Real Madrid faces Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final Saturday. Kickoff from Stade de France in Paris is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. Below, we preview the Real Madrid vs. Liverpool odds and lines, and make our best Champions League bets, picks and predictions.
Real Madrid claimed a dramatic come-from-behind 3-1 home win over Manchester City in the second leg of it semifinal matchup May 4. Real rallied from a 1-0 deficit, scoring 3 goals after the 90th minute.
Real Madrid advanced behind a 6-5 aggregate victory over Man City, a club that finished the season atop the EPL table. Madrid is led by F Karim Benzema, who has scored 27 goals in 32 appearances.
Liverpool, which went 1-0-2 vs. Man City this season, beat Villarreal 5-2 on aggregate in its semifinal matchup against Villarreal. Liverpool has coasted through much of the knockout rounds.
The Reds are led by star F Mohamed Salah, who scored 23 goals in 35 appearances. Salah, F Sadio Mane (16 goals) and M Diogo Jota (15 goals) rank among the top-8 goal scorers in the EPL, making Liverpool the most lethal attacking side in the world.
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Real Madrid vs. Liverpool odds, lines, picks and predictions
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 2:32 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Real Madrid +245 (bet $100 to win $245) | Liverpool +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Draw +265
- Over/Under: 2.5 (O: -135 | U: +105)
[tipico]
Prediction
Liverpool 2, Real Madrid 1
Money line (ML)
BET LIVERPOOL (+105).
While Madrid did get opportunities, it didn’t score when Man City D Kyle Walker was on the field. All 6 of Real Madrid’s aggregate goals were when Walker, who missed the first leg, was sidelined.
Liverpool D Trent Alexander-Arnold has a similar pace. The 22-year-old Alexander-Arnold, as Walker did, should be able to tame speedy Real Madrid’s 21-year-old F Vinicius Júnior.
Real lost one of each knockout-round, two-game series as well. It’s a side that depends on its attack, and Liverpool allowed just .68 goals in the EPL this season, playing against some of the world’s best competition.
Given Liverpool’s attack, scoring 2.47 goals per game in EPL action and 2.16 in UCL knockout stage action, and an ensuing ability to tame Junior and Benzema, I expect the talented EPL side to come out on top.
Over/Under (O/U)
LEAN OVER 2.5 (-135).
While I expect Liverpool to be able to limit Madrid, it will be difficult to keep Real scoreless for an entire 90-minute period. City realized that, giving up 2 goals in the last 10 minutes of the game.
Madrid averaged 2.11 goals per game, and played almost just as well on the road as at home this season. The -140 value just isn’t that great here which is why this is just a lean.
Both attacks are good enough to bet on. Liverpool is 3-3 O/U in knockout-round games at this 2.5 figure while Real is 5-1. Madrid should look to push the pace, and Liverpool will be able to keep up.
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