Former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness has cast major doubts over the mentality of the Reds’ squad as they get ready to take on Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
Jurgen Klopp and his men managed to scrape past Italian side Roma on the way to the final while the Spanish giants had to pull off a sensational comeback against Juventus to seal their place among the final two, both sides looking to make up for average domestic campaigns with a piece of major silverware.
However, Souness worries about whether the majority of the Liverpool squad has what it takes to combat the nerves and excitement that the final, which takes place in Kiev, will bring, highlighting Real Madrid’s experience, the Spaniard’s vying for a third successive title, as a major advantage.
He told the Times: “Can Liverpool weather the Real Madrid storm once their own whirlwind blows out?
“It doesn’t matter how fit you are, you can’t sustain Liverpool’s style for 90 minutes.
“The occasion will also get to some players, who will be overtaken by it and leave energy in the dressing-room. Real have been there before. This is their third consecutive Champions League final and they’ve won the previous two.
“Liverpool don’t have that. They didn’t turn up for the semi-final second leg at Roma and got away with it. They’re in against good players, who will have their moment. It’s how Liverpool deal with that which worries me.”
OPINION
Both sides will be nervous heading into this massive clash because of the weight of expectation weighing down on their shoulders. Liverpool would have liked to do much better in the Premier League and the domestic cups while the pressure on Zinedine Zidane to provide a trophy this season is immense. As Souness says, Real have all the experience of finals and this Liverpool squad are relatively new at battling it out in winner-takes-all clashes. Whether that played a part in their second-leg defeat to Roma only they will know but they will have to lift their performances and defy Souness’ expectations if they want to be lifting the trophy. This could be a game changing moment for Jurgen Klopp and the Reds, who have been on the fringes of Europe’s elite for a couple of seasons, but Mohamed Salah’s arrival, as well as improvements from a number of the squad, have transformed them back into the heavyweights history paints them out to be. Winning the Champions League could be the catalyst to push on for yet more trophies over the coming years.