Champions League final: Jordi Alba backs Liverpool as Barcelona defender hopes Real Madrid ‘lose all their games’

The prospect of Barcelona’ great Spanish rivals winning a third consecutive Champions League is not one that Alba wants to see materialise on Saturday night

Jack de Menezes
Thursday 24 May 2018 11:47 BST
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Jordi Alba (left) insists he does not want to see Real Madrid win the Champions League
Jordi Alba (left) insists he does not want to see Real Madrid win the Champions League (Getty)

Jordi Alba has stoked the flames of the Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry by throwing his support behind Champions League opponents Liverpool for this Saturday’s European final.

The Barcelona defender has not held back in discussing the Clasico rivalry, with Barca currently enjoying their third La Liga title in four years, but those celebrations could turn rather sour if Madrid claim a third consecutive Champions League crown this weekend to follow their previous successes in 2016 and 2017.

That’s why come Saturday evening when the Champions League final gets underway in Kiev, Alba will be firmly behind the Premier League side, adding that he wants Real to “lose all of their games”.

“Our relationship is a strange one because even though I get on perfectly with them [Real Madrid players] all, I still want them to lose all of their games,” Alba said.

“I congratulated them [on reaching the Champions League final] but I would have liked to not have to.”

His comments come just three weeks after Barcelona were held to a 2-2 draw with Madrid in the final Clasico of the season, where Real’s players made a point of refusing to give their opponents a guard of honour for their title success.

“Their refusal to give us a guard of honour? It’s more to do with the media than the teams, but they will have their reasons for not doing it,” Alba added when asked about the snub. “We are still champions regardless.”

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