Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool LIVE score and goal updates from Champions League final in Kiev
The 2018 Champions League final is here.
It has been an incredible campaign for Liverpool and now they are 90 minutes away from their sixth European success.
Standing in their way are Real Madrid, eyeing their third Champions League in a row and fourth in five years.
Gareth Bale misses out for Los Blancos, with Zinedine Zidane instead opting to select Isco and Karim Benzema in support of Cristiano Ronaldo in attack.
For Liverpool - it's as you'd expect.
We will have all the action LIVE right here.
Liverpool: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum; Mané, Salah, Firmino
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Modric, Kroos, Isco; Ronaldo, Benzema
KEY EVENTS
Fans slam Karius
Fans have taken to social media to slam Loris Karius after the Liverpool goakeeper made two huge blunders against Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
His first came when Karim Benzema closed him down in the second half. After gathering the ball, the German looked to distribute it quickly to his defence.
However, the 24-year-old instead threw the ball underarm at the France striker’s foot and could only watch as it bobbled past him and across the line.
It was the game’s opening goal and a crucial one for Real Madrid as they went on to win a third consecutive Champions League title.
Real Madrid player ratings
Navas 6
Terrific save from Alexander-Arnold but his lack of height exposed on Mane’s leveller.
Carvajal 6
Went off injured and in tears. Had been getting exposed by Mane, Nacho was better.
Varane 7
Showed great pace and read the game brilliantly to shut down Liverpool danger.
Ramos 7
Made himself public enemy No1 with a foul which forced off Salah. Master of dark arts.
Marcelo 7
Far more interested in going forward than defending, but his attack is best form of defence.
Casemiro 7
Cast as the ugly duckling in a team of superstars. Efficient and effective in equal measure.
Kroos 7
Started nervously, had a poor first half and then began to find his rhythm and passing.
Modric 8
MotM. Runs the game for Real Madrid, his passing and vision always makes things happen.
Isco 5
Hit the crossbar with great chance, struggled to influence the game and got subbed.
Benzema 7
His tenacity brought him luck for Real’s opening goal. Combined well with Ronaldo.
Ronaldo 7
By no means the player he was but always rises to the big occasion. Big threat.
Liverpool player ratings
Karius 4
Terrible mistakes for the kid, and you feel so much for him, but brain freeze
Alexander-Arnold 7
Just brilliant. Took to this stage like he owned it, and never fazed in slightest
Lovren 7
Brilliant strength and took game to Real with his grit great assist too
Van Dijk 7
Tower of strength at back and a Rolls Royce centre half with more to come
Robertson 7
Loved his fighting spirit, and never say die attitude, will only improve too
Wijnaldum 7
Energy was incredible, and covered so much ground, inevitably tired
Henderson 7
Led by example, put everything out there and courage could not be faulted
Milner 7
Massive role in midfield and didn’t disappoint with his work or attitude
Mane 8
Was Liverpool’s best and completely unplayable at times. Deserved goal
Firmino 7
Work rate immense and gave Madrid defence nightmares, closing down.
Salah 7
Started brilliantly but cynically taken out of game by Ramos
Player ratings
Gareth Bale climbed off the bench to fire Real Madrid to victory on a night to forget for Liverpool keeper Loris Karius.
The Reds were dealt a massive blow in the first half when Mo Salah was forced off with a suspected dislocated shoulder.
Things went from bad to worse for Jurgen Klopp’s men after the break when Karius dropped a massive clanger to gift Karim Benzema the opening goal.
Sadio Mane hauled Liverpool level shortly after from close range, only for Bale’s wonderstrike to restore the Spanish side’s lead.
Bale bagged a second after another Karius blunder as they won their third successive trophy.
5. Real create a dynasty
Despite a dismal season by their own standards domestically, this Real Madrid side wrote themselves into the history books and created a footballing dynasty.
They have become the first side to win three European Cups in a row since Bayern Munich between 1974 and 1976, and only the fourth team in history to do so.
Real won the first five trophies between 1956 and 1960, while Ajax won three in a row between 1971 and 1973.
It is their fourth success in the last five seasons and reaffirms their position as the most successful club in the history of the most illustrious club competition in world football.
And whatever criticisms get levelled at Zinedine Zidane, he will go down in Los Blancos history as both a hugely successful player and manager.
4. Karius' nightmare moment
If Jurgen Klopp wasn’t convinced about splurging £30million+ on a goalkeeper this summer before the Champions League final, he surely is now.
Loris Karius has established himself as No.1 at Anfield this term and had seemingly turned a corner as his performances improved over the course of the season.
But his frailties were once again exposed here as he suffered a moment to forget just a few minutes into the second half.
The ball ran through to the shot-stopper harmlessly as Karim Benzema made half an attempt to chase it down.
Karius then attempted to roll it out but it struck Benzema’s outstretched foot and rolled into the goal to put Real ahead.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Real’s win was rubber-stamped when Gareth Bale’s second goal, a hopeful strike from long distance, burst through his hands.
And the errors proved pivotal at full-time.
3. More final heartbreak for Carvajal
Mo Salah wasn’t the only player reduced to tears in the first half.
Dani Carvajal, who also limped out of last season’s showpiece against Juventus, was forced off with a hamstring injury.
The difference this year is that there is a World Cup on the horizon and the Spaniard’s tears told you everything you needed to know ahead of the tournament in Russia.
You have to think the World Cup was at the forefront of both Carvajal and Salah’s minds as they left the pitch understandably distraught.
2. Salah's tears and Ramos' dark arts
To suggest Sergio Ramos deliberately injured Mo Salah to the extent of forcing him out of the game is probably a stretch... but it’s difficult to argue the Spaniard didn’t know what he was doing.
Ramos tussled with Salah as the pair chased the ball and, as their arms locked, he dragged the Egyptian to the ground, inflicting a suspected dislocated shoulder and likely ending his World Cup dream.
Salah knew straight away his night was finished and cut a disconsolate figure as tears streamed down his face.
For his part, Ramos shared a joke with teammates on the pitch and it was just the latest questionable challenge in a chequered career for a wonderful defender.
1. Bale sends Zidane one hell of a message
There are ways to react to being dropped.
You can sulk, slump into your seat on the bench and feel sorry for yourself.
Or you can do what Gareth Bale did this evening.
If Zinedine Zidane does stay on as Real Madrid boss, he must surely begin to recognise Bale for the world-class footballer he is.
For the second year in a row, the Welshman was overlooked for the Champions League final as Zidane opted to keep the same XI that beat Juventus in Cardiff 12 months ago.
It was the latest in a string of appearances from the bench for Bale this term, who has regularly been left out by his boss in spite of his injury problems.
But he replaced Isco on the hour, and with his first touch struck one of the most memorable European Cup final goals in history.
The wizardry of it is impossible to explain; an overhead kick from the edge of the area, with the ball travelling at pace, past the helpless Loris Karius.
He added another which burst through Karius hands from distance in the final minutes, but it was his first goal which will live long in the memory.
A truly magic moment and one which will perhaps define Bale’s career in the Spanish capital.
Five talking points
Gareth Bale was the toast of Madrid once more as his stunning second-half goal won a third successive Champions League for Real.
The Welshman’s overhead kick made it 2-1 and he added another in the final minutes on a horror night for Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius.
He suffered two howlers as Real ran out 3-1 winners, including letting Bale’s second of the night burst straight through his hands.
Sadio Mane had earlier levelled for the Reds after Karim Benzema pounced on another Karius error just after the break.
Liverpool were denied a sixth title while Real claimed their fourth triumph in the last five years.
That's it from the Champions League final and the European club football season. Now the countdown to the World Cup in Russia truly begins!
After a first half that didn't offer much, the game came alive in the second period. A huge mistake from Loris Karius provided Karim Benzema with the easiest goal of his career but there was hope for Liverpool after Sadio Mane equalised. A moment of magic from Gareth Bale put Los Blancos back in front and another horrendous mistake from Karius gave Bale his second, with Real Madrid winning 3-1.
Post a Comment