Paul Parker: Why injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be a huge miss for Liverpool against Real

You have to believe Liverpool can beat Real Madrid. Just look back at their victory against AC Milan in the 2005 final. At the time not many people – including me – believed they could do it. Milan were a very strong team in that era and went 3-0 up!

Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League that season, whereas this time they are pretty much assured of top four. There are parallels there and being underdogs will not faze them.

They have been the most exciting team in Europe this season, and you’d have to say they have been the best team in the Champions League so far. Whereas you look at the semi-finals and Roma didn’t really deserve to be there as they had to dig themselves out of a hole three times.

Real, on the other hand, have been the most clinical team in the competition, even if they have been very poor domestically. There is something about them and the European Cup – every time you put something in front of them and question them, they get through it. They are going for the third title on the bounce, which would be an amazing feat after no team could even do it back to back for so long.

So how do the teams compare? Starting from the front, let's have a look...

Attack-wise, Liverpool have got the better combined threat, but this is counter-balanced by Real Madrid having more goalscorers. Liverpool will be relying on Mo Salah and Sadio Mane on the flanks to create chances and score goals. But Real have Marcelo, so will him going forward a lot make a big difference? Will that stop Salah or Mane from attacking as freely as they have been on the flanks?

Roberto Firmino - who, as I have previously mentioned, has been a crucial part of Jurgen Klopp's team this campaign - must also contend with Sergio Ramos, who could try and bully and kick him into submission. The Brazilian is not the strongest so we’ll have to see how he’ll cope. And with Mane it depends which kind of mood he’s in. He’s a top player, they missed him a lot last season when he disappeared for the Africa Cup of Nations. But he missed some chances in the fist leg against Roma – he has to be clinical if Liverpool are the win the final.

If you were to combine the front three, you’d have to have Ronaldo in there just because of the number of goals he scores. Collectively, though, Liverpool’s is slightly better – they have more pace and individuals who can do something with the ball on their own. Compare that with Karim Benzema, for example. He can do little bits, the odd flash of skill, a goal, but he hasn’t been consistent enough for quite a while. This could be his last season at Real Madrid.

The one area where Real definitely have the edge. If you look at Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s injury, that could be crucial. His energy levels are superb and he had grown into that role. He’s got better and better with Klopp's help. With Arsene Wenger, he was just filling a hole at Arsenal, but Klopp has found a way of using him, not just as a wide player.

Crucially he gave them those bursts forward with and without the ball. Georginio Wijnaldum can’t do that as well as Ox. He can get in the box and is good in the air but he can’t make those runs and threaten while in possession. If you have midfield players who can do that against Real Madrid, it makes a huge difference.

They only usually have one defensively-minded midfielder - assuming Casemiro plays after he was dropped for the semi-final second leg against Bayern - and when you get past him, he’ll often concede a foul and get booked. Overall, Liverpool are just not attacking enough in midfield, compared with Real Madrid, who have Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to supply their front line. In fact, No Liverpool midfielder would get in that Real team.

They are both relatively poor in this area and can concede fairly easily. To let in six goals over two games is poor for a club of Liverpool’s standing. Regardless of unlucky goals and referee decisions, it is still not good enough, and could still cost them.

Real Madrid will be clever and have no great pace at the back so they will sit a bit deeper – unlike Roma in the first leg of the semi-final – and allow Liverpool to try and play in front of them. Then they will try and counter-attack. That is what they’ll try, it is one of their strengths.

Liverpool also have less experience, especially in these showpiece matches, particularly Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back. Throw in Dejan Lovren, who is clumsy and liable to give away a goal, and it does not look very assured.

Compare this with Sergio Ramos, who has that big-game nous, and a young centre back in Raphael Varane who is maturing very well, and you see the difference – they are a bit more solid. As a four you’d probably take them over Liverpool. The one outlier on this is Andy Robertson, who has had a very good season and was outstanding against Roma.

Again you’d have to go with more experience with Real Madrid if you had to choose between the two No 1s: Keylor Navas has played in two Champions League finals and Loris Karius is in his first full season as the undisputed No 1 at his club. There are, perhaps, still question marks over him.