5 Reasons why Real Madrid are the Best Opponent for Liverpool in the Champions League Final

After the exciting semi-finals of this year's Champions League, we finally know, that it will be Liverpool and Real Madrid facing off against each other in Kiev. After the Spanish giants knocked out Jupp Heynckes' ambitious Bayern Munich side 4-3 on aggregate, Liverpool joined them in the final defeating Rome 7-6 on aggregate.

However, despite both scorelines being close, Liverpool's victory over the Italian side never seemed to be in danger, while Real Madrid won despite their opponents arguably being the better team.

For the Reds, this fortunate victory could turn out to be a blessing in disguise, as we look at five reasons why Liverpool will be delighted to see the Blancos instead of the German champions in the final.

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#5 Real Madrid's start-stop mentality

Zinedine Zidane's side has lacked consistency this season

The Galacticos' issues have been discussed thoroughly this season. Zidane is getting his tactics wrong, Ronaldo is getting too old, Navas is not a top-tier goalkeeper - whatever part of the team you choose to criticise, evidence supporting your case could be found this season.

What hasn't been mentioned a lot though, due to the poor league campaign, is how remarkable Real's Champions League run has actually been. They have knocked three European champions - PSG, Juventus and Bayern - in the last three rounds, as well as Borussia Dortmund in the group phase.

However, with the only consistency in Madrid being their inconsistency, an off-day in the Champions League final could very well pave Liverpool's way to victory. Real Madrid got a little bit lucky in the semi-finals, but they shouldn't bank on that happening again.

The back-to-back Champions League winners know what it takes to win the competition, but the main question that will be raised in Kiev is whether they will be on top of their game from start to finish.

Manchester City and Rome have proven what happens to teams that lack intensity during certain match-phases and, in a final, there is even less time to recover.

#4 Mohamed Salah's Audition

Salah could be facing his future team

Mohamed Salah is the key ingredient in anything that Liverpool want to achieve on May 26th. Once the Egyptian shooting star hits his stride there is just no stopping him. He now stands at 43 goals in 49 games, adding 15 assists in the process.

As if a Champions League final is not enough motivation in itself, the Egyptian could be auditioning for a spot in the Spanish star-ensemble, with most recent rumours suggesting that Liverpool want two Real Madrid stars for their prized asset.

Salah will also be looking forward to the prospect of facing Marcelo as his opponent, as the Brazilian's constant trips into the opposition's half will offer him plenty of space to take advantage of his blistering pace.

This story could be a strange one as the Champions League final moves closer. It will be up to the Egyptian, whether he will get distracted by the discussions over his potential future as a Galactico or use it as a motivation to raise his price tag to astronomical heights.

#3 The better side was eliminated in the semis

Ulreich was the tragic hero in the Bernabeu

In a closely fought contest, Real Madrid knocked out Bayern Munich and the reactions of the players said a lot about the outcome of the match. While Mats Hummels admitted that the defeat was "an even bigger disappointment" than last year, Toni Kroos added that Real perhaps "weren't the best team, but we were more effective".

The Blancos did what no team does better than them at the moment, sneaking victories on the grandest of stages and, more importantly, staying calm in the process. Ulreich has been magnificent as Bayern's stand-in goalkeeper but his lack of experience on the big stage clearly showed in Benzema's second goal.

Benzema capitalises on a huge blunder from Sven Ulreich. 2-1 Real Madrid pic.twitter.com/uRcdVgKq8F

— Terje (@TerjeGIFs) May 1, 2018

While Real will be delighted to go to the final, you can't help but think that Bayern deserved it just a little bit more. In any case, they showed up Real's weaknesses and Liverpool will have 180 minutes of footage showing how you push the Spanish giants to the edge.

Should Liverpool be more prolific in front of goal, which admittedly shouldn't be a problem given their fantastic attack, Real Madrid could be in for a rude awakening in Kiev.

#2 Real Madrid could become complacent

Lifting the UCL trophy is a familiar feeling for Ronaldo and co.

Real Madrid's Champions League three-peat bid this season was undoubtedly supported by their poor domestic campaign. Since their defeat to Leganes in the Copa del Rey, it is the only competition they had a realistic chance of winning.

While they have battled through tough opponents to get to Kiev, there have been signs that Zidane's side lacks the desire to go all the way. When they have shown that necessary desire, it has reflected more in hard-fought defending rather than dazzling attack play.

Admittedly, winning three Champions League trophies in the last four years is a fantastic accomplishment and no player would admit that he is lacking the competitive edge to make it four in five. But at times the hunger seems to be missing from this Madrid side.

Liverpool will be coming into the final like it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, while Real, on the other hand, are accustomed to keeping the end of May free to play for Europe's most prestigious trophy - a factor that could be decisive in the outcome of the match.

#1 Jürgen Klopp's Bayern curse

Jürgen Klopp will be delighted not to face the German giants

If there was one person who breathed a huge sigh of relief after knowing that it wouldn't be Bayern waiting in the final, it will have been the Reds' manager Jürgen Klopp. The energetic German's final record is fairly dismal and the Bavarians were the ones who kicked it all off.

Since Borussia Dortmund's stunning 5-2 DFB-Pokal victory over Bayern in 2012, Klopp hasn't won a final and his losing streak began with Bayern taking revenge in the Champions League in 2013. Dortmund suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss at the hand of Heynckes' treble-winning side, courtesy of Arjen Robben's late goal.

While curses may be considered a myth by some people, it seems safe to say that the German would not have liked the prospect of facing off against a side that has provided him with many bad memories throughout his stint in the Bundesliga.

In contrast, Klopp had a very respectable record against Real Madrid with Borussia Dortmund, winning three and losing two, with one tie ending in a draw. The German hasn't faced off with the Galacticos as the manager of Liverpool yet, though.

But he will surely take encouragement in some special Champions League evenings he has had against the Spanish powerhouse.