‘A por la 14’.
You could be forgiven for thinking Real Madrid had actually won the Champions League on Wednesday night following their over the top celebrations after knocking out Man City at the Bernabeu.
Wearing pre-prepared shirts after the final whistle declaring, ‘All out for number 14’, as they had done after their semi-final win over Bayern Munich set up their 13th Champions League win in 2018, Los Blancos raced onto the pitch, held hands, raced towards their jubilant supporters and dived in front of them to celebrate their latest final appearance. Anyone would think they’d never reached such a stage before.
Granted, Carlo Ancelotti’s men’s path to the final has been pretty spectacular. They were 2-0 down on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain, with little over half an hour left to play in the round of 16, before a Karim Benzema hat-trick secured their passage to the quarter-finals. There, they saw Chelsea race into a 3-0 lead at the Bernabeu to cancel out Real Madrid's Benzema-inspired 3-1 first leg lead, only for a late strike from Rodrygo to force extra-time before the Frenchman struck again.
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And they saved their best for the semi-finals as an injury-time Rodrygo brace saw them recover from 5-3 down on aggregate to force extra-time before Benzema netted an extra-time winner to knock out Pep Guardiola’s men.
Of course you’d celebrate such a victory wildly, as Liverpool themselves did when knocking out Barcelona against the odds in 2019. But by having those ‘A por la 14’ shirts prepared, Real Madrid, at the very least, half-expected to reach the final. Despite trailing 4-3 on aggregate from the first leg, against one of Europe’s very best sides, they were convinced they’d be in Paris on May 28.
Call it arrogance, call it confidence, you can perceive it any way you wish. But once again, it appears disrespectful to Jurgen Klopp ’s side ahead of their final meeting at the end of the month. Not even the mighty Real Madrid are entitled to be European champions.
There were similar feelings from Kopites when the La Liga giants last pulled off such a cheap trick back in 2018. The Reds had celebrated with fans themselves in Rome, but not to the extent of the scenes witnessed at the Bernabeu.
Besides, Klopp’s men had just reached their first Champions League final, having only returned to the tournament that season after a number of years in the wilderness. 2017/18 was only their second appearance in Europe’s elite competition altogether since 2009. Compare that to the more subdued celebrations in Villarreal on Tuesday night as they reached their third final in five years and Liverpool are now a very different proposition.
Getting to the final is all well and good but it’s no longer an achievement unless you get your hands on the trophy, such has been the extent of the transformation inside Klopp’s camp over the past four years. From doubters to believers and then some. It appears Real Madrid didn't get the memo.
In contrast, a number of players in Ancelotti’s squad will be competing in their fifth final in nine years, having won the previous four. No wonder they seemingly think their name is on the trophy. But that over-confidence could be their undoing.
Given their run as everything fell their way against the odds to reach Paris, maybe it is. Maybe it is just their year. Or maybe this final showdown with Liverpool will be a step too far.
The Reds of course will want revenge against the great Real Madrid, following the manner of their defeat in Kiev four years ago. We all remember how a Sergio Ramos-inflicted shoulder injury forced off Mohamed Salah in the first half before a Loris Karius horror show, as a result of suffering from concussion at the hands of the Spaniard, saw Klopp’s side fall to a 3-1 loss.
“We have a score to settle,” Salah posed on social media on Wednesday night after it was confirmed it would be Madrid would be Liverpool’s opponents in Paris. Having already admitted he wanted another showdown with the La Liga giants, having also been knocked out at their hand last year in the quarter-finals when the Reds squad was decimated by injuries, this is very much personal for the Egyptian.
Liverpool have grown since that Kiev defeat with it ultimately making them what they are and forging the success over the last few years, culminating in this year’s quadruple push. They weren’t able to wipe the smiles from Madrid faces in 2018 but now, having seen their latest celebrations at the Bernabeu, have the experience to finally get the last laugh. Klopp’s Paris team-talk has already been written for him by these now familiar foes.
“We saw the European Cup,” the German sang the morning after that 2018 final. “Madrid had all the f*****g luck. We’ll just keep on being cool, and bring it back to Liverpool!”
12 months later, against Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid, Klopp fulfilled that promise. Now four years on, he’ll be looking to ensure Real Madrid’s luck is finally about to run out.
