HAIL THE GENIUS OF BALE
Wonder goal floors Klopp’s men
GARETH BALE broke Liverpool’s hearts with a goal that will go down as the greatest in Champions League history.
The Welshman, summoned from the bench by Zinedine Zidane on the hour, needed just three minutes to conjure up a strike of breathtaking beauty to wreck Jurgen Klopp’s dream of taking the European Cup back to Anfield.
Bale scored again seven minutes from time – but it was his brilliant overhead kick to give Madrid the lead for the second time in the game that will be talked about for years.
Marcelo’s cross from the left was looping behind Bale as he lurked close to the Liverpool penalty spot.
But he somehow contorted himself to launch into an acrobatic scissors kick that gave Loris Karius no hope as it arrowed into the top corner. It was a goal to grace the occasion. Zidane’s volleyed winner for Madrid against Bayer Leverkusen in Glasgow 16 years ago is widely regarded as the best Champions League strike of all-time.
Not anymore. The Frenchman shook his head in disbelief as he celebrated.
Bale is supposed to be past his best, an injury-prone liability who is surplus to requirements.
But he will go down in folklore as the man who brought the European title back to the Bernabeu for the third successive season.
Madrid deserved their triumph – their 13th in this competition – but they were helped hugely by an injury to Mo Salah that ended the 44-goal Egyptian’s night after half-an-hour.
Calamitous
And they were also given a huge hand by Reds’ keeper Karius.
The German made a calamitous error that led to Karim Benzema’s opportunistic 50th-minute opener.
And blundered again when he allowed Bale’s swerving drive from 30 yards to slip through his fingers late on.
Sadio Mane dragged Liverpool level five minutes later, but the Reds were undone by a touch of Welsh wizardry.
Yet Liverpool produced the kind of high-tempo start that has become Klopp’s hallmark and Madrid looked both rattled and ragged.
Salah led his team’s first attack inside the opening minute and it needed a timely tackle by Raphael Varane to snuff out Sadio Mane.
Then Madrid keeper Keylor Navas had to plunge at the feet of rampaging Trent Alexander-arnold to prevent the right-back from scoring.
Cristiano Ronaldo served notice of his menace by breaking down the right to lash a ferocious angled drive just over.
But Alexander-arnold was once again denied by Navas before the game turned cruelly against Klopp’s men.
Sergio Ramos is a master of the dark arts. Only the Madrid skipper will know whether he intended to do Salah damage when he grappled with the Egyptian and dragged him down with an arm lock.
Salah resumed after treatment but he soon knew his game was up.
Adam Lallana came on in his place – Madrid were also forced to make a change when Dani Carvajal succumbed to the knock he picked up in the warmup and was replaced by Nacho.
Madrid thought they had scored when Ronaldo rose to meet Isco’s cross with a downward header that was beaten out by Karius.
Karim Benzema gobbled up the rebound but was flagged offside. It looked harsh on the Frenchman, although Ronaldo was offside from the initial cross.
Madrid were ahead in the 50th minute when Karius made a mistake that will haunt him forever.
The German collected Toni Kroos’ overhit ball forward and tried to roll a pass to Dejan Lovren.
But Benzema was lurking – and he instinctively stretched out a leg to block the ball and send it into goal. Liverpool bounced back as they often do and they were level within five minutes.
Lovren met Milner’s right-wing corner with a powerful downward header and Mane smuggled himself ahead of Navas to steer home a finish that produced an explosion of red.
Zidane sent on Bale to replace Isco on the hour – and the Welshman needed just three minutes to strike decisively.
And then took aim from distance and Karius let it slip through his hands.