Zinedine Zidane and Jurgen Klopp both have Champions League final defensive concerns

Aditya Devavrat 13:46 26/05/2018
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  • Zidane and Klopp face off with places in history on the line.

    Zinedine Zidane and Jurgen Klopp are both on the verge of history ahead of Saturday night’s Champions League final.

    An era-defining third straight European title awaits Zidane, while Klopp can cement his place in Liverpool folklore by leading the club to its sixth European Cup/Champions League triumph.

    Which celebrated manager ends up burnishing his legacy rests on a few crucial calls, with both looking to shore up their defences and gain a critical edge.

    Here are the key tactical talking points for the match.

    HOW DO REAL MADRID SOLVE THE SALAH PROBLEM?

    Real Madrid‘s left flank, where Mohamed Salah will attack, is their weakest, defensively. Cristiano Ronaldo won’t track back too often, and left-back Marcelo is often caught too far forward.

    Does Zidane pick Mateo Kovacic and ask him to track Salah like the way he did Lionel Messi? Trust Ronaldo to command enough attention that Salah himself has to track back more than Liverpool would like? Play Gareth Bale on the left to push him back? The radical options would be playing three at the back, or deploying Marcelo as a left-winger, releasing him from defensive duties, with Theo Hernandez playing left-back.

    This will be Zidane’s biggest call on Saturday.

    What will Zidane come up with to stop Salah from running riot?

    What will Zidane come up with to stop Salah from running riot?

    KLOPP’S SET-PIECE DILEMMA

    Madrid will back themselves to exploit Liverpool’s defence whatever the situation. But what must really be worrying Klopp is his back line’s vulnerability from set pieces.

    Virgil van Dijk’s arrival has helped, somewhat, especially with the way his presence has brought about an improvement to Dejan Lovren’s showings. But it’s still only those two, and possibly Jordan Henderson, left to deal with players like Ronaldo, Bale, Karim Benzema, Casemiro, Raphael Varane, and of course, Sergio Ramos, all dangerous in the air.

    Of all the defensive drills Klopp will be putting his players through, the set-piece ones may matter the most.

    Can Van Dijk and Lovren quell Madrid's set piece threat?

    Can Van Dijk and Lovren quell Madrid’s dead ball threat?

    BALE’S NIGHTMARE SEASON TO END WITH START IN FINAL?

    While stopping Salah poses a selection dilemma in itself, Zidane had one regardless. At the moment, Ronaldo is of course the only player who is guaranteed a starting berth.

    Benzema will probably join him, for how he complements the Portuguese star, not to mention his semi-final-sealing brace against Bayern Munich. But the recent form of Bale, Isco, and Marco Asensio makes this a tough decision. Asensio and Bale can provide width and exploit Liverpool’s vulnerability from crosses, while Isco is a nightmare to defend against.

    Bale may just get the nod – and after the season he’s endured, what a turnaround that would be.

    Light at the end of the tunnel after a long season for Gareth Bale?

    Light at the end of the tunnel after a long season for Gareth Bale?

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