Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren admits that he has been talking to his countrymen about the prospect of facing each other in the UEFA Champions League final.

Lovren is expected to start for Liverpool alongside Virgil van Dijk in defence.

His national teammates Mateo Kovacic and Luka Modric will be in the Real Madrid squad. Modric is a sure starter, while Kovacic may be on the bench.

"I have been in touch with my Croatian international teammates Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic, who play for Real Madrid," he said to the club's website.

"It's quite an amazing achievement for such a small country of not even four million people that almost every year we have a Croatian international player who can win the final. It's great for us and for the nation.

"I'm sure the whole nation will be tuning in for the final. I would say more people will be on my side as I haven't won it before and both these guys have won it the last few times!

"The country is proud of us and in the end we will see who will win it."