Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool: Champions League final – live!

Team selection pickle: Pochettino has a big call to make in his starting lineup: does he or doesn’t he start Kane? There are rumours that he has plumped for the England striker and decided to drop Lucas Moura to the bench. For what it’s worth, I’d have gone the other way on the basis that Moura’s speed and mobility are more likely to trouble Liverpool’s defence than Kane and also, if Kane starts he is unlikely to finish, given he has not played at all since suffering injury in the first leg of the quarter-final against Man City on April 9. So he probably won’t be taking a penalty if it goes that far.

A quick reminder that the Video Assistant Referee will be in use today. At least that is the plan and let’s hope things don’t go awry like they did in yesterday’s African Champions League final second leg. VAR was supposed to be used in that, too, and would have been of tremendous benefit to Wydad Casablanca after their equaliser against Espérance was chalked off for an incorrect offside. But despite intense lobbying by Wydad staff and players, the referee refused to consult Var – apparently because he couldn’t: the company that provides the technology claimed they told organisers before the game that airlines had lost some of their equipment in transit so Var would not be operational for the match, a detail that the organisers allegedly did not disclose to the teams beforehand. So after the non-goal, play was stopped as players and officials argued on the pitch and sidelines for an hour and a half before Wydad announced they had no faith in the organisers and would not play. So Espérance won on a walkover. Let’s have none of that carry-on today please!

Fans are starting to filter into the stadium. Here are some shots of them enjoying themselves around Madrid:

Here’s Danny Taylor on what victory for either team might mean:

We’ve been catching up with Spurs and Liverpool fans ahead of the big day:

Let’s begin with the latest news and video from Friday’s press conferences:

Hello and welcome to coverage of the 63rd European Cup/Champions League final, the ninth featuring Liverpool and the very first one with Tottenham Hotspur. Not many people expected Mauricio Pochettino’s team to make it this far but now that they are here, thanks to two of the most dramatic victories in the tournament’s history – first over Manchester City and then over Ajax – they intend to make off with the big prize. Just imagine! Tottenham: European champions despite not being English champions since 1961, back when Elvis’s Wooden Heart was top of the hit parade!

For now, though, that is still just a wild dream for Spurs, and Liverpool intend to make sure it stays that way. They have been authors of some spectacular dramas themselves this season – just ask Lionel Messi – and they want this trophy badly. They came agonisingly close to lifting it last season, just as they came agonisingly close to lifting the Premier League this season, and they will be distraught if they do not leave Madrid today as kings of Europe for a sixth time. But not for one second will Jürgen Klopp’s men be anticipating a straightforward win.

It matters not a jot that Liverpool have already beaten Spurs twice this season en route to finishing 28 points above them on the domestic front. Sure, Liverpool know they can hurt Spurs but they and we are also well aware that Spurs have the tools to trouble them. This battle promises to be a belter. There are many, many ways it could be decided and many wonderful players who will play roles in tilting it one way or the other.

In a few hours the old big-eared trophy will be heading to an English city beginning with L but for now we can’t say more than that other than (1) don’t get your hopes up, Lincoln, and (2) Bring It On! Kick-off is at 8pm, BST.