Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid
And so for the 14th time, Real Madrid are champions of Europe again!
But what an achievement for Carlo Ancelotti’s giants, who have beaten Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City and now Liverpool.
No-one can say they haven’t done it the hard way. No one can say they do not deserve to win the 2022 Champions League.
On a special night in Paris for all connected with Los Blancos, there were two big Champions League heroes – Vinicius Jr, who scored the winner just before the hour mark, and the outstanding Thibaut Courtois.
Yet everyone from Ancelotti down is a hero in the Spanish capital tonight after Real Madrid defied the Champions League betting odds once again.
Highlights of the game
Billed as a match with so much to look forward to and a repeat of the 2018 final, this was a game in which Liverpool were the better side but Real Madrid, as they have in every round of the competition, stood firm and displayed unquenchable character.
Both sides had emerged victorious from dramatic semi-finals at the start of the month, each with their own heroes, and it was one in red who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 16th minute when a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross was met by Mo Salah who was denied by Courtois from close range.
Five minutes later, Sadio Mane, who scored for the Merseysiders against Madrid in their 2018 final defeat, rifled a shot which the diving Courtois pushed onto the post before it rebounded to safety.
The one-sided nature of the contest continued but again the Belgian goalkeeper was on hand when Salah headed straight at him.
The warning sign arrived two minutes before the break when Karim Benzema – surely the early front runner for world player of the year for his efforts in this season’s competition alone – had the ball in the net but was ruled offside by VAR, even though the ball came back to him from a Liverpool player.
Although the spirit of the law was correctly applied on this occasion, the inconsistency in which that particular rule has been used all season has been frustrating for many.
Into the second half and again Liverpool made the better start but, just before the hour, came Real’s decisive attacking moment as Federico Valverde cut inside and drove a low cross shot that was turned in from close range by Vinicius.
Real were in raptures and sensed an incredible 14th European Cup.
Still there was half an hour to go. but Courtois was just getting started.
First, he charged across his line to block a Salah shot, then he changed direction to push behind a Salah effort redirected towards goal by substitute Diogo Jota. Then, he showed world-class reactions to divert yet another Salah shot wide of the far post.
Real would simply not be breached and while a team effort – Eder Militao was almost faultless – it was exceptional Courtois who took all the plaudits with his nine saves the most on record (since 2003-04) of any keeper in a single Champions League final.
As for the guy in the dugout, Ancelotti was already assured of a place in history amongst the game’s great managers before tonight but to win the La Liga and Champions League double with a Real side which lacks some of the world-class talents of its previous champions has cemented his place to a new level.
The veteran Italian has reinvigorated the class of 2022 and guided them to achievements greater than the sum of their parts. What a legacy.
After another campaign of Champions League 2022 highlights – some of which this SBOTOP observer has been fortunate to witness – Ancelotti and Real Madrid are the kings of Europe again.
Key statistics
Ancelotti has won the Champions League more than any other manager (four times) with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007 and Real Madrid in 2014 and in 2022.
Vinícius Jr (21 years, 320 days) is the fifth-youngest player to score in a Champions League final after team-mate Marco Asensio (21 years, 133 days in 2017), Borussia Dortmund’s Lars Ricken (20 years, 322 days in 1997), Carlos Alberto of Porto (19 years, 167 days in 2004) and Ajax’s Patrick Kluivert (18 years, 327 days in 1995).
With four goals and six assists, he is also the first South American player to be directly involved in 10 or more goals in a single Champions League campaign while aged 21 or under since Lionel Messi in 2008-09 (nine goals, five assists).
This was Toni Kroos’ fifth appearance in a Champions League final – only former team mate Cristiano Ronaldo and Paolo Maldini have featured in the European showpiece more (six).
What’s next?
And that concludes a successful 2021/22 season for both clubs – especially Real Madrid.
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