Liverpool's 'calmness' vs Real's 'intensity': Benitez gives perfect UCL final preview

Former Liverpool star and Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez has given a perfect preview of what promises to be an exciting and nail-biting UEFA Champions League final between two of the biggest clubs in Europe. On the one hand, the Reds will be looking to lift a treble, having already won the EFL Cup and FA Cup this season. On the other hand, Los Blancos will be looking to win a record-extending 14th UCL title, having already lifted a record-extending 35th La Liga title.

Rafa Benitez gives interesting Liverpool vs Real Madrid preview

While speaking to UEFA.com ahead of the Liverpool vs Real Madrid Champions League final, Rafa Benitez said, "A player can change a game with individual talent, and Real Madrid have shown that with the way they've got to the final, with [Karim] Benzema chipping in at key moments."

The Frenchman has undoubtedly had a remarkable season as he has scored a staggering 15 goals in just 11 UCL appearances, including some vital strikers to help Los Blancos register some outstanding comebacks against the likes of Manchester City in the semis, Chelsea in the quarters and PSG in the Round of 16.

When it came to Real Madrid, Benitez added, "Real Madrid are well drilled and have quality. [Carlo] Ancelotti has given them confidence and calmness. Liverpool’s defence needs to be wary of Benzema's quality, Vinícius [Junior]'s pace and Rodrygo's eye for goal."

On the other hand, when it came to Liverpool's qualities, Benitez said:

"Likewise, Real Madrid’s backline won’t get a moment's peace. [Jürgen] Klopp wants his side to be intense and he does this by having a competitive squad. To do that, you need players on the bench who make life difficult for those who are starting. In the past, when you spoke about Liverpool’s attackers it used to be just [Mohamed] Salah, [Sadio] Mané and [Roberto] Firmino, but now you have to add [Diogo] Jota, [Luis] Díaz and [Divock] Origi to that list. Liverpool have quality and intensity, and they tend to have more of the ball than their opponents. They create attacks rather than waiting to hit on the break."

In order to sum up what he believes will be the most important aspect of the final, Benitez added, "It will be interesting to see how a team like Madrid, who are used to having the majority of possession in the Liga, deal with a side who press so aggressively to recover the ball." While the Spanish coach did not have any managerial success with Real Madrid, he had some remarkable success with Liverpool.

With the Reds, Benitez won a remarkable UEFA Champions League title, when his side produced a comeback of dreams to defeat AC Milan in the finals. Despite being 3-0 down at half-time, Liverpool not only scored three goals in the second half but took the tie to penalties and finished a stunning comeback.