The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Henderson prefers to look back on Real catalyst for a Reds glory run
What happened after Kyiv can happen again – skipper
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson found another Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid difficult to process, but believes history repeating itself may not be such a bad thing.
In 2018 in Kyiv, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool were beaten 3-1 by Real after two freakish goals from Gareth Bale but went on to win a sixth European Cup 12 months later with victory over Tottenham and followed that up the next year with a first league title in 30 years.
So Henderson hopes the 1-0 defeat at the Stade de France by a LaLiga side winning the competition for a 14th time can be a catalyst for something better next year.
“It’s still difficult now to process everything with how the game went in the end; it’s hard to speak about it,” said the 31-yearold, who has still led the team to a Carabao-FA Cup double.
“I felt as though we had three or four good chances and the keeper (Thibaut Courtois) made world-class saves.
“Hopefully we can have a good break now and then use that to process this season and everything that’s happened and use it to go again next season when we come back.
“We’ve had this feeling before and reacted in the right way. Hopefully we can do the same again.
“The mentality and character within the dressing room is outstanding and yes, we will be disappointed, and it’s hard because we have such a long time to think about it now.
“But I can say we’ve given absolutely everything all season and sometimes you can’t do more than that.
“Football’s fine margins, that’s the way it is. We’ve had a little bit of luck in domestic cups on penalties when we won them.
“Against Real and in the league we didn’t.
“We have to deal with that and use it in the right way and use it to go forward and be stronger and better next season.”
Despite a domestic cup double, a campaign in which Liverpool played every one of the 63 matches for which they were eligible and took the Premier League title race down to the last 10 minutes of the season ended on a negative with crushing disappointments on backto-back weekends.
But Henderson said that should not overshadow their achievements and, having delivered a positive message to the players in the dressing room in his post-match interviews, Klopp told fans to “book the hotel” for next year’s final in Istanbul.
“To be fair, the manager in these situations is really good and he can see the bigger picture. As players it’s really difficult,” added the Liverpool captain.
“It will take a little bit of time for us, but I have no doubt we will use it in the right way and use it to be better and stronger.
“We have always reacted in the right way and I am sure we will do it again.
“I hope when we are on holiday and having a break we realise that this season has been special.
“I don’t know when the last time we went to a final or the last game in every single competition was.
“It shows the mentality and talent of the squad.
“We couldn’t give any more and football is down to fine margins.
“It is really difficult to stand here and be positive, but I really hope in the next few weeks we can look back on the season and it can be a positive one.”
It was a heartbreaking end to a memorable season for Liverpool, who won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup before being pipped to the Premier League title by a point and losing in the French capital.
After kick-off had to be delayed by 36 minutes due to substantial security issues outside the Stade de France, Liverpool had settled where Thibaut Courtois denied Mohamed Salah – a man in search of revenge following his injury in the 2018 defeat to Real – before tipping a Sadio Mane strike on to the post.
Karim Benzema, this season’s Champions League top scorer, saw a goal ruled out for offside just before half-time and the LaLiga champions caught Liverpool napping in the 59th minute, landing a match-winning blow.
Vinicius Jr snuck behind Trent Alexander-Arnold to turn home Federico Valverde’s low cross and Courtois produced one of the best performances of his life to keep Liverpool at bay.
Salah led the charge for an equaliser that never arrived on a night that will be remembered by many for the farce outside the Stade de France, which led Liverpool to request a formal investigation midway through the final.
Uefa said the delay was due to “security reasons” but those inside the ground were told it was down to “the late arrival of fans”.
Despite the continuing chaos outside, singer
Camila Cabello’s set went ahead as fireworks from the opening ceremony filled the air. If only as much thought had been put into planning as the pre-match pyrotechnics.
The Champions League anthem was jeered before play got under way 36 minutes late.
An edgy opening flew by without either side creating a clear-cut chance, but Courtois was alert when Alexander-Arnold squared for off-balance Salah to get away an effort.
Real Madrid’s goalkeeper denied more straightforward shots from Thiago Alcantara and the Egypt international but had to be at his best to stop Mane landing a 21stminute blow.
Showing great skill and poise, the 30-year-old beat two players and made space to get away a low snapshot that Courtois stretched to tip on to the post.
Madrid settled after that scare and seemed to pin their hopes on a moment of magic from Benzema or rapid Vinicius Jr racing behind.
Salah headed straight at Courtois and Jordan Henderson whistled wide as half-time approached, only for Real to find the net in the 43rd minute.
Benzema was put behind and cut past Andy Robertson, with Ibrahima Konate and Alisson getting in each other’s way when attempting to deal with the striker’s poor touch.
Valverde stretched to meet the loose ball under pressure and it popped through for the skipper to strike home, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. A decision ratified after a lengthy VAR review.
The second half began much like the opened period as the sides traded spells in possession without seriously threatening.
Alexander-Arnold was proving a handful on the right and Salah saw penalty appeals ignored as Liverpool fans’ chants began to fill the Parisian air.
But soon Real’s white wall were in raptures.
A move involving patient passing led Casemiro to play wide to Valverde on the right. The midfielder was afforded too much time and drove a cross to the far post, where Vinicius Jr had ghosted behind Alexander-Arnold and fired home.
It was a body blow that Liverpool tried to respond to, only for Courtois to prove an immovable object.
The Real goalkeeper stopped a 20-yard effort from Salah, who was soon seeing the Belgium international race across the face of goal to block a shot.
Alexander-Arnold drove a ball in as Liverpool desperately pushed, with substitute Diogo Jota almost diverting a Salah effort home.
Madrid’s defenders raced over to the goalkeeper in the 82nd minute when he somehow denied Salah, who controlled superbly before hitting a fizzing strike.
Play became stretched as Liverpool desperately hunted an equaliser that would evade them.