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As Kiev filled up ahead of the widely anticipated UEFA Champions League final between defending champions Real Madrid and Liverpool, most eyes were on the mouth-watering Cristiano Ronaldo vs Mohamed Salah matchup.
The single most significant club match of the season, the final certainly lived up to its billing as both sides played out an intense match, despite Real Madrid eventually triumphing on the back of a couple of horrific errors from Liverpool's goalkeeper, Loris Karius.
Despite a positive start for Jurgen Klopp's men, a tragic tangle with Sergio Ramos in the 24th minute forced Mohamed Salah to leave the pitch in tears soon after, arguably putting the Merseysiders on the backfoot.
Ultimately, the night belonged to Los Blancos' super-sub Gareth Bale, who came off the bench to score an all-important historic brace to seal the tie.
On that note, here is a look at 3 things that went right for Real Madrid as they became the first team in history to win 3 consecutive UEFA Champions League titles:
#3 The Salah handicap
Ahead of the expectedly intense final, Zinedine Zidane's greatest challenge was always going to be the task of keeping Mohamed Salah in check. Unfortunately for Liverpool, it was fate who executed it in the cruellest fashion.
A controversial run-in with Sergio Ramos early in the game saw the Egyptian talisman land awkwardly on his shoulder before subsequently walking off in tears a few minutes later. The Premier League's Player of the Year's removal visibly blunted Liverpool's attack as they failed to pierce Madrid's defence like they have to other defences all season.
Despite Sadio Mane's solitary goal, Madrid seemed perfectly suited to negate Liverpool's attack thereafter as Keylor Navas did his bit to keep the ball out of his own net, eventually giving Madrid a comfortable and commanding victory.
Here is a look at the collision:
Foul or not? You decide.
At the time of publishing, early diagnosis state that Salah has reportedly dislocated his shoulder and could miss the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Let's hope he recovers in time as a man of his calibre certainly deserves to play at the grandest stage of them all. Especially after the season he has had.
#2 Pressuring Loris Karius into making match-defining errors
While all eyes were on the attacking side of things, the game was ultimately decided by the defensive end of it, as two massive errors from Liverpool's Loris Karius only aided Los Blancos in their historic achievement.
First, it was Karim Benzema who made the right movement to capitalise on the German's poor judgement to score the first goal of the night - a goal fit to be on a compilation of funny goals conceded.
As Karius attempted to throw the ball to one of his teammates, Benzema stuck his leg out and managed to make contact with the ball, sending it back past Karius and into the goal.
Once something like that happens to you in a Champions League final, you're bound to be a pile of nerves and that's exactly what Karius turned out to be as in the 83rd minute, with the score reading 2-1 to Madrid, Gareth Bale let loose a thunderous shot straight into the path of Karius.
Instead of parrying or catching what seemed to deserve a regulation save, the jitters got through to the shot-stopper, as he cracked under pressure and bottled a schoolboy effort, allowing in yet another goal that probably shouldn't have been.
#1 Gareth Bale's impactful substitution
Left on the bench in yet another Champions League final, Gareth Bale was introduced in place of Isco only in the second half but boy did he make the most of the opportunity!
After Sadio Mane's goal in the 55th minute brought Liverpool level, Zinedine Zidane decided to inject his side with raw pace as he brought on Gareth Bale in a move that almost immediately paid dividends.
Haring into position, Bale only took 3 minutes to make his first impression of the game as he found himself on the receiving end of a cross from Marcelo, before rising acrobatically to stun the crowd with one of the best overhead kicks ever. What a time and place to do it.
19 minutes later, Bale found himself with all the space he needed as the Welshman, high on confidence, smashed a long-range effort at full power, albeit straight at Karius. However, such was the force on the shot that Karius could do little to alter the course of the ball, let alone save it.
Here's a glimpse of the stunning overhead goal:
