Tottenham v Liverpool: Selection dilemmas aplenty ahead of Madrid showdown

For Jurgen Klopp, who has seen Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino return to fitness in time for the clash at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, there is probably only one big call to make.

The German is likely to stick with his trusted back-four from the title run-in with Joel Matip partnering Virgil van Dijk in the centre of defence. With Firmino expected to start -- Klopp said this week that the striker "should be fine" -- then Liverpool will be able to use their preferred attacking 'trident' with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah playing either side of the Brazilian.

That would, however, mean no place in the starting line-up for Belgian forward Divock Origi, who scored twice in the 4-0 crushing of Barcelona in the semi-final, second leg. Brazilian Fabinho has made the deep, holding midfield role his own and Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, who also claimed a brace against Barca, is likely to play just ahead of him.

That leaves one more midfield slot with two players competing for one place -- James Milner and Jordan Henderson.

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Harry Kane has declared himself fit and ready. A fully-fit Kane would surely start but Pochettino will have to decide whether his top scorer is 'match fit' after seven weeks on the sidelines.If Kane does start -- in tandem with South Korean forward Son Heung-min, who has struck 20 goals this season -- then that could well mean no starting place for Lucas Moura.

Moura could then be held in reserve as an impact substitute, a role that would take full advantage of his devastating pace. Pochettino has utilised a number of different formations this season though and he could play a similar three-pronged attack to Liverpool with Son and Moura playing wide roles and Kane down the middle.

That variation would require Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli to play deeper midfield roles than they normally prefer -- although both have done so at different times this season. Presuming though that Pochettino opts for a four-man midfield then Moussa Sissoko is likely to the deepest with Harry Winks playing just ahead of him.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-2-2): Hugo Lloris; Kieran Trippier, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose; Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko; Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen; Son Heung-min, Harry Kane.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum; Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane.

"I don’t like to blame my other teams. I love them all. They all gave everything but I have never been part of a final with a better team than this.

“In different times, for different reasons my teams were good as well.

"That is brilliant.”

"I lost my head. In that moment I thought the game was finished. All the Ajax players were down on the pitch and I believe the game is finished. There's one minute more - 'Fernando, go to centre-back - defend!'. It was crazy.

"I think the shirt, tie and trousers is for a museum. I've made a new suit for the final because it was destroyed. I spoke to the Ajax manager (Erik ten Hag). It's difficult to say something in that moment. How Ajax celebrated the first and second goal, the celebration was like 'done, we are in the final'.

"What are you going to say to someone who believes they have something but it disappears in one second?

"I don't feel sorry because I want to win. It's only 'good luck and all the best for the future'."

When he left Spain, Pochettino had a ‘bad name’ after he was fired at Espanyol with his side bottom of the table with just nine points from their opening 13 games. It has been an incredible turnaround.

Now, only three teams could afford to appoint him: Real, Barcelona and Atletico. He might return to Spain one day but at the moment none of those clubs are in the position to give him the job – Real and Atleti are wedded to their coaches while his Espanyol connection rules him out of the Barca role.

Jurgen Klopp’s time in England has been deemed a huge success despite the lack of titles; it would be good for him to win the Champions League to shut down his detractors. He has made Liverpool an appealing proposition again. His demeanour, his ability to develop players and his brand of football appeals to Bayern Munich but for the time being he will almost certainly remain at Anfield.