The 2022 UEFA Champions League final is nearly here with action getting underway on Saturday in Paris. It will be Real Madrid against Liverpool in a clash between two teams that know plenty about reaching the summit of European soccer. They’ve met in the final twice before, and each has a victory in those matches, so this is the rubber match. Real have won the title a record 13 times, while Liverpool have six to their name, one behind AC Milan for second most all time.
Before the final begins on both CBS and Paramount+ at 3 p.m. ET, here’s a look at their records head-to-head and when they’ve met in the competition previously.
Head-to-head stats
- Real Madrid wins: 4
- Draws: 1
- Liverpool wins: 3
- Real Madrid goals scored vs. Liverpool: 10
- Liverpool goals scored vs. Real Madrid: 8
Previous meetings in UCL
1980-81 final: Liverpool 1, Real Madrid 0
Their first meeting came in the final in 1981, when the Reds claimed their third trophy. It was an incredible run for English soccer where they won six straight titles, with the Reds getting three, Nottingham Forest winning two and Aston Villa winning one. Coincidentally, this match also took place in Paris, but it was at the Parc des Princes. It was all decided on an Alan Kennedy goal in the 82nd minute, as the Reds earned the narrow victory.
2008-09 round of 16: First leg – Liverpool 1, Real Madrid 0; Second leg – Liverpool 4, Real Madrid 0
Nearly 30 years would pass before they met again on the European stage, incredibly enough. It was the knockout stage in 2008-09, an edition of the competition that was won by Barcelona. The first leg in Madrid saw Yossi Benayoun score the game’s only goal before a thrashing in the second leg. Steven Gerrard scored twice, once from a penalty, Fernando Torres scored and even Andrea Dossena would get on the scoresheet for the prolific Reds. Liverpool then fell to Chelsea in the quarterfinals with that epic 4-4 second leg.
2014-15 group stage: Matchday 3: Real Madrid 3, Liverpool 0; Matchday 4: Real Madrid 1, Liverpool 0
Los Blancos would rip through the group stage with a perfect 6-0-0 record, including two wins over the Reds. The first was a 3-0 win on Matchday 3 at Anfield with Karim Benzema scoring twice and Cristiano Ronaldo also finding the net. The second meeting, on the next matchday, saw Benzema once again score in a narrow 1-0 win. Real lost to Juventus in the semifinals, and Barcelona would go on to win the cup. Liverpool finished third in the group, with Swiss club Basel finishing second.
2017-18 final: Real Madrid 3, Liverpool 1
One of the most memorable finals of all time. This is the game where Sergio Ramos dislocated Mohamed Salah’s shoulder with a crazy, unnecessary pull down, and that wasn’t even the wildest thing to happen. Real won 3-1 as Gareth Bale scored a stunning bicycle kick, but this game is remembered by Loris Karius’ shocking performance in goal. He tried to roll the ball to his defender with Benzema sticking a foot in resulting in a goal, and then he completed whiffed on a long-range shot from Bale, allowing what should have been a fairly routine save to end any chance of a comeback. On a brighter note, this is the game that surely tempted Liverpool to spend the big bucks on Alisson.
2020-21 quarterfinals: First leg – Real Madrid 3, Liverpool 1; Second leg – Liverpool 0, Real Madrid 0
Their most recent meeting came in last season’s UCL quarterfinals. Real were still playing at the Alfredo Di Stefano while the Santiago Bernabeu underwent renovations. Real had a convincing 3-1 win in the first leg, with Vinicius scoring twice and Marcos Asensio getting the other. That was enough as the two played out a 0-0 draw in the second leg. Real would lose to eventual champion Chelsea in the semifinals.
How to watch 2022 final
Date: Saturday, May 28 | Time: 3 p.m. ET | TV and live stream: CBS and Paramount+
Location: Stade de France in Paris, France
Studio coverage: Kate Abdo, Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards
Commentators: Clive Tyldesley and Rob Green
On-site reporters: Peter Schmeichel, Jules Breach, Jenny Chiu and Guillem Balagué
Rules expert: Christina Unkel
Odds: Liverpool +105; Draw +270; Real Madrid +240 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Liverpool vs. Real Madrid
