Attack the only form of defence for Klopp’s Liverpool

And so the 2018 Champions League final will be contested by Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Or, to put it another way: the crown of European kingpins will be placed on the head of either the side which is currently lying in third place and 15 points behind new champions Barcelona in La Liga or the side which is currently lying in third place and 21 points behind new champions Manchester City in the Premier League.

And that’s not where the curious similarities and anomalies end. After 34 games in Spain, Real have scored 82 goals and conceded 37 while, after 35 games in England, Liverpool have scored 80 and also conceded 37.