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“The Champions League should be called the CR7 Champions League”
PS Here’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s wonderfully absurd reaction to Real’s victory, as published by Marca.
Who was the top scorer once again? The Champions League should change and be called the CR7 Champions League. I have won five and I am the top goalscorer again, so I cannot be sad.
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That’s about it for tonight’s blog. It’s been a tough night for Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp wanted them to play brave, big balls football – and they did, dominating the match until Mo Salah’s heartbreaking injury after half an hour. That changed the mood of the match, and then poor Loris Karius made a big, big balls of the second half to give away two goals either side of Gareth Bale’s staggering overhead kick.
Congratulations to Real, commiserations to Liverpool. I’ll leave you with Daniel Taylor’s match report. Thanks for your company; goodnight.
Here are Andy Hunter’s player ratings from Kiev. Friends of Loris Karius, look away now.
“If anyone has the charisma, principles and work ethic to keep the Liverpool side together in the face of adversity it’s Klopp,” says Alex Yeandle. “Through bad luck he has ended up trophy-less this evening, but he’s got the confidence to inspire the Liverpool team into great things. This is only the beginning.”
Sometimes endings are disguised as beginnings. The start of next season is so important for Liverpool.
Here’s Zinedine Zidane “To win three CL trophies with this club is magnificent. It’s an unbelievable feeling, and we don’t quite realise what we have achieved yet. Gareth’s goal was magnificent, congratulations to him. [Was it better than yours, baldy?] It’s not the same thing, but this is just the latest one that we’ve witnessed. [Can you win four in a row?] We’ll enjoy the moment first, we had a complicated season but this makes us really happy.”
In case your’ve been watching repeats of Dawson’s Creek all night, here’s the short story of the match:
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30 min: Mo Salah left the field in tears with a dislocated shoulder.
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51 min: Karim Benzema gave Real the lead after a staggering mistake from the goalkeeper Lorus Karius.
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55 min: Sadio Mane, Liverpool’s best player, grabbed an instant equaliser from Dejan Lovren’s header.
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64 min: Gareth Bale, just on as a substitute, gave Real the lead with an astonishing overhead kick from 15 yards.
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70 min: Mane hit the post from 20 yards.
- 83 min: Bale scored his second with the help of another hideous howler from Karius.
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Here’s Jurgen Klopp “How couldn’t I feel for the players? There isn’t a lot to say: we started well and played exactly as we wanted to play. The situation with Ramos and Mo – that looks really bad, and it was a shock for the team. We lost our positive momentum. Half-time, came in, and then what can I say about the goals. We scored one, they scored three, that’s the result.
“Mo’s World Cup place is in doubt. He would have played on if he could. I think he’s in hospital at the moment having an X-ray. It doesn’t look good.
“What can I say? Loris knows it, everybody knows it. It’s a shame in a game like this and after a season like this. I really feel for him; he’s a fantastic boy. I think the second mistake is because of the first one. It’s really difficult to get rid of the bad thoughts in your mind.
“Bale’s goal was unbelievable. We did what we could, the boys tried everything. It was not the best script for us tonight. I know [we had a great campaign] but I can’t feel it. You go to a final to win it, and if you don’t you feel like you failed. It was a proper chance for us tonight and we didn’t take it. There’s nothing else to say.”
Jurgen Klopp is due to Whatsapp me any minute now. As soon as he does, I’ll let you know his thoughts.
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There’s no more news on Mo Salah. The early diagnosis was a dislocated shoulder, which would make him almost certain to miss the World Cup. For such a joyous thing, sport can be savagely cruel sometimes.
Luka Modric speaks! “To win it twice was amazing; this is historic. We watched a movie yesterday about basketball teams who won competitions three or four times in a row, and they called it a dynasty. Now we can call this a dynasty. I don’t think anyone will repeat this achievement.”
Rio Ferdinand, on BT Sport, thinks Bale’s goal is the best he‘s ever seen live. Zinedine Zidane’s reaction was marvellous, and reminiscent of Rinus Michels staggering around in disbelief when Marco van Basten scored that volley against USSR in the Euro 88 final.
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“If anybody has earned a raise at Real Madrid,” writes Asgeir Ingolfsson, “it‘s whoever is making those goalkeeper voodoo-dolls of their opponents: Buffon, Ulreich and now Karius.”
“At what point,” writes Alex Netherton, “do we have to admit that Zidane is a palpably better manager than Pep Guardiola?”
Jordan Henderson speaks. The poor bloke is miles away “It’s disappointing of course. We did well to get the goal and get back in the game, but we made mistakes and Madrid were really good. They were the better team. I felt we dominated in the first 30 minutes. It’s frustrating.
“When Mo got injured they started to dominate the ball more. I’m not really sure what happened with the first goal or whether it should have been allowed. It’s not about Loris Karius and the mistakes he might have made; it’s about the team. I’m so proud of the players and the fans. I hope we can keep going and get into more finals.”
“Really, this is the kind of a performance which finishes careers,” says Shom Biswas. “Goalkeeping yips. I sincerely hope Karius can come back to any level of football after this.”
I don’t think it’ll be that bad but I doubt he’ll play for Liverpool again.
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A precis of the match
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30 min: Mo Salah left the field in tears with a dislocated shoulder.
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51 min: Karim Benzema gave Real the lead after a staggering mistake from the goalkeeper Lorus Karius.
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55 min: Sadio Mane, Liverpool’s best player, grabbed an instant equaliser from Dejan Lovren’s header.
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64 min: Gareth Bale, just on as a substitute, gave Real the lead with an astonishing overhead kick from 15 yards.
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70 min: Mane hit the post from 20 yards.
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83 min: Bale scored his second with the help of another hideous howler from Karius.
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“Vamos!” shouts Ramos as he kisses his medal. Real are ready for the annual ritual of lifting the Champions League trophy, and Sergio Ramos drags it above his head to enormous cheers. They’ve done it again, again.
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Here’s Danny Taylor’s live match report from an emotional, slightly bizarre night in Kiev
Now it’s Real’s turn. Zinedine Zidane has been playing a game for the last few months: Champions League or P45. He’s usually pretty inscrutable but he’s currently smiling like that old couple in Mulholland Drive. He has been a manager three seasons, and he has won the Champions League three times. What the hell kind of record is that?
The Real players give Liverpool a guard of honour as they walk up to receive their medals. The defeat is something they can get over; the manner of it will gnaw at them for a long time.
Loris Karius walks up to the Liverpool fans, crying his eyes out as he lifts his hands in apology. The Liverpool fans applaud him empathetically.
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Here’s our snap match report from Kiev
Gareth Bale speaks “Obviously very disappointed not to start the game, so the best I couild do was come on and make an impact – and that’s what I did. It has to be the best goal I’ve ever scored. Just happy to get the win. We know what we’ve achieved and how good we’ve been. We let everyone else speak, we know how hungry and determined we are and we showed it again today.
“[On a possible return to the Premier League] I need to be playing week-in week-out and that hasn’t happened this season for one reason or another. I have to sit down in the summer and discuss my future with my agent and take it from there.”
Jurgen Klopp is walking around consoling his players, looking a bit dazed after losing a sixth consecutive final. There is so much for him to take in, not least thoughts of the parallel universe in which Mo Salah did not go off injured. Liverpool were excellent until then.
Karius is covering his face with his shirt. “That’s for life now, for him,” says Frank Lampard on BT Sport. “On a human level you have to feel for him.”
Real Madrid become the first team since Bayern Munich in the mid-1970s to win three consecutive European Cups. Karius is broken, face down on the pitch. Dejan Lovren has dissolved in tears and is being consoled by one of the Real players, Kovacic I think. Bale goes over to console Karius, whose Liverpool career is probably over. We thought Gareth Bale’s Madrid career was over, but bloody hell he gave it a kiss of life tonight.
REAL MADRID ARE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS FOR THE 13TH TIME!
Full time: Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool That’s it! Real retain their trophy with an ultimately comfortable victory in a bizarre final that will be remembered for many things: Mo Salah’s heartbreaking injury, Gareth Bale’s outrageous overhead kick, and most of all two unthinkable howlers from Loris Karius.
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90+3 min Ronaldo breaks through on goal, at which point a fan charges onto the field and is wrestled to the ground in the penalty area by two stewards. That was was astonishing.
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90 min For much of the season, Real Madrid have been a bit of a shambles. They’re about to win the Champions League for the third consecutive season. And actually, they have been much the better team overall tonight. Liverpool were superb until Salah’s injury shattered their morale.
89 min “Where’s Barry Davies to say ‘Oh. Loris Karius’?” asks Adam Roberts.
88 min Real make another change, with Marco Asensio replacing Karim Benzema.
86 min We usually get lost in the moment, which leads to hyperbole, but this really does feel like one of the most infamous goalkeeping performances of all time. Jurgen Klopp’s faith in Loris Karius has cost him in ways neither of them could ever have imagined.
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85 min Bale, on a hat-trick as a substitute, surges thrillingly clear from the halfway line and is denied by a wonderful last-man tackle from Lovren.
Bale cut inside from the right and hit a dipping shot from 30 yards that was straight down the throat of Karius, who spilled it over his shoulder into the net. It’s an awful mistake. Dear me, this has become the Lorus Karius final.
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GOAL! Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool (Bale 83)
Loris Karius has made another hideous mistake and Real Madrid are European champions!
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83 min A Liverpool substation: Emre Can replaces James Milner.
82 min Mane is booked for a foul on popular entertainer Sergio Ramos. That was harsh; Ramos knew what he was doing.
82 min Bale waves a majestic pass to Benzema, whose furious volley from 18 yards is beaten away by the flying Karius. It was a good rather than great save. Liverpool can’t get the ball.
81 min “These nuclear takes on Bale’s being best final goal ever have clearly forgotten McManaman’s beautiful shinner vs Valencia and Paul Rideout’s header in 1995,” sniffs Lee Calvert of hit podcast Nessun Dorma.
80 min The good news for Liverpool is that they still look dangerous when they have the ball. The bad news is that they are seeing less and less of the ball. Real’s experience is winning at the moment.
79 min “Last resort,” says Matt Dony. “Bring Hamann on...”
78 min “I’m struggling to think of a better Champions League Final goal than Bale’s,” says Matt Richman. “Zidane’s booklet was from further out, but he had time to watch it drop. Bale had it fizzed at him. I know I’ve seen the worst.”
I think Zidane’s was better - partly because of how far the ball had to drop and also because it felt like genius to order in a way that Bale’s didn’t quite. That said, I wouldn’t have a tantrum and unfriend you for preferring Bale’s.
77 min Liverpool have respondly excellently both times to going behind. If it stays 2-1 they will get another chance.
75 min What do Liverpool do from the bench? Their only realistic options are Solanke and Emre Can. I never thought I’d type this in a European Cup final MBM, but I wonder if Jurgen Klopp will regret not having Danny Ings among the subs.
73 min Firmino appeals for a penalty when his cross hits the elbow of Varane. I don’t think it was. Real break and Robertson makes a glorious last-ditch challenge to deny Ronaldo, who was put through by Casemiro.
71 min Thanks for all the emails, even though I haven’t had chance to read most of them. I swear MBMs weren’t always this manic.
MANE HITS THE POST!
70 min Sadio Mane has been Liverpool’s best attacker by a mile and he almost made it 2-2 there. He danced across the face of the box and hit a low left-footed drive from 20 yards that skimmed across the turf and clattered off the outside of the post.
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69 min Great defending from Ramos! Robertson’s long angled pass from inside his own half bounces dangerously behind Ramos, allowing Mane to burst through on goal. Ramos recovers magnificently to stretch and boot the ball away.
67 min Madrid are all over Liverpool now, and Klopp has few options on the bench. Lallana is nowhere near match fit; I’d be tempted to take him off and bring on Solanke.
65 min That might even have been Bale’s first touch of the game. It’s certainly the defining touch of his career. It was an outrageous goal.
Marcelo, on the left wing, came back onto his right foot and lofted a generic cross into the box. It came at chest height to Bale, who was facing away from goal just inside the area. He launched into a crazily athletic, spidery overhead kick that flew over Karius and into the net. What the hell was that! Even Zidane, who scored the greatest ever Champions League final goal in 2002, reacted with disbelief.
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ASTONISHING GOAL! Real Madrid 2-1 Liverpool (Bale 64)
Oh my goodness, this is a stunning overhead kick!
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63 min “This is weird (but that’s football),” says Hubert O’Hearn. “However, that absolute Comedy Goal was exactly the slap in the face Liverpool needed.”
It really was. If they win, it will be down to Lorus Karius’s incompetence. Football, eh.
62 min Real have switched to 4-3-3, which means the BBC attack are back together. Liverpool’s sexy MFS, alas, were split up after half an hour.
61 min Gareth Bale is getting ready to come on. Real are having loads of the ball now. Nacho’s sharp clow cross finds Isco, whose shot on the turn is pushed behind by the diving Karius. It was going wide anyway but Karius probably didn’t know that. That’s Isco’s last touch: Bale replaces him.
57 min This is more like it. The gloves are off; conceding that goal seemed to wake Liverpool from their slumber. As Glenn Hoddle says, “both teams are playing with emotion”. That suits Liverpool I think.
That Varane header led to the corner which led to the goal. It was lofted very slowly towards the far post, where Lovren beasted Ramos to head the ball down into the six-yard box. Mane reacted quicker than anyone to poke it past Navas from close range.
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GOAL! Real Madrid 1-1 Liverpool (Mane 55)
Liverpool are level!
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54 min In a very perverse way, that goal might help Liverpool, because to be honest they looked like a team who were waiting to concede. Now they will have to do what they best – attack. Milner’s brilliant cross from the left skims off the head of Varane and just over the leaping Firmino.
54 min Somewhere in the world, Gary Neville is cackling maniacally. Honestly, I cannot believe that mistake.
53 min “How many death threats has Ramos received?” asks Jacob Steinberg.
Come on, “Opta”, what have you got?
52 min It’s excellent play from Benzema, who read the throw and instinctively stuck his foot out to block it. But we are talking about one of the all-time great goalkeeping errors. Karius wanted a foul but it wasn’t.
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I cannot believe this. Karius collected a through pass from Kroos and tried to start a counter-attack but underarming a throw to Lovren. It hit the outstretched leg of Benzema and dribbled miserably into the corner of the net. That’s an astonishing mistake.
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GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool (Benzema 51)
Loris Karius has had the mother of all shockers.
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ISCO HITS THE BAR!
48 min Madrid should be ahead. Lallana tries to intercept Marcelo’s square pass and unwittingly diverts the ball straight to Isco, 15 yards from goal. As the ball bounces up he shins a right-footed shot that beats the outrushing Karius and clatters off the bar. That was a great chance.
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47 min The second half has started as the first finished, with Real dominating possession. Liverpool aren’t exactly hanging on but these are ominous signs.
47 min Liverpool need a bit more from the usually brilliant Firmino, who has been quiet for most of the game. At the moment, Mane looks their most likely source of a goal.
46 min Real Madrid begin the second half. The first five minutes should tell us whether Liverpool have cleared their heads.
Mo Salah has a dislocated shoulder, according to Liverpool’s early diagnosis. That means he will probably miss the World Cup as well. Sometimes, hideous things happen to good people.
“Dear Rob,” says Juan Escudero. “I´m a Madrid fan and I am very sorry that Salah is injured and cannot finish the game. I am sure Real want to fight against the best. I also understand the desperate frustration of Liverpool fans. But let´s not make this a witch hunt against Ramos. It might be a foul but he has never been known for wanting to injure opponents. It´s just an unfortunate play.”
On BT Sport, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand think Ramos was blameless. Steven Gerrard has kept his own counsel.
Won’t somebody think of Matt Dony?! “Footballing wise, Liverpool are not a one-man team, but it’s got to the point where Salah just represents so damn much about their style and approach. Replacing him with Lallana has meant Liverpool changing tack slightly, and Real relaxing a whole lot. At half time, I will be pouring a large, large whiskey.”
Yes, good point that. I also can’t remember quite such (near) universal sadness at a player going off injured. He seems like the nicest bloke in the world, and he might never play in a Champions League final again.
Half-time chit-chat
Niall Mullen “Turns out you need two offsides for Real Madrid to have a goal disallowed.”
Simon McMahon “Well that first half was full of drama, but maybe not in the way that most people thought. It’s going to penalties after a 0-0 draw, isn’t it?”
John Hone “Lovren, Lallana, Mane, Van Dijk and possibly Bale or Clyne: Southampton are well represented here!”
Michael Hayen “Once again Ramos’s ugly, cynical approach to football affects a match. No doubt, yet again it will pay off for him.”
Kevin Wilson “I don’t buy for one second that Pepe was worse than Ramos. Pepe was a brilliant comedy villain, his fouling was masterful. Ramos is way more thuggish in comparison. What also makes Ramos worse is his brilliance at scoring last minute winners from corners.”
Half time: Real Madrid 0-0 Liverpool
Phew. As goalless halves go, that was pretty eventful. Mo Salah and Dani Carvajal both left the field injured and in tears, Salah after a dubious wrestling manoeuvre from Sergio Ramos. Liverpool started brilliantly, albeit without creating many clear chances, but lost their way after Salah’s injury and were under a lot of pressure as half-time approached.
See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
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45+3 min More good play from Benzaema, who dances infield from the left and whips a good shot just wide of the near post. Again, I think Karius had it covered. Incidentally, replays show Benzema was just offside when he scored that disallowed goal. Ronaldo’s header would have counted, even though he should have been given offside.
45+2 min Liverpool are almost mourning the loss of Salah. They were superb for the first half hour but now they look distracted and nervous. That said, they are defending pretty well, with Van Dijk organising everyone as usual. He has had such an influence on the other defenders. Alexander-Arnold has also played extremely well.
45+1 min There will be three minutes of injury time.
45 min Benzema is starting to influence the game. He comes infield from the left and drives a superb crossfield pass to Nacho, who volleys into the side netting from a tightish angle. Karius had it covered.
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DISALLOWED GOAL FOR REAL!
43 min Real should be ahead, sort of. Ronaldo’s close-range header is beaten away by the flying Karius and put into the net by Benzema, who is flagged offside. As it turned out, Ronaldo was offside and Benzema wasn’t (I don’t think). But Ronaldo, who wasn’t given offside, should have scored - and had he done so it would have counted. Though it was a fine save from Karius, Ronaldo should have given him no chance.
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40 min “I’m livid,” says Oliver Lind, in reference to Ramos’s wrestling move on Salah. “Such a dirty, dirty player. Has been for years. He is almost as bad as Pepe was, only far cleverer.”
38 min Real have dominated completely since Salah went off, albeit without much penetration. Liverpool need half-time.
Carvajal off injured
37 min Dani Carvajal is replaced by Nacho. Jurgen Klopp took advantage of the break to get his team over for that aforementioned timeout.
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36 min “Ramos’ quick pin of Salah’s arm before they both fell - did that look dirty or was it a masterful use of the dark arts?” wonders Ted.
He knew what he was doing, though I’m sure all he wanted to do was make Salah visit the canvas. A shoulder injury was an unexpected bonus.
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35 min Poor Dani Carvajal, who went off injured in last year’s final, is struggling again. He’s face down and looks like he’s in tears as well. He hurt his hamstring when he tried a backheel to Ronaldo.
33 min Marcelo’s cross pinballs to Benzema, whose snapshot is blocked by Van Dijk. Liverpool could use a timeout to clear their heads.
32 min Liverpool’s heads are scrambled at the moment. Benzema finds Modric, who makes space for a shot that is blocked by Robertson.
31 min Lallana replaces Salah. He has gone to the left, with Mane moving to the right.
31 min The injury occurred when Ramos nicked the ball away from Salah. As Ramos’s momentum forced him to fall forward, he dragged Salah with him. Salah then landed heavily on his left shoulder.
Salah off injured
30 min This is horrible. The poor guy is in tears, and Cristiano Ronaldo - who suffered similar heartbreak in the Euro 2016 final - comes over to console him. That’s desperately sad. Adam Lallana is going to replace him.
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29 min Mo Salah is down again, and I think he’s going to have to go off. He’s almost in tears.
28 min An intrepid run from Mane leads to a corner for Liverpool. He’s been very lively so far.Nothing comes of the corner.
27 min Salah is up and looks likely to continue, though he is still in a lot of pain.
25 min Salah is down after a challenge from Ramos. He fell heavily on his left shoulder, and this looks pretty worrying for Liverpool.
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23 min: Good save from Navas! Milner’s cutback from the left reached Firmino, whose shot on the turn was blocked by Ramos. The ball came to Alexander-Arnold, who whistled an excellent low shot through the legs of a defender. Navas, who must have seen it late, plunged to his right to beat the ball away. That’s a fine save.
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22 min Another opening for Liverpool. A long ball is allowed to bounce through to Firmino, who misjudges the weight of a header through to Mane. Ramos comes across to make another vital interception.
20 min The game has settled down a touch after that frenetic start but Liverpool are still the better side. Madrid look really stretched in defence.
19 min “As a person who’s deeply, passionately ill-disposed towards Real,” begins Devyani, “and who’s slept very little in these final weeks of university, I can say I’m contributing a good deal of desperate, near-hysterical, energy towards hoping that Liverpool make something of this initial brilliance before Real do that thing where they somehow end up winning despite doing little to deserve it.”
This is the kind of game where neither set of supporters would feel safe at 3-0, and would still have slight doubts at 12-0.
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18 min An abysmal pass across defence by Carvajal gives Liverpool a corner. Salah’s deep inswinger is headed over by Van Dijk, with Navas in no man’s land. Van Dijk just couldn’t get over the ball, which meant it looped gently over the bar.
16 min “Why the heckins can’t I just enjoy football?” weeps Matt Dony. “The first ten minutes have been all Liverpool, but unless they score (ideally about 5), I just can’t relax and appreciate it. I agree wholeheartedly with your Firmino comments. He’s quietly redefining what you can expect from a ‘striker’.”
He’s a mix of Ian Rush and Lionel Messi; the first true-or-false? nine. You can keep that one for free.
15 min The first chance for Ronaldo. Robertson sells himself on the halfway line and is beaten by Carvajal. He moves forwards and finds Ronaldo, who marches into the area from the right and screams a shot wide of the near post from a tight angle.
15 min “Hallo Rob,” says James Walsh. “Writing from Beijing where it’s a 2:45am kick off. I need to be up at 7 for the flight back. China’s firewall means I can only access Yahoo, Bing Ask Jeeves and... the Guardian. We’re just back from farewell karaoke, ending on We Didn’t Start The Fire, which I’m pretty sure is about the European Cup. I suppose we’re staying up then.”
14 min Milner, Salah and Mane all have shots blocked in quick succession, with the last of those deflecting to Firmino in the box. He tries to wriggle past Carvajal, who makes a vital tackle.
13 min Ronaldo has pulled on Alexander-Arnold quite a lot, though he hasn’t seen much of the ball. Kroos, meanwhile, is maybe a bit lucky not to be booked for a foul on the breaking Mane.
12 min Real keep the ball for a minute or so. Liverpool are waiting for their moment to strike, and as soon as they win the ball they break at, well, breakneck speed.
11 min Marcelo turns smartly away from Milner before dragging a tame shot well wide from 25 yards. Benzema looks like he might be struggling with an injury.
10 min We thought Madrid might struggle with Liverpool’s tempo but they are also struggling to keep the ball. Liverpool could barely have started better.
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8 min It’s all Liverpool. Robertson’s cross is headed over by the stooping Firmino in front of the near post. Salah has rightly had all the attention this season but I can’t remember a No9 with Firmino’s range of ability. He is a glorious footballer.
7 min Madrid tried to slow the game down with some possession football. When they lose it, Liverpool slice then open again. Firmino plays a marvellous angled through pass towards Mane. Navas charges out of his area to meet him but Varane gets there first to clear. Moments later, Firmino’s deflected header bounces towards Alexander-Arnold, who is just beaten to the ball by Navas.
6 min ... Salah runs over the free-kick and leaves it to Milner. He clips it square to Salah, who hits a low shot that is blocked. Not sure they needed anything quite so fancy at this stage.
5 min Real are struggling to deal with Liverpool’s tempo. Marcelo fouls Salah 20 yards from goal, in line with the right edge of the box...
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4 min “Sitting in a hotel in Shigatse, Tibet where almost all internet is blocked, but China TV has the Champions League final kindly queued up at 2:45 am,” says Keith Leslie. “Made offerings at Tashilungmo Monastery today for Liverpool.”
Every little helps.
4 min This is terrific from Liverpool. Alexander-Arnold surges forward and hits a dangerous low cross that is booted clear by Varane on the six-yard line.
3 min It’s been a fast, confident start by Liverpool. Salah finds Wijnaldum, whose stinging low shot from 25 yards is blocked by Varane.
2 min Madrid’s first attack. Carvajal lofts a cross towards Isco, and Karius flies from his line to punch clear. Isco was offside but Karius didn’t know that.
2 min That’s a great stat from Darren Fletcher on BT Sport - Trent Alexander-Arnold is the first teenager to start in defence in a European Cup final since 1971.
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2 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Cheering on Klopp, Andy Robertson and Matt Dony tonight, really hope Liverpool do it. I’m not one to name drop (Mick Jagger told me not to) but I’ve actually met Andy Robertson. Thoroughly nice bloke. As, I’m sure, are Klopp and Dony. I’m nervous for them all. Come on Liverpool!!!”
23 sec A fast start from Liverpool, with Salah pushing a short through ball towrds Mane in the area. Varane comes round to make a vital tackle.
1 min Peep peep! James Milner, for it is he, gets the Champions League final under way.
Real Madrid v Liverpool, Champions League final 2018. Let’s do this thing!
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The players are in the tunnel. There’s a storming atmosphere in Kiev. Jurgen Klopp is smiling broadly, as are Sadio Mane and Mo Salah. Some of the other Liverpool players look a little more taut, notably Jordan Henderson and Andy Robertson.
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Matt Dony breakdown latest
“Not to be hyperbolic, but this is the longest 45 minutes in history!”
Jürgen Klopp speaks!
“We came here with a specific kind of football [big balls] and it would make no sense to play differently tonight. It is very tense; everybody can feel the size of the game. The challenge is to see it as a normal football game. W don’t need to be 1-0 up after two minutes; we cannot unsettle them with that. We need to be stable at the start.
“Bale could have played; you see the bench of Madrid ... ooh hoo hoo! Their bench could probably qualify for the Champions League final. But It’s 11 v 11, we are fine, we are very happy to be here and we can’t wait to play the game.”
A bit of pre-match viewing
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26 – Liverpool’s starting XI is the youngest (26 y 170 d) in an UCL final since Borussia Dortmund 2013 (25 y 255 d). Klopp. #RMALFC #UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/CZkJSaSWAy
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) May 26, 2018
It’s always 3.45am somewhere
“Hi Rob,” says Samuel Duncan. “Don’t know what Pep & co would think of this but there is definitely a red moon over Niigata where I am watching the game, 03:45 kick off here!! Packed in the Twilight Cafe (it’s a sports bar really).”
“I’ve spent today lamenting the fact Scotland have finally produced some top-class players for the first time in decades and they both happen to be left backs,” says Gerry Scott. “God clearly has a sense of humour.”
Since you asked, here’s my prediction for tonight
- Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool
- Real Madrid 1-4 Liverpool
- Real Madrid 2-2 Liverpool (5-4 pens)
- Real Madrid 2-3 Liverpool
- Real Madrid 3-0 Liverpool
- Real Madrid 12-11 Liverpool
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No big match involving Liverpool or Wales would be complete without Matt Dony’s pre-match breakdown
“Argh, I haven’t been this nervous about a football match since Wales won Euro 2016! (Pretty sure I’m remembering that right...) As a Welshman, I’ll admit to some relief at seeing Bale on the bench; I do hate to cheer against him. I’m confident Liverpool will score, but, y’know, Ronaldo will do his thing. He is a ridiculous footballer. He is a ridiculous person. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what to expect. This is horrible.”
Horrible? I always found pre-match nerves to be one of the most exquisite feelings in the world.
“Streets of Mexico City full of pink, white and black Real Madrid jerseys, like an awful cake,” says Tim MacGabhann. “Last time I came to this cantina with the only other Liverpool fans I know here, the waiters laughed as 7-2 thinned to 7-6. They have brought me a bucket in case it’s the same this evening. May God have mercy on us all.”
“Hello Rob,” says Kevin Thomson. “In the unlikely event of Andrew Robertson picking up a CL medal tonight, he will be the first Scotsman to do so since ... I think it was Paul Lambert playing for Borussia Dortmund in 1997 (somebody may find this interesting).”
Didn’t Darren Fletcher get one in 2008? He was on the bench but didn’t come on. But Lambert is the last Scot to play in a final, never mind win one.
Liverpool will play Fulham in the Premier League next season. Fulham have beaten Aston Villa 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley. John Brewin has all the reaction.
A pre-match plug
Team news
Both starting XIs are as expected, which means Gareth Bale is on the Madrid bench.
Real Madrid (4-D-2) Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro; Modric, Kroos; Isco; Benzema, Ronaldo.
Substitutes: Casilla, Nacho, Bale, Theo Hernandez, Lucas Vazquez, Asensio, Kovacic.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Substitutes: Mignolet, Clyne, Klavan, Moreno, Lallana, Can, Solanke.
Referee Milorad Mazic.
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“Hi Rob,” says Hubert O’Hearn. “Glad you drew the lucky straw to do tonight’s MBM. Well, from my point of view it’s a lucky straw, other opinions (your own for instance) are available. At least your fingers will be doing worthy tasks while my own will be alternating among nail chewing, crisp grabbing, liquid clutching signs of nerves of the sort that make younger generations think, ‘Maybe it’s time Dad shouldn’t be driving any more.’ Good thing the kids are an ocean away in Canada. Here’s to a brilliant match. Cheers!”
“Hey Rob,” says Alex. “I was trying to study for my calculus final but the stress is getting control of me even more than one hour before the game. Numbers all look like a scoresheet to me right now.”
I hope no Liverpool fans are working in air traffic control right now, or they’ll have flight L0VR3N getting uncomfortably close to flight CR7.
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“While a debate about the quality of back-to-back Champions League winners is in some sense ridiculous, I can sort of understand why there are people who are underwhelmed by Zidane’s Real Madrid,” says Kári Tulinius. “Guardiola and most other modern supercoaches create sides defined by control and balance. In contrast this Real team seems messy and chaotic. But maybe that’s the idea. If they can disrupt the flow and rhythm of the game, it will lead to more errors for both teams, but especially the one used to more orderliness. A squad this absurdly talented should be able to punish more errors than their opponents can. It’s like the old saying goes, if you wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty, but the pig likes it. Enjoy the game!”
They played with much more authority last year, didn’t they? Or did I dream that? I agree they have been weirdly chaotic this year, but you can’t argue with three Champions League wins in a row. Well, you can, but you’d be a bit of a dolt to do so.
Some more pre-match reading Here’s Richard Williams on the duel that could define the match: Benzema v Lovre- wait, hang on.
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BT Sport’s coverage begins with a rousing soliloquy from the great Liverpool-supporting actor Stephen Graham. I’m surprised he’s been allowed back on the football coverage after he was caught making those racist comments in This Is England.
“Hi Rob,” says Gokul Kannan. “Nervous Liverpool fan here. I see the game to be won or lost in Liverpool being able to take all the chance they create. Because create they will. Take them and we will be 5-0 to the good in 20 mins.”
I’d love to read your prediction if you weren’t nervous.
In modern times, Real have been as likely to be champions of Europe as champions of Spain. Since the 1997-98 season, they have won the Champions League and La Liga six times apiece. It’s a bonkers ratio, especially when you contrast with other big teams in the same period:
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Barcelona 4 x Champions League, 11 x La Liga
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Bayern 2 x Champions League, 14 x Bundesliga
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Manchester United 2 x Champions League, 9 x Premier League
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Juventus 0 x Champions League, 10 x Serie A
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AC Milan 2 x Champions League, 3 x Serie A
A bit more pre-match reading
It’s round, it has a circumference of 69cm, it weighs between 420 and 445 grammes - and that’s just the left one. Here’s Andy Hunter on Jurgen Klopp’s plea for Liverpool to play “brave, big balls football”.
“Hello Rob,” says Michael Cosgrove. “Do you have any thoughts on how Liverpool may try to neutralise the threat posed by Ronaldo, and how Real may try to contain Salah?”
I doubt either team will do anything specific, apart from maybe a bit of prayer. It would be tempting to play a right-footed left-back against Salah but Marcelo is so important going forward that I’d be pretty surprised if Zinedine Zidane changed anything. That said, I’m no Tactics Man.
The team news should be confirmed at around 6.45pm BST. These are the predicted XIs, though Madrid have a few options in midfield and attack.
Real Madrid (4-D-2) Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro; Modric, Kroos; Isco; Benzema, Ronaldo.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
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A bit more pre-match reading Here’s Sid Lowe on pantomime villain and wildly underrated defender Sergio Ramos.
Real Madrid have a terrifying record in European Cup finals: 12 wins, three defeats. But their last defeat, back in 1981, was against Liverpool.
If you need an early hit of live football, John Brewin is following the Championship play-off final between Aston Villa and Fulham. You won’t believe the score!
We’ll have a leisurely build-up to the 7.45pm BST kick-off. Let’s start with the great Daniel Taylor’s preview from Kiev.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the biggest custody battle in Europe. Real Madrid and Liverpool both claim moral ownership of the Champions League. Madrid because they have won it a record 12 times; Liverpool because they have won it five times and experienced a unique range of emotions in the process.
These two are European royalty but that, pretty much, is where the similarities end tonight. This Champions League final offers a mouthwatering contrast: the winning experience of Real against the infectious naivety and devastating speed of Liverpool. Every decent forward line needs an acronym these days, and Liverpool’s sexy MFS could run Madrid’s geriatricos ragged. They are the main reason why Jurgen Klopp’s side are the most exhilarating team in Europe, maybe the world.
Madrid have the best player in the world, maybe the best of all time, a ludicrous winner called Cristiano Ronaldo. If Madrid are victorious tonight he will join Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich on five European Cup wins. And Madrid would become the first team since Bayern in the mid-1970s to win the competition three years in a row.
It’s hard to reconcile that potential achievement with their erratic performances en route to Kiev. But then this has been the most dramatic, illogical European season in yonks. Don’t bother trying to predict the result. Both teams know that attack isn’t the best form of defence; it’s the only form. As such, all results are conceivable - except one. There is surely no way this will be 0-0.
If you are a supporter of either side, or either side’s rivals, I humbly suggest the urgent procurement of something with a very generous ABV. This could be a deranged, nerve-shredding classic.
Kick off is at 7.45pm BST.
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