As a neutral, I am looking forward to this weekend's final immensely. I expect it to be a goal-laden, action-packed affair with enough drama to tide me over until when the world cup begins on June 14.

There are 2 matchups I am especially looking forward to.

The Afro Battle

A lot of people seem to think that Marcelo, being the attacking connoisseur that he is, is going to forget his fullback duties and leave swaths of space for Mo Salah to exploit behind him. I doubt that the world-class veteran (who is a vital piece in two of the best teams in the world in Real Madrid and Brazil) will be so easily taken advantage of.

I expect more than a few footraces, and I would be surprised if Varane or Sergio Ramos didn't have to cover for Marcelo once or twice. However, I also expect us to see what is possibly Marcelo's most underrated attribute: his defensive IQ. If Marcelo gets beat, I fully expect Roberto Firmino to be involved in his dismantling. Mo Salah will certainly create trouble for the left-back, and through his relentless attacking, will give a much-needed rest to Trent Alexander-Arnold (who Zidane will no doubt be looking to exploit in return).

The Central Midfield: David v. Goliath?

Nobody can dispute the quality of either team's attack. Real Madrid's defense is also full of world-class players, while Liverpool's defense proved its quality by holding an explosive Manchester City attack to just one goal over the two-legged quarter-final. There is one gulf in quality, however, that is catching eyes: the acclaimed Kroos-Modric pair, along with Isco and/or Casemiro, against the slightly less spectacular Jordan Henderson, "boring" James Milner, and Gini Wijnaldum.

The English duo and the Dutchman have surprised me before, and I fully expect them to surprise me again. Nobody disputes the work-rate of the Liverpool midfield, but it has been their composure and confidence (bordering on cheek) in maintaining possession and organizing defensively that has caught my eye leading up to this final. It will be the ultimate test in discipline for them to be ever-ready to transition from attack to defending the ruthless Madrid counter-attack.

I won't make any predictions, except that this match will be an absolute treat for soccer fans watching around the world.