Real Madrid are the current kings of Europe, and not just because they are the holders of the Champions League. Zinedine Zidane’s side will play in their fourth final in five seasons when they face Liverpool in Kiev on Saturday, and they have won their previous three.
In fact, Real have won their last six finals stretching back to 1998, meaning the last team to defeat them in Europe’s top match were Liverpool. Alan Kennedy scored the only goal of the game in Paris in 1981, as Bob Paisley’s Reds won their third European Cup.
A nice omen for Saturday, perhaps, but the result of a match from almost 40 years ago has no bearing on this encounter.