Liverpool are proving to be one of the in-form teams in the pre-season, as they beat German giants Bayern Munich 3-0 during the Audi Cup encounter on Tuesday. Liverpool, hence, booked their final slot and are ready to face another strong team Atletico Madrid for the title-decider at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
With a stunning win over Bayern, Liverpool will go into the final with their heads held high. Despite this being a pre-season only, their players have looked solid on the pitch, which also helped them win the Premier League Asia Trophy last month as well.
Now, they have their eyes set on the Audi Cup. Such trophies may not mean massive, but leading up to the Premier League, it will give them confidence. Liverpool fielded a strong team against Bayern, but manager Jurgen Klopp could be looking at giving rest to some of their players which will open doors for youngsters in the Audi Cup final.
One of the bright things for Liverpool this pre-season has been the link play between the likes of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, Philipee Coutinho and Sadio Mane. The same players might not start for Liverpool in their offensive line, but Klopp could mix up and use some of their players like Adam Lallana. Simon Mignolet, who was benched on Tuesday, might be under the bar for Liverpool.
Liverpool might start as favourites for the final, and if they play anything close to what they did against Bayern, the Reds could be an unstoppable force. However, one thing is for sure, Atletico Madrid cannot be taken lightly, as they are a top team, who can defeat any team in the world. After passing Bayern test, this is another test of consistency for Liverpool.
Atletico did not have it all their way when they met Napoli in the first match of the competition, but they showed some great character to come back from behind and beat their opponents. They scored two goals in the final 20 minutes. It is such kind of determination which will be on show from the Spanish side in the final making this final an intriguing affair.
The Spanish giants have always been a consistent football team, and with Diego Simeone at the helm of things, the Argentine has always pressed for excellence. And with players like Fernando Torres, Antoine Griezmann and Luciano Vietto, they will test Liverpool to the fullest.
Both teams might make some changes going into the final, but make no mistake, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid will have their eyes on the Audi Cup.
Where to watch live
Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid is scheduled for 8:30 pm local time, 7:30 pm BST, 12 am IST. TV and online streaming options are given below.
India: TV: DSport.
UK: TV: ITV4 Live Streaming: ITV Player
Spain: Gol
US: Univision Deportes USA
Germany: ARD Das Erste
Australia: TV: Bein Sports. Live Streaming: Bein Sports Connect.
