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The 2022 UEFA Champions League Final is soon upon us after a long, grueling battle through the group stage and the knockout rounds. Liverpool has advanced to the Final and awaits the winner of Wednesday’s match between Manchester City and Real Madrid. The Final will face off at Stade de France on Saturday, May 28. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. ET as both teams will look to hoist the European Champion Clubs’ Cup after the final whistle.
Last year’s winner was English Premier League side Chelsea FC, as they lifted the trophy for just the second time in their history following a 1-0 win over fellow EPL side Manchester City. Kai Havertz scored the match’s lone goal in the 42nd minute, which would end up proving to be the game winner.
This season’s final is set to be a doozy as we’ve watched both these teams navigate their way through a congested schedule between domestic play and tournament play. Here is what we know about the participants.
Saturday, May 28
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid
How Liverpool got here: The Reds finished off a fantastic semifinal showing with a 3-2 win over Villarreal in leg two, finishing the series on a 5-2 aggregate to book their spot in the final. Liverpool breezed through the group stage, winning all six games and finishing at the top of Group B. They were able to get past Inter Milan in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 aggregate, followed by a wild 6-4 aggregate win over Benfica in the quarterfinals. The Reds are in search of their seventh UEFA Champions League title, with their last tournament win coming in 2019.
How Real Madrid got here: This shouldn’t be Real Madrid in the final if conventional thinking applied. The Spanish side came back three times in the knockout stage, beating PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City in maddening second-leg matches at the Bernabeu to make this final. Real Madrid is the most successful side in European history, but this final will not be a home game. Will this team have enough magic to capture another Champions League crown?