How Real Madrid should line up against Liverpool

Defensive midfielder: Casemiro

Casemiro

The 'Tank' will assume greater importance in the scheme of things in Kiev when The Reds try to win their first major trophy after 13 years. While Liverpool don't mind ceding poosession to their opponents in favour of lightning quick counter attacks, Casemiro will be tasked to sit back and thwart those attacks by absorbing all the pressure.

Case, too, has developed a knack of delivering a sucker punch into the faces of oppositions by scoring goals in high octane games, one of which was an absolute screamer against Juventus in last year's showdown. Doing all the dirty work at the centre of park, Casemiro will be expected to stop Roberto Firmino in his tracks who has enjoyed a purple patch this season.

Central midfielder: Toni Kroos

Madridistas will have their expectations hinged on him

The midfield maestro continues to make Bayern regret his transfer to Madrid in 2014 with his out of the world performances. As is his wont, he dictates the game, operating in a deep-lying midfielder role, similar to that of a regista.

His ability to control the tempo of the game is what makes him special. Always comfortable on the ball, he'll be the key to sniff out Liverpool's geggenpressing. His calmness on the ball is pertinent for Madrid to control the tempo of the game. His short, incise passes keep the opponents starving while his long rangers can catch them unawares and create goal-scoring chances.

Central midfielder: Luka Modric

Fighting till the last moment

Kroos' partner in crime, Luka Modric has been pulling the strings at Madrid, establishing his name as one of the finest playmaker of his generation. The Croatian international has wowed the audience with his silky first touches, atrocious turns and insane out of the boot passes. Quite similar to Kroos' ability to calmly knock the ball around, Lukita will probably tasked to track the runs of Liverpool's captain James Milner, who has registered 8 assists this season, the most in this year's competition.

Attacking midfielder: Isco

Can he bring out his A-game?

While there are many pundits suggesting that Zidane shouldn't use the Diamond against Liverpool due to its vulnerability to quick counter-attacks, precisely what Liverpool rely upon, I expect Isco to start the game, with Diamond or without Diamond. He has thrived in the roaming midfielder role given by Zizou and has put in some great shifts across the pitch.

If Liverpool press high, and they surely will, Kroos and Modric will have an extra player who is comfortable on the ball and requires just one touch to drool away the defenders. When going forward, he can be the creative outlet and make incisive through balls for his attackers to feed upon.

He has been often blamed for slowing down Madrid's attacks, and while that is true to some extent, he still remains a pivotal player for Zidane and if in full flow, there are very few players who can stop him. In a 4-4-2 diamond formation, Isco plays at the tip of it while Casemiro plays at the bottom, behind Kroos and Luka Modric.

However, I reckon Zizou will field a flat 4-4-2 or might even play a 4-3-3 formation to bring defensive stability to the side. If he opts for the former, Isco will play just behind the front two, albeit more centrally. If he goes for 4-3-3, which doesn't seem to be a viable option, Bale will shift towards the right, and Cristiano donning the left flank. Isco will have to play a more advanced role in this formation, depriving Madrid of solidity in the centre