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The Champions League has reached the final stage in 2021-22, with two members of Europe's elite entering the business end of a battle to be crowned continental kings.
Liverpool and Real Madrid have seen off heavyweight rivals aplenty to book their places in a showpiece event that will be played out at Stade de France in Paris on May 28.
With there only one set of gold medals up for grabs, and a couple of ambitious outfits that boast 19 previous wins between them set to compete for the ultimate prize, GOAL has everything you need to know about the Champions League favourites and outsiders.
Who are the favourites to win the Champions League?
Liverpool have been trimmed to 8/15 with bet365 for ultimate glory in 2022, with Jurgen Klopp's side still chasing down a remarkable quadruple this season. The Reds have already savoured Carabao Cup glory, are through to the final of the FA Cup and remain in the Premier League title hunt. They edged out Serie A title holders Inter in the first knockout round and saw off Benfica 6-4 on aggregate in the last eight. They went on to face Villarreal in the semi-finals, and dashing the dreams of Spanish opposition has nudged the men from Merseyside a step closer to European triumph number seven. The Reds have faced Real in European Cup finals on two previous occasions - winning the first back in 1981, before coming unstuck as Mohamed Salah suffered an untimely injury, Loris Karius endured a nightmare between the sticks and Gareth Bale scored a wonder goal in 2018.
GettyWho else is in the running to win the Champions League?
Real Madrid are 13-time winners of the European Cup, the newly-crowned champions of La Liga and a side priced at 6/4 to add more continental silverware to a well-stocked cabinet at Santiago Bernabeu. Memories of defeat to Chelsea at the semi-final stage in 2020-21 still sting and Carlo Ancelotti's men have shown in meetings with the Blues and Paris Saint-Germain - with talismanic skipper Karim Benzema claiming match balls against both of those opponents - that they are more than a match for any rival on their day. They fended off a brave fightback from Chelsea in the quarter-finals, with extra-time required at the end of a thrilling second leg in the Spanish capital, to edge through 5-4 on aggregate and book a date with Manchester City in the last four. There was more drama to come there as Rodrygo netted twice in stoppage-time to force extra-time against Pep Guardiola's side, with Benzema going on to book a final berth from the penalty spot.
Getty ImagesOdds correct at the time of writing on 09/05/2022. 18+. begambleaware.org
