Karim Benzema's attempts to rattle Liverpool's cage long before kick-off in the Champions League final appears to have fallen on deaf ears if Sadio Mane's assessment is anything to go by.
The Reds face off with Real Madrid in Paris for club football's biggest prize and therefore the stakes are at their absolute highest - meaning any advantage for either side going into the tie could prove crucial. Benzema has tried to get under the skin of his upcoming opponents by suggesting Liverpool haven't changed much in recent seasons.
The two teams met in the final of the 2018 edition of the competition in a game that saw two huge goalkeeping blunders from Loris Karius wedged either side of a spectacular Gareth Bale overhead kick to hand Real Madrid the victory.
There has been plenty of changes to Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool team since that night in Kyiv, though Benzema clearly feels otherwise. "They're very good," he explained. "They haven't changed much over the years. But in the end, we have to look at our game. And if we do our thing, then what happens happens. I'm confident."
Liverpool's starting line up from that fixture contains names that are no longer present at Anfield such as Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips - so Benzema may be in for surprise when he comes up against the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip.
Reds talisman Mane has had a completely contrasting assessment of Liverpool's fortunes that night four years ago and how they will fare this time around. "There's no pressure, nothing at all," The Senegal international insisted. "I think in between four years a lot of things have changed, we have more experience and more quality in the team.
"I think it is just an exciting game, I think we have all forgotten about what happened in 2018 and Real Madrid was a better team - they deserved to win the final, congratulations but it's going to be a different game."
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Benzema is very much the man Liverpool need to keep quiet in Paris, with the veteran French forward boasting a stunning 16 goals in the Champions League alone. Recent comments from the striker suggest he harbours some animosity towards his fellow finalists.
"Liverpool have a lot of confidence," the Los Blancos talisman told Movistar. "They think they have already won the match, maybe. Maybe they think this isn’t the same Real Madrid as last time, these things. Maybe they think they’re favourites."
The potential ill-feeling goes both ways, with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah admitting there is a "score to settle" with their Spanish counterparts after the final in 2018. When asked who he wanted to face in the final, Real Madrid or Manchester City, Salah explained to BT Sport his preference was clear.
"I want to play Madrid, I have to be honest. City are a really tough team, we played against them a few times this season, but I think if you ask me personally, I would prefer Madrid," he admitted. "Because we lost in the final against them, I want to play against them, and hopefully win against them."
