Real conquer Europe, again
PARIS: Yet another Champions League title for Real Madrid, the undisputed kings of Europe. Yet another showpiece European football match tarnished by chaotic crowd issues and disorder. Real became European champions for a record-extending 14th time—double the number of any other team on the continent— after beating Liverpool 1-0 in a final that started 37 minutes late because of disturbing scenes outside the Stade de France on Saturday. It evoked memories of the violence that marred the European Championship final at Wembley Stadium 10 months ago. Brazil winger Vinicius Junior was the match-winner, applying a close-range finish in the 59th minute from Federico Valverde’s drive across the face of goal, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois took just as many plaudits by making breathtaking saves from Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
“Today nobody was going to get in my way,” Courtois said. “I was going to win a Champions League no matter what.”
It gave Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti a fourth Champions League title, the most ever for a manager in the competition’s history, and completed the Champions League-La Liga double for the Spanish giants for whom winning titles are ingrained in their culture.
And this time, there was no need for the kind of stirring comebacks that Madrid had to produce in getting past Paris Saint-Germain, defending champions Chelsea and Manchester City in the knockout stages. It might go down as the most gruelling run to the title in the long history of the competition. “We are the best,” Madrid striker Karim Benzema said. “It was a very difficult competition for us and we deserved to win this final. With all the history this team has, we showed everyone that we are always here.”
Liverpool’s players finished a season that promised so much —a week ago, they were in contention for an unprecedented quadruple of major trophies— with just the two domestic cups in England to show for their efforts. They lost out on the Premier League title by one point last weekend and the Champions League to a Madrid team that had one shot on target in the final. Playing their 64th game of the season, Liverpool just couldn’t find a way past Courtois, who tipped Mane’s first-half shot onto the post and produced an even better save to turn away Salah’s effort in the 81st.
It’s unfathomable that Liverpool, who own one of the most devastating attacks in world football, have failed to score a goal in their three Cup finals this season. The Reds won the FA Cup and League Cup via penalty shootouts after 0-0 draws following extra time.
“In the dressing room, nobody feels it was a great season at the moment,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said.
Liverpool’s players stayed on the field to watch Marcelo, Madrid’s serial winner of trophies who didn’t even play a minute of the final, given the honour of lifting the trophy to a backdrop of fireworks.