Tottenham and Liverpool chase biggest win of all to drop loser tag

Among the rewards for the Champions League winners on Saturday will be silverware status and history but the greatest prize awaiting Liverpool or Tottenham might be an end to the agonising waitCombined it has been 18 years seven for Liverpool 11 for Tottenham since either lifted a trophy despite huge strides made in recent years under the muchpraised Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio PochettinoKlopp and Pochettino have been singledout as two of Europes best coaches after crafting teams that reflect their personalities Liverpool thrilling and fearless Spurs brave and unrelentingAnd while scepticism has greeted the perfection of Manchester Citys starstudded squad in England approval has also followed Liverpool and Tottenhams nurturing of youngstersTrent AlexanderArnold and Harry Winks came through the clubs youth systems while Andrew Robertson Dele Alli and Kieran Trippier joined aged 24 or younger All of them could start at the Wanda MetropolitanoBut any admiration still comes with an asterisk Liverpools last trophy was in 2012 a League Cup that remains their only success since they won the FA Cup in 2006And Tottenhams barren spell goes further back to the League Cup in 2008 which was their first trophy since winning the same competition in 1999Pochettino has tended to bristle at suggestions his team have a habit for coming close but failing to get over the lineWhen asked in January if the club needed a trophy he said I dont agree with that its good for the ego But in reality the most important thing is to build a team that is always going to be in the top four The expectations are higher at Liverpool where Klopps vow to win something within four years of taking charge reaches its endpoint this weekendIt didnt happen yet said Klopp in April How long it will take I have no clue Klopps also denied a personal need for silverware after having lost six cup finals in a row as coach three of them with LiverpoolI dont think that way at all he said earlier this month In football if you want to win you have to accept that there are occasions when you also might lose Falling short The pressure on Liverpool may be more intense not just because of their successladen past but because of a craving for satisfaction after a season in which they amassed 96 points in the Premier League but still fell just short of champions CityThey will be favourites having beaten Tottenham home and away already this season and with their experience of last years final in Kiev In the Spurs squad only Toby Alderweireld has played on this stage losing with Atletico Madrid in 2014For a shot of belief Pochettino might instead turn to Harry Kane who has declared himself fit after recovering from an ankle injuryKane has not played a competitive match since April 9 and Tottenham have survived without their star striker even if a storming run in the Champions League belied a collapse in form domesticallyIf he is fit Kanes goal threat means he will start most likely at the expense of Lucas Moura despite the Brazilians dizzying hattrick against Ajax in the semifinalLiverpools own front man Roberto Firmino is also expected to play after sitting out the last three matches with a groin strainHarder to predict will be Klopps selection in midfield where he must choose three from James Milner Jordan Henderson Georginio Wijnaldum and FabinhoConsiderably more than the 32000 ticketholding fans were predicted to descend on Madrid with police deploying unprecedented security around the final involving drones to monitor behaviour and 4700 personnelWhen the Spanish capital was picked as host there was an added lure for Real Madrid who might have defended the title in their own city and Atletico who could have snatched it off them at their own home groundInstead after Barcelona crashed out Spain was left with no European finalists for the only second time in 10 yearsA new era perhaps for the Premier League For Liverpool and Tottenham another chance to end the waitPlayers to watch out forMohamed Salah The Egyptian striker has been in scintillating form for Liverpool in the last couple of years and on his night he can win a match for Liverpool against any team in the worldHarry Kane Englands star striker Harry Kane is known to score by the buckets when he is in form and will be shouldering all of his teams goalscoring responsibilities in the finalCatch up on all the latest IPL News and updates here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates