Champions League: James Rodriguez wants Liverpool to win final

Former Everton and Real Madrid player James Rodriguez has run the risk of being branded a traitor after turning his back on his old clubs by boldly declaring he wants Liverpool to win the Champions League.

The Reds face Real Madrid in Paris as the two European giants battle for Champions League glory on May 28.

However, Rodriguez has surprisingly backed the Toffees' bitter rivals to beat another of his former sides.

The Colombian left Goodison Park to join Qatari side Al Rayyan last September after just one season with the Blues.

He had made the move to Merseyside in 2020 from Real Madrid to be reunited with former Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti, before the Italian returned to the Spanish captial last summer.

This season's final showstopper between Liverpool and Real Madrid will see a repeat of the 2018 fixture in Kyiv, where the Spanish side emerged victorious with a 3-1 win.

The 30-year-old was not involved in Real's European triumph that season as he was out on loan at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

However, he has brushed off both his former sides as he admitted he wanted Jurgen Klopp's side to come out on top.

Rodriguez revealed he would be supporting the Reds due to his international team-mate Luis Diaz.

'I want Liverpool to be champion,' he said, via The Express. 'I have many friends in Real Madrid and it is a difficult team for this type of match, but I want Lucho (Diaz) to win.'

Diaz arrived at Anfield in January and has made a quick an impressive start to life at Liverpool.

The tricky winger has netted five times in 22 appearances for the Reds so far, including once on their route to the Champions League final.

Rodriguez is believe to have played a role in helping his countryman choose Liverpool in January, amid interest from Tottenham.