Champions League Final date gives Tottenham the edge over Liverpool, says Jamie Carragher

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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher says the long gap between the end of the Premier League season and the Champions League final will aid Tottenham far more than his former club.

Both sides will have gone 20 days without a competitive game by the time they step out onto the pitch in Madrid on June 1.

Jurgen Klopp has taken his squad to Marbella for a training camp, where they will play a friendly, while Mauricio Pochettino and his charges have stayed at their Hotspur Way training camp as they look to get the likes of Harry Kane, Harry Winks and Jan Vertonghen as fit as possible before travelling to the Spanish capital on Wednesday.

Liverpool have lost just once in all competitions since January, a 3-0 defeat to Barcelona overturned on that sensational night at Anfield in the second leg, while Spurs have lost nine times, including at Liverpool, over the same time period.

That form would have held more of a bearing over the final if there were not such a long break, according to the former England defender.

“It’s a weird one really, you normally go away and that’s what Liverpool have done going to Marbella," Carragher said.

“No-one’s been able to give me a reason why the Champions League is three weeks after the league campaign. It’s normally two weeks, where you have the FA Cup then the week after is the Champions League.

“That’s p***ed me off a little bit that to be honest. I think it probably helps Spurs more than us, I would say.

"I think they’ve got bigger injury problems than us, certainly with Harry Kane, Harry Winks, other little knocks they had towards the end of the season. It gives you an extra week to be fit," Carragher said speaking to the Anfield Wrap.

“I think we’re in much better form than Tottenham in 2019 and a longer break will not help that, really, in some ways. You do worry because you lose a bit of that rhythm that Liverpool have had the way they’ve been playing.

“I don’t think Tottenham are in great form. I know they got through and it’s unbelievable what they’ve done, I love Pochettino, but they’re not in great form so a longer break will help them forget the bad form and focus on this one game.”

Spurs will train at Real Madrid's complex on Thursday and Friday before the final, while Liverpool will use the facility for a light session on the morning of the game.

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