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Real Madrid are the Champions of Europe again!

By wolf777news
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Image: Twitter UEFA Champions League

Real Madrid proved that when it comes to Champions League football, they are simply unbeatable.

The final started on a sour note and was delayed 37 minutes following a series of crowd-control issues outside Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France.

Liverpool dominate

Liverpool were dominant in the opening stages with Mohamed Salah three times forcing saves from Madrid shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois.

Mane came agonisingly close to opening the scoring in the 21st minute.

He skipped his way into a shooting position inside the box only for Courtois to tip his net-bound shot onto his right-hand post.

Despite their dominance, it was the Spanish side who thought they had the half-time lead when Karim Benzema put the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside.

Several minutes of VAR eventually confirmed the decision, but it was a highly debated call.

However, Real Madrid was not to be denied and went ahead in the 59th minute.

It was Brazilian winger Vinicius who turned in Fede Valverde’s enticing low cross to make it 1-0.

Courtois was unbelievable

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was impenetrable in goal, making critical saves throughout the match.
In the 82nd-minute, he used his leg to block Salah’s shot near the far post.
He also instinctively used his hands to tip Salah’s right-footer as the ball sailed over the right post.
For his efforts, Courtois was rightly chosen Man of the Match.
His nine saves against Liverpool is the most on record of any goalkeeper in a single Champions League final.
Courtois is just the third goalkeeper to be named Man of the Match in a Champions League final after Oliver Kahn in 2001 and Edwin van der Sar in 2008.
Some important stats
Carlo Ancelotti made history by winning his fourth Champions League crown as a manager, more than any other manager in the history of the competition.
He previously won the competition in 2003, 2007 and 2013.
For a number of his veteran players, including Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Marcelo, it marked a fifth triumph in the competition.

Jurgen Klopp’s side lost to the Spanish giants in a Champions League final for the second time in five seasons.

A victory for Liverpool would have put them level with AC Milan on seven European Cups.

Real have a fifth Champions League in nine seasons to go.

Madrid have won the European Cup/Champions League on 14 occasions. That’s twice as many times as any other side in the history of the competition.

During the Champions League era, Madrid have reached the final eight times and they have always been on the winning side.

Vinicius Junior scored or assisted against every team Madrid faced in the Champions League knockout stage in the 2021-22 season.

The Brazil international is the fifth-youngest player to score in a Champions League final after Patrick Kluivert, Carlos Alberto, Lars Ricken and Marco Asensio.

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