UEFA Champions League Final: Stat Attack

The Stade de France in Paris provides the setting for this season’s UEFA Champions League Final as Liverpool and Real Madrid clash. The Reds versus Blancos. It’s a meeting of two of the continent’s biggest and most successful teams and a chance for one to get their hands on the sport’s most famous piece of silverware. But which side will come out on top?

The best sports betting sites are already offering odds on the outcome of Saturday’s decider in Saint-Denis, offering armchair fans an opportunity to target a profit from the occasion. Bettors can make predictions on the team they believe will win the Champions League or play one of the many eye-catching specials.

There’s both teams to score, first goalscorer and even handicap betting. The lift the trophy market is always popular as it covers 90 minutes, extra time and penalties. Read on as our crew of sportsbook betting experts research the stats associated with this fixture in the hope that it leads us to a winning bet and profit.

Madrid lead the head to head

The head to head stats associated with this fixture make for interesting reading, with Liverpool and Real Madrid meeting eight times previously. The Spaniards enjoy a slight advantage over their English opponents with four wins for Real Madrid against the three for Liverpool, with one game ending in a draw. That suggests another close, hard-fought final is in store this weekend.

The spare draw in that run came last time out when the rivals produced a goalless finish at Anfield last April. That was the first draw between the pair, and the first game both teams have failed to find the net. Real Madrid did progress from that tie thanks to a 3-1 win on aggregate, having claimed a strong lead in the first leg. This is a one-off match with no replay, and a champion must be crowned, with extra time and penalties available if required to settle this match.

The final of the UEFA Europa League went to penalties, with Eintracht Frankfurt beating Glasgow Rangers. Could the Champions League final follow that path? The game being won on penalties is one of the options available to bettors playing the specials markets with great odds up for grabs. Check any respected betting odds comparison site for the best offer.

Three and easy

When looking at past meetings with the aim of finding a clue as to how this match will go, we found a trend that made up sit up and take note. Real Madrid have beaten Liverpool by a 3-1 scoreline in two of their last three meetings, the spare being that draw. The Spaniards have found the net exactly three times in three of their last five games against the Reds, and fans would love to see something similar here.

There’s more bad news if you are a supporter of Jurgen Klopp’s side. Liverpool may have recorded three wins over Real Madrid, but they haven’t beaten the La Liga champions since 2009, when bagging a memorable 4-0 win on Merseyside in this competition. That’s a run of five games without a victory over Blancos, and the Premier League runners up will be desperate to bring that to an end.

Picks and predictions

When looking for a worthwhile bet based on the trends, you have a few options. Keep it simple and back Real Madrid to lift the trophy, knowing you are covered if the game ends level for the second meeting in a row. There will be a slightly better price available in the match betting market, but there’s more danger here. Back Real Madrid to win the match, and if it ends in a draw, your bet will be settled as a loser, even if Madrid lift the trophy.

Sticking with the stats, we follow that 3-1 trend already highlighted, and the odds are huge if you are backing a repeat performance. You can play 3-1 to Real Madrid in the correct score betting. Another option – for more reserved bettors – is both teams to score or both teams to score and Real Madrid to win. Again, that’s 90-minute betting.