LET us call it the German-English FA Cup final. The English would not like it. The reality though is that Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and his Liverpool counterpart are Jurgen Klopp German.
History is before them as the first two Germans to manage teams at an English FA Cup final.
261 goals between them, 13 trips to eight different countries and they been have been involved in six penalty shootouts, all indicate the depths of the teams.
The FA Cup final stretches the challenge. Liverpool defeated Chelsea 11-10 on penalties in the Carabao Cup final in February.
The same teams have not met in the League Cup and FA Cup final in the same season since Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday in 1993.
Arsenal won both trophies that year, 2-1 in the League Cup final and 2-1 after extra time in the FA Cup final replay.
Chelsea and Liverpool will meet at Wembley for the second time in 76 days.
Liverpool being in the Champions League final has seen them play every possible fixture this season.
Chelsea thrown out of the Champions League by Real Madrid at the quarter-final stage had played in the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, winning both trophies.
Liverpool and Chelsea will meeting for the fourth time this season, as Liverpool continues their quest for a quadruple.
The Champions League final in Paris on 28 May against Real Madrid, the Premier League where they are behind Manchester City by three points with two matches remaining, are the remaining three trophies Liverpool are chasing.
See both teams in figures –
Liverpool will play their 60th game of the season in the FA Cup final. The UEFA Champions League final against Madrid will be their 63rd and final match if the season.
The tally is highest since 2015-16, when Liverpool were runners-up in the Europa League and League Cup in Klopp’s first season in England.
Liverpool have lost only three matches this season – at West Ham and Leicester in EPL, and to Inter Milan at home in the Champions League.
15 Liverpool players have made 10 appearances or fewer, including 19-year-old James Norris, whose only appearance was as a substitute that lasted 77 seconds at the end of the FA Cup third-round win over Shrewsbury.
No other Premier League player has made more appearances for his club this season than Jordan Henderson, who will be in his 54th game.
Mohamed Salah will make it 100 appearances in a Liverpool shirt if he plays at Wembley – 51 in 2020-21 and 48 so far in 2021-22.
Henderson tops the list of appearances, but goalkeeper Alisson has spent the most minutes on the pitch of any Liverpool player – 4,500 out of a possible 5,340.
Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea began their season with victory on penalties over Villarreal to win the UEFA Super Cup on 11 August.
This season, the Champions League took Chelsea to Italy, Sweden, Russia, France and Spain.
As reigning European champions, Chelsea were inthe United Arab Emirates in February to compete in FIFA’s Club World Cup, where they beat Brazilian side Palmeiras after extra time to win the competition.
Tuchel has used 33 players – four fewer than Liverpool – with seven of those making a single appearance.
Germany defender Antonio Rudiger has played 4,740 minutes, that is 79 hours, the longest by any EPL player this season.
Chelsea ended 37 of their games in draws, 60 in wins, while they have scored 119 goals. Eight defeats came in the past 11 matches.
Statistics: Courtesy of BBC Sports
The EPL continues with two matches to go. The winner would be known on 22 May, the final day.
*Sunday 15 May*
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
Everton v Brentford
Leeds v Brighton
Spurs v Burnley
Watford v Leicester
West Ham v Man City
Wolves v Norwich
*Monday 16 May 2022*
Newcastle v Arsenal
*Tuesday 17 May 2022*
Southampton v Liverpool
*Thursday 19 May 2022*
Everton v Crystal Palace
Aston Villa v Burnley
Chelsea v Leicester
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