Talbi is accustomed to French intensity and knows how to close down space without fuss — experience that will prove useful against the dynamic Gakpo, who is used to the pace of the English league. The Dutchman seeks freedom on the flanks and in depth, and the Tunisian centre-back will be forced to choose between pressing and cover, with no room for error. The outcome of this confrontation could determine how freely Liverpool will be able to attack.

The young Tunisian, hardened by Burnley's English directness, will face an experienced Catalan accustomed to the positional subtlety of Spanish football. Between them — a difference not only of five years, but of schools: de Jong knows how to distribute play under pressure, Mejbri is still learning to find solutions in tune with the English tempo. On this part of the pitch, it could be determined how ready Tunisian youth is for the level of world elite.

Lamouchi brings European methodicality to Tunisia — experience from English and French clubs, where discipline and structure come first. Koeman, meanwhile, returns to the classics of Dutch football, where the beauty of the game and the speed of transitions matter more than conservative defending. A meeting of two generations of coaching philosophy: pragmatism versus the romance of attack.