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Real Madrid champion of the UEFA Champions League
This Saturday Real Madrid was crowned champion of the Champions League by beating Liverpool by the minimum at the Stade de France in a match in which Jürgen Klopp's men dominated and had the clearest chances, but the effectiveness and forcefulness of the white team prevailed and gave victory to the fourteen-time champions of the contest.
The meeting was delayed approximately 30 minutes, since many fans could not access the stadium due to false tickets and while the situation was controlled by the local authorities, the opening ceremony was being prepared by the singer-songwriter Camila Cabello.
After the presentation of the Cuban-American actress, the teams prepared to enter along with the three referees and once in position, the UEFA Champions League anthem began, which was whistled by the fans as on other occasions.
For the final showdown, Klopp came out with his customary 4-3-3. With Alisson in goal and Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk and Robertson in defense. In the center of the field, Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago Alcántara, who was in doubt until the last moment. Salah, Mané and Luis Díaz were in the attack. Novelty of the Colombian who was a starter.
For his part, Carlo Ancelotti came out with Courtois in goal, Carvajal, Alaba, Militao and Mendy in defence. The usual trident in the midfield: Kross, Casemiro and Modric. In the attack Valverde, Benzema and Vinicius.
The match began with Liverpool trying to impose their conditions on the field and lead a constant attack into the rival area, however, in the first few minutes neither team had clear chances. Between Salah and Mané they tried to reach the goal, but the Belgian goalkeeper always kept the ball.
However, at minute 20 came one of the clearest chances of the game for the team led by Klopp. The attackers of the 'Reds' alternated their positions very well and Mané receives a pass from the front and takes a powerful shot to the left post that Courtois ends up deflecting to the post and the rebound is in his hands. Madrid is saved.
As the minutes went by, Madrid began to impose their conditions, but the strategy, far from adding attackers up front and their usual offensive play, in this case cut Liverpool's overwhelming pace and passed the ball to the goalkeeper to play with the defenders and a further back Kross that served as a hitch and to pass the ball up.
This is how the match unfolded. Valverde went down to the midfield to help in the contention together with Casemiro and on several occasions he went down to the defense to help Carvajal nullify the initiatives of Luis Díaz. He was also added to the attack, a true shock that had several functions in the match and was decisive in the play of the goal.
At minute 32, Alexander-Arnold escaped down the right wing and took a cross into the area that Salah headed, but Courtois again kept the ball.
At minute 43, Real Madrid scored, but the play was annulled after the VAR review due to Benzema being offside. The action was caused by a long pass to Benzema who entered the area and, controlling, returned it to Valverde who entered the area and two defenders tried to stop the Uruguayan, resulting in a possible penalty.
The ball fell back to Benzema who was on the ground and quickly got up to shoot and score, but when reviewing the VAR, the referee annulled the action because the Frenchman was in an offside position. With that goalless score they would go to rest. Liverpool had the clearest chances, but Madrid already warned with their explosive and effective counterattacks.
The second half would begin with the same intensity as the 'Reds', but Madrid would continue to nullify Díaz's attacks on the right through Carvajal. The Whites had the ball, passing it back and waiting for an opportunity to send it to Vinicius, appealing to his speed and imbalance, and to Benzema's forcefulness.
Until at minute 57, Valverde escaped at speed down the right wing and entering the area, he took a powerful shot that went wide of the left post, but Vinicius appeared to send it to the back of the net. Definitive 0-1 and due to this goal Madrid would win its fourteenth Champions League.
At minute 59, Fabinho rudely entered Valverde and thus earns the first and only yellow card of the match. At 63 'Mohamed Salah receives a ball from the far right and going to the edge of the area took a powerful left-footed shot to the left post, but again Courtois deflects the ball to the corner.
At 65', Klopp makes the first change. Luis Díaz leaves, who did not display his usual destabilizing game, and Diogo Jota enters. At 69' a cross is sent to the far post so that Jota himself heads, sending it to the right post where Salah was coming, but Thibaut Courtois stops the Egyptian again with his leg.
At 76', Madrid had the opportunity to sentence the game. A foul was charged that produced a cross into the area and only Casemiro arrived who tried to pass it to the middle for Benzema to arrive, but the pass was left behind and Liverpool was saved.
A minute later Klopp moves the bench again. Henderson and Thiago leave to make way for Firmino and Keita. At 79', Courtois once again stopped another of the 'Reds', this time with a shot from Firminho.
At 83' there was the clearest of the second half for Liverpool. A long pass that appealed to Salah's speed, the Egyptian controls it well in the area and takes a shot from the right that crossed it to Courtois, but again the Belgian deflected it to the corner with his arm. Great night for Thibaut Courtois! It was decisive for the merengue victory.
At 86' Valverde leaves and Camavinga enters. Ancelotti wanted to control the midfield. Madrid had several occasions afterwards, but could not settle the match. At 91' Luka Modric leaves to give Dani Ceballos his place.
At 92 'Ceballos ended up in a one-on-one with Alisson, but he wanted to pass it to Vinicius instead of hitting him directly and the action was annulled by Liverpool defenders. At 94' Ancelotti takes out Vinicius so that Rodrygo can enter.
The referee would look at his watch and mark the end of the game. Real Madrid became the new European champion. He lifts his Champions number 14, five in the last eight years. Two of them with Ancelotti and three with Zidane.
Ancelloti, who had already become the only coach to win the five most important leagues in Europe, this time proclaimed himself the only coach to win four Champions Leagues. Two with AC Milan (2002-03 and 2006-07) and two with the Merengue team (2013-14 and 2021-22).
