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Jurgen Klopp’s spirited Liverpool squared off against Carlo Ancelotti’s comeback kings Real Madrid in the Champions League final at the Stade de France on Saturday. The Reds created more chances and gave it their all, but the Whites ultimately came out on top, securing a 1-0 win.
Liverpool, eager to avenge their Champions League loss to Zinedine Zidane’s Madrid in 2018, started the game with added gusto. They were quicker than Madrid, regularly popping up in dangerous areas and creating one chance after another.
Mohamed Salah was on the end of the Merseysiders’ first real goalscoring opportunity in the 16th minute, but his effort wasn’t powerful enough to beat Thibaut Courtois. Five minutes later, Sadio Mane skipped past Casemiro and went for the bottom-left corner with a low drive. Courtois once again came to Los Blancos’ aid with a lightning quick save.
Real Madrid did not create many chances, but their only real attack of the first half ended up in the back of the net. Capitalizing on a moment of hesitation at the back, Karim Benzema found the net for the All Whites in the 42nd minute. The goal, after a lengthy VAR consultation, was ruled out for offside.
Real Madrid’s winning goal finally came in the 59th minute, courtesy of a lightning-fast counter attack. Fede Valverde’s low cross was impeccable, and Vinicius Junior made no mistake turning it in from point-blank range. Klopp’s men came close to scoring a leveler just five minutes later, but Salah’s curling effort was parried away by the brilliant Courtois. Los Blancos fashioned a couple of chances of their own on the break, but their finishing was not up to the mark.
The six-time European champions did their best to break Madrid down, but in the end, it was not meant to be. Here are three Real Madrid players who shone and two Liverpool players who failed to make their mark in Paris on Saturday:
Performed: Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Vinicius Junior did not see much of the ball in the first half, courtesy of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate. The duo outmuscled him with ease, rendering Los Blancos’ left-wing ineffective. However, despite not having much luck, the Brazilian continued to look for opportunities, and finally had his break in the 69th minute.
Fede Valverde made an excellent run down the right flank, looked up, and drove a low cross towards the left-wing. The 21-year-old positioned himself beyond Alexander-Arnold's reach and applied the finishing touch from close range. The goalscorer also won three duels, drew a foul and made a tackle.
Disappointed: Thiago Alcantara (Liverpool)
Having picked up an Achilles injury against Wolverhampton Wanderers on matchday 38, there were doubts over Thiago’s involvement in the Champions League final. The midfielder ultimately managed to start the most important match of the season but did not quite look his best. He made some neat passes in the early moments of the match but his influence waned as the match wore on.
Against Carlo Ancelotti’s side, Thiago had only one shot on target, lost four ground duels, ceded possession five times, and committed two fouls. His performance was not poor by any means, but we have come to expect more from the Spanish maestro.
Performed: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
Los Blancos right-back Dani Carvajal went up against Liverpool’s electrifying left-winger Luis Diaz on Saturday night. Many expected the 30-year-old to struggle against the Colombian, which, in the opening 20 minutes, turned out to be true. However, the way Carvajal bounced back from that shaky start was a sight to behold. He grew in confidence with every passing minute and ended the match as Los Blancos’s best outfield player.
Against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, Carvajal won six ground duels, made three clearances, blocked two shots, intercepted two passes, and attempted four tackles. He also contributed to the attack, accurately delivering a long ball and completing both of his attempted dribbles.
Disappointed: Luis Diaz (Liverpool)
Courtesy of his clever runs, work rate, and decisive goal contributions, Liverpool’s winter signing Luis Diaz has dominated the headlines since his switch from Porto. Last night, he was expected to add another memorable performance to his growingly impressive resume. The Colombian started brightly as well but lost his way past the 30-minute mark.
Diaz struggled to outsmart Real Madrid's inspired right-back Dani Carvajal and ended the match without a single shot on target. In Paris, Diaz lost eight ground duels and two aerial duels; ceded possession 11 times and committed two fouls. Failing to make a dent, he was taken off for Diogo Jota in the 65th minute.
Performed: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
The then-Atletico Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois found himself on the receiving end of Real Madrid’s wrath in the 2013-14 Champions League final. Last night, as Real Madrid’s first-choice goalkeeper, he managed to add the most celebrated trophy in club football to his impressive collection. The former Chelsea keeper was by far the best player on the pitch on Saturday, single-handedly denying Liverpool their seventh Champions League title.
Over the course of the 90, Courtois managed to make a whopping nine saves, with seven of them coming from inside the box. The big Belgian also kept himself from spilling the ball in dangerous areas, which, we believe, was as commendable as his shot-stopping. Apart from the brilliant saves, the Man of the Match also made three high claims, won an aerial duel and accurately delivered eight long balls.
