Saturday's Champions League final may have a sense of familiarity to it, but for Liverpool and Real Madrid the desire to continue winning trophies is as strong as ever.
These sides have been involved in five of the past seven finals between them, while Paris is hosting the showpiece event for a sixth time – only London (seven) has done so more.
The French city hosted the first European Cup final back in 1956, with Madrid winning their first of a record 13 trophies after seeing off Reims at the Parc des Princes.
Indeed, come kick-off, no two teams will have faced off more times in a European Cup or Champions League final than Liverpool and Madrid (three).
And yet while it may all feel similar – Liverpool making it to a third Champions League final since 2018, Carlo Ancelotti back on the brink of European glory – it is difficult to remember a similar type of hype surrounding a major club showpiece in recent years.
That has been clear in Paris in the build-up to the match, with the Eiffel Tower and surrounding fan parks a sea of white and red, colours synonymous with this great competition.
France certainly knows how to host a major event, explaining why UEFA switched this year's final to the Stade de France with just three months' notice.
The final had been scheduled for Saint Petersburg, but was shifted to Paris – or Saint-Dennis, more specifically – after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which of course hosted the most recent meeting between these sides; the 2018 final, settled in Madrid's favour by Gareth Bale's heroics and Loris Karius' errors.
Yet the organisers can only do so much. The onus is now on Liverpool and Madrid to put on a show for the 80,000 inside the ground and the millions watching around the world.
For Liverpool, there's a shot at a cup treble after winning the EFL Cup and FA Cup with penalty shoot-out victories over Chelsea (both times) at Wembley.
For Madrid, an opportunity to add their favourite trophy to a LaLiga title sealed with four games to go in a rather serene stroll in Spain's top flight.
Whereas Los Blancos have been given the opportunity to rotate in the weeks leading up to this match, since their incredible comeback against Manchester City, Liverpool have had to play to their maximum right to the final day.
This will be game 63 of a gruelling campaign for the Reds – not since Manchester United in 2016-17 has a side from Europe's top five leagues played more in a season (64).
As Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold were eager to point out in Friday's pre-match news conference, though, fatigue will not play a part against Madrid.
Nor will the disappointment of missing out on a quadruple last weekend, with City pipping them to the Premier League title by a point.
"They've obviously had a bit more relaxed preparation and wrapped up their league two or three weeks ago," Robertson said.
"They've maybe not played as many games and at a high tempo. We knew how hard our run was going to be on our bodies, but we're in the best possible shape.
"We've come through a lot and yes we've had injuries and problems, but the lads are fully fit. It's important we take the competitive nature of a tough season into the last game."
Intentional or otherwise, however, the tempo of Liverpool's final training run-out at the Stade de France on the eve of the match was far lower than that of Madrid.
Jurgen Klopp was happy for his players to pass the ball around on the sun-soaked surface, which has been freshly laid for this game – a big topic ahead of the contest.
Madrid's players were equally as relaxed – understandable given the experience in their ranks – as they split into two full-size teams for a mini-match.
As they made their way down the tunnel area, there was still a chance for the likes of Marcelo and Toni Kroos to glance around at the vast venue. Maybe even two of the most decorated players in the modern game can still be awestruck every now and then, and it goes to show that, while we are now used to seeing these same players battle it out at the top, the experience is different each time.
The pain of losing hurts no less; the joy of winning all the sweeter as a player or a coach enhances their legacy.
Klopp, for example, is aiming for his second major European title in what is his fourth appearance in a final. Ancelotti, on the other hand, is hunting a record-breaking fourth Champions League crown.
As for the supporters who could be heard chanting late into the night on Friday, an "I was there" moment awaits as two behemoths go at it again.
Familiar it may be, but enjoy it while it lasts.
Sarina Wiegman unwilling to take risks with Beth Mead’s fitness for World Cup
England boss Sarina Wiegman says she was not prepared to take the risks with Beth Mead’s fitness after leaving her out of her squad for this summer’s World Cup.
Mead, who claimed the Golden Boot and player of the tournament award when the Lionesses won the Euros last summer, misses out after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November.
Asked if there was ever a chance the Arsenal winger could have been in the squad, Wiegman told a press conference: “No, I don’t think so.
“Beth is so positive and she’s going really well, but we said the time schedule she had, we would have taken so many risks to try to get her to the World Cup.
“Very early we said we’re not going to take that risk, I’m not willing to take that risk, to push her too much and then she gets injured again. We have to take care of players and do what’s smart, and not do what’s a little bit naive.”
There is a recall for in-form Bethany England, back involved for the first time since last September.
The forward has scored 12 Women’s Super League goals for Tottenham after joining from Chelsea in January, and Wiegman said: “She was at Chelsea, she didn’t get the minutes.
“Then she made a move and started playing. Tottenham was having a hard time, but how she performed and how much resilience she showed – I think that’s what made us make the decision to get her in the squad.”
Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze, also sidelined of late, do feature in a 23-player list from which skipper Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby had already been ruled out due to injury.
Wiegman confirmed Bright is set to captain the side, and regarding her and Bronze’s recoveries from knee surgery, she said: “Lucy is fit and fully in training, and Millie is in a good place, so we’re positive.
“She’s still building but we have some time. We need to build a little more but it looks good.”
On Williamson’s absence after suffering an ACL injury of her own in April, Wiegman said: “Of course, most of all for her it’s very disappointing and sad, and that’s the same for Fran and for Beth Mead.
“But you have to move on too. This is unfortunately part of top sports, that you can get injured. You hope to make that risk as small as possible but it can happen and someone else steps up and it gives an opportunity.”
Jordan Nobbs is included despite sustaining an injury in Aston Villa’s penultimate game of the season, Katie Zelem has been brought back after not making the last squad in April, and there is no recall for Williamson’s predecessor as captain Steph Houghton.
Jess Park, Maya Le Tissier – who Wiegman said was “really close” to making the 23 – and Emily Ramsey have been named on standby.
Wiegman said there had been “hard decisions” and that while some players were missing through injury, she still feels “we have a very good squad, very good depth in the squad.”
England get their campaign at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand under way by facing Haiti in Brisbane on July 22, and will also take on Denmark and China in Group D.
Wiegman was also asked about the diversity of the squad in terms of there being 22 white players out of 23, and said: “Of course I understand that people look at it like that, and I really hope that will change, but that won’t change overnight.
“I know the FA is doing lots of things, with ‘Discover My Talent’, ‘Let Girls Play’, to get everyone who wants to play football, whatever background you have, or wherever you come from, that you have access to it.
“I think what our players did after the Euros, (asking to) have access in schools, which now had a big result, hopefully that brings more girls with different backgrounds into the game, so in the future we have more players from different backgrounds in the national team too. But for now I think that takes a little more time.”
Ched Evans expects to be back playing football next season after surgery
Preston striker Ched Evans has confirmed he has undergone successful surgery for what the club described as “a serious medical condition”.
The 34-year-old revealed in April that he had developed a condition which could have “potentially life-changing consequences”.
Evans revealed on North End’s website that surgery had gone well and that he expects to return to action next season.
“I’m five weeks post-surgery and the surgery went really well,” he said.
“It took three hours. They went in through my throat, they removed some bone and some plates which were compressing my spinal cord, but the surgery went really well.
“I met with the surgeon last week and he was really pleased with how I’m recovering.
“He said once the bone has fused to the cages that my neck will be as strong as ever, which was the best news we could have wished for.
“It also means that I’ll be back next season doing what I love to do: scoring goals and winning games with Preston.”
Caolan Boyd-Munce agrees new one-year contract with St Mirren
Caolan Boyd-Munce has agreed a one-year contract extension with St Mirren, who have confirmed star striker Curtis Main, Charles Dunne, Joe Shaughnessy and Richard Tait will all move on.
The 23-year-old midfielder joined Saints in March on a deal until the end of the season and the club has taken up the option to extend that until the summer of 2024 with an appearance-based option for another year.
The Northern Irishman – who began his career at Glentoran and had spells at Birmingham and Middlesbrough – made three appearances for the Buddies last season with his first start coming in Saturday’s match against Rangers at The SMiSA Stadium.
Manager Stephen Robinson told stmirren.com: “Caolan was never going to come into the first team fold straight away because he hadn’t played for a long time.
“What we could see three months ago, he is now starting to achieve. Sometimes, that gamble is worthwhile.
“He’s different from what we have. He will find passes and put people through on goal as he gets fitter and stronger.
“We believe that come August/September, he has a real chance of starting games for us and pushing on. There’s so much more to come from him.”
“The option for a different type of midfielder who is similar to an Ethan Erhahon (who left for Lincoln in January) makes us stronger as a squad.”
Robinson, who has 20 players under contract for next season, did not expect 31-year-old striker Main, a key player since joining from Shrewsbury two years ago, to extend his time in Paisley.
The former Morecambe and Motherwell manager will also have to bolster his defence this summer.
Club captain, Shaughnessy, 30, joined the Buddies from Southend in 2020 and was out of the team earlier in the season.
Fellow centre-back Dunne, 30, arrived from Motherwell two years ago while full-back Tait, 33, also signed from the Steelmen in 2020.
In a general squad update, the Buddies website said: “Offers were made to Charles Dunne, Curtis Main and captain Joe Shaughnessy, but all three have decided that their futures lie elsewhere.
“With over 250 combined appearances between them, we thank them immensely for their respective contributions to St Mirren and wish them the very best in their new challenges.
“Richard Tait also departs after almost three years at the club where he made 87 appearances and scored three goals. We sincerely thank Richard for his contributions and wish him the very best in whatever comes next.
“Tony Watt and Thierry Small have returned to their parent clubs, Dundee United and Southampton, respectively. We thank them for their time at St Mirren and wish them all the best for their future.
“An offer to Youth Academy graduate Jay Henderson remains on the table.”
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