Liverpool and Real Madrid were locked at 0-0 by halftime in their Champions League final on Saturday with the English club hitting the post and dominating the first 45 minutes.

The kick off of Saturday's Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid was delayed for security reasons, a stadium announcer said on Saturday.

Up to 60,000 Liverpool supporters, most without tickets, thronged Paris on Saturday, turning avenues and cafe terraces red in their team's colours ahead of the Champions League final against Real Madrid.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was able to name influential midfielders Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara in his side for Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid after the pair recovered from muscle injuries.

Carlo Ancelotti said Real Madrid are close to achieving "the maximum" this season as they look to beat Liverpool in the Champions League final on Saturday and complete a European-Spanish double.

Real Madrid are confident going into the Champions League final against Liverpool and will count on their big-game experience but there is no firm favourite in Paris, according to midfielder Luka Modric.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has said he will not be afraid to take a penalty if their Champions League final against Liverpool goes the distance on Saturday.

Mohamed Salah has confirmed he will see out his contract at Liverpool next season, but the Egypt forward remains non-committal on his future at Anfield beyond 2023.

Named as the venue for this weekend's Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid after Saint-Petersburg was stripped of the game, the Stade de France has been hurriedly getting ready for the event with a new pitch being laid.

Neymar says he would like to stay at French champions Paris Saint-Germain despite rarely justifying his world record fee of 222 million euros ($236 million) and amid rumours the club would like him to leave.

Jurgen Klopp surveyed the wreckage of Liverpool's 2018 Champions League final against Real Madrid and responded with a transformative swoop for Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday he "respects" Kylian Mbappe's decision to stay at Paris Saint-Germain but insisted Real Madrid's players are fully focused on the Champions League final.

France forward Kylian Mbappe said he "can imagine" Real Madrid's disappointment after rejecting them to sign a contract extension with Paris St Germain, adding that he will be supporting the Spanish side in the Champions League final against Liverpool.

The trends and predictability seen in the last few seasons raise questions.

The 21/22 Champions League season starts tonight.

Apart from the playing style, the only predictable feature of Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola’s game is the unpredictability of his starting eleven and consequently the formation, especially when it comes to huge occasions such as the Champions League final.

The two most expensive players in the world were unable to outshine the prolific Erling Braut Haaland as the Norwegian sensation continues his remarkable rise by scoring both goals in Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 defeat of Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League first-leg encounter

Juergen Klopp was a relieved man on Saturday after Liverpool's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final ended the German coach's miserable run of six defeats in cup finals.

A resurgent Mohamed Salah scored one and set up another to inspire a clinical Liverpool to a 4-1 win at Porto in their Champions League quarter-final second leg on Wednesday that teed up a last-four clash with Barcelona.

After an astonishing encounter at the Etihad Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur reached the semi-finals of the Champions League on away goals following a 4-3 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday.