Early mind games? Real Madrid unveil starting XI to face Liverpool over two hours before kick-off

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has piqued widespread attentions across the football world late on Saturday evening.

Los Blancos, of course, are primed to return to action in short order.

Having long wrapped up La Liga supremacy in Spain, the capital giants have made the trip to Paris, eyeing a double courtesy of what would prove a historic 14th Champions League crown.

And the aforementioned Ancelotti, it would seem, is in confident mood ahead of the fast-approaching kick-off in France’s capital.

Despite his side being viewed as the underdogs to emerge triumphant in most circles, Real were not shy in showing their hand to Liverpool, unveiling the club’s starting XI well over two hours prior to the action getting underway.

As expected, Los Blancos’ boss has opted for a tried and tested XI, consisting of star names and, crucially, experience aplenty:

Courtois, Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, F. Mendy, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr.

✅ Our #UCLfinal ! #APorLa14 pic.twitter.com/uj9fib8ZoZ

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) May 28, 2022

Reds’ response imminent

It now, of course, remains to be seen how Jurgen Klopp opts to respond to Real’s team selection, and whether or not the German will attempt to throw a spanner in the works of Los Merengues by means of a last-minute shake-up to his own setup.

As things stand, with sidelined pair Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara having recovered match fitness over the course of the week to date, the following XI is expected to be made use of by Liverpool’s boss, as his side go in search of a 3rd trophy of the campaign:

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Thiago, Henderson, Salah, Mane, Diaz