham Hotspur's first. And while the game will have a whiff of a routine Premier League clash, the stakes of it will probably turn two attacking teams very cautious. They know each other incredibly well. They know the strengths to negate. I expect few goals. And I expect Liverpool to prevail after losing last year's final. The club's institutional knowhow in situations like these – this is manager Jurgen Klopp's third Champions League final, having lost the first two – gives it an edge over a team that's fairly shocked to even be here. I say Liverpool earns a sixth European crown.
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