It was emotional but Real were the better team
NO wonder this Ukrainian field was stained with tears, no wonder consolation was impossible to find.
There was none for Mo Salah, the pain in his shoulder surging up to his mind.
None for Loris Karius, the loneliest man in a heaving arena of humanity.
The truth should not be impossible to deal with, and the truth is that Real Madrid were the more accomplished team.
What will be hard to deal with is how that superiority won out, how the slings and arrows of fortune favoured a team with the odds already in their favour.
The Karius calamity and the Gareth Bale overhead strike that actually stunned the stadium into a micro-second’s silence decided this contest – forget the second Karius shocker that gave the scoreline the harshest of looks.
They were the moments that punctured a dream that looked alive for so long.
Yet there was little for Liverpool to reproach themselves for.
And if it is any comfort – which it won’t be – the club, the team and the supporters should be given huge thanks for UEFA for making this such a memorable occasion.
Of course other clubs do likewise but no-one embraces the event with more feeling than Liverpool.
The logistical issues and vastly inflated costs were a disgrace but you sensed it was part of the challenge.
It was always going to be the case but the greater numbers and greater enthusiasm of Liverpool fans was something to behold.
Half an hour ahead of kick-off, there were more Liverpool banners in the stadium than Real supporters.
Mind you, Champions League finals for Real have become as familiar as a Saturday night in the local.
That is true for the players and the supporters alike.
For nine of the 11 Zinedine Zidane (right) picked, this was a third Champions League final start on the spin.
If you needed a snippet to sum up