Michael Owen left with egg on his face after Champions League prediction backfires

Liverpool v Real Madrid: Champions League final pictures

Michael Owen was left with egg on his face on Saturday night after his Champions League final prediction went horribly wrong. The former England striker was adamant ahead of kick-off that Liverpool would have no issues seeing off Real Madrid at the Stade de France.

“Paris is bouncing,” Owen wrote on Twitter. “Two European heavyweights about to go head to head. It’s a miracle that Madrid have made the final but in Liverpool they face their biggest challenge. I can see the Reds winning this comfortably.”

Owen, who scored 157 goals in 296 games for Liverpool during his playing days before spending an ill-fated season with Real Madrid, was working for BT Sport as Los Blancos were crowned European champions for the 14th time in their illustrious history.

Jurgen Klopp’s team were favourites to taste glory across the channel as the match was delayed by more than half an hour after problems getting fans into the stadium. And when the action did eventually get underway, the Reds found themselves up against an inspired Real goalkeeper in Thibaut Courtois.

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Michael Owen thought Liverpool would beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final (Image: GETTY)

The ex-Chelsea shot-stopper denied Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane before the midway stage of the first half, getting down well to tip the latter’s drilled attempt onto the post. Salah then headed an effort straight at the 30-year-old after being picked out by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Real thought they had taken the lead just before half time as Karim Benzema turned the ball into the back of the net. But his effort was ruled out for offside after referee Clement Turpin had consulted VAR.

The Reds looked to nudge ahead after the break as they pushed forward once again. But Madrid struck the killer blow just before the hour mark as Vinicius Junior stole in unmarked at the back post to turn in Federico Valverde’s cross.

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Real Madrid won the Champions League on Saturday night as they defeated Liverpool in Paris (Image: GETTY)

Klopp’s men looked for a quick reply as Salah soon saw a curling effort beaten away, before the Egypt international was denied at the back post. And perhaps Courtois’ best save came eight minutes before the end of the match as he kept Salah at bay once again after the forward had raced onto Thiago’s long ball forward and got the better of the Real defence.

After the final whistle, Owen maintained that Liverpool were still the best team in Europe, despite the result. “I don’t think it’ll change much about how [Klopp] will approach the game – that just happens sometimes,” the 42-year-old told BT Sport. “I still think they’re the best team in Europe, I really do. On other occasions they’d be getting their name etched in the trophy.”

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