Liverpool will make history at this season's Champions League final - win, lose or draw.

The Reds face Tottenham on Saturday June 1 in Madrid, meaning that for the first time in the club's 127 year history they will play a competitive fixture in June.

But why is the Champions League final so late in the fixture calendar?

Liverpool played Real Madrid on May 26 in last season's final, while their previous two final appearances in 2005 and 2007 were May 25 and May 23.

This season's final is a full week later - with three full weeks between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur's final Premier League match of the campaign and the European final in Madrid.

The reason, according to UEFA, is down to the changed demands of international football.

A UEFA spokesperson explained: "After changes had been made to the international match calendar ahead of the 2014/15 season, e.g. introduction of national team double-headers and less international friendly dates, UEFA agreed with its stakeholders that the date of the UEFA Champions League final shall be scheduled at the last available date of the season before the international match release period in June.

"In uneven years without World Cup or EURO tournaments, this may be at the end of May or beginning of June."

England face Holland in the Nations League semi-final on June 6 and a final or third/fourth place fixture against either Portugal or Switzerland on June 9.

According to FIFA regulations players must be released by their clubs no later than four days days (including the day of the match) beforehand.

Liverpool will have Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson, Virgil van Dijk and Georginio Wijnaldum all involved in the Nations League.

Last summer was an international tournament summer, with the World Cup final played on July 15, so this season's Champions League final has been scheduled a week later than last season's.

The 2017 final, which followed a European Championship summer, was staged on June 3 while the 2015 final, following the Brazil World Cup finals, was on June 6.