Real Madrid won the Champions League: Real Madrid won a record-extending 14th Champions League trophy with a 1-0 victory against Liverpool in a final that was postponed due to security considerations’ in Paris.
The Brazilian striker headed home Federico Valverde’s driving cross just before the hour mark after the Merseysiders had dominated for extended stretches but couldn’t find a way past the inspired Thibaut Courtois.
Jurgen Klopp’s team finishes the season with two domestic trophies under their belts, but they fall short in both the Champions League and the Premier League.
Real Madrid won the Champions League 2022
Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0 to win the UEFA Champions League, the 14th European title for the Spanish club. Here are the main talking points from the end of the match.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid). Thou shalt not pass. The former Chelsea keeper was truly magnificent as he produced save after save to keep Liverpool at bay.
KEY MOMENTS
16’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Salah does well to spin and flick an attempt towards the corner from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s low pass, but Courtois is alert and is down to his left to keep it out.
21’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Mane tip-toes past two in the box and rifles in a low shot that hits the inside of the post and stays out. Courtois got the slightest of touches!
35’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Trent AA clips another dangerous ball into the middle for Salah but the Egyptian’s header is too close to Courtois.
43’ – REAL MADRID GOAL RULED OUT! Benzema catches Liverpool’s high line out. He races into the far right of the area but fails to put the ball away. Konate and Alisson make a hash of trying to clear the loose ball and it bounces back to Benzema again, who lashes it into the back of the net. However, the Frenchman is behind Alisson so the flag goes up for offside. VAR checks for what feels like an eternity to see who knocked it back towards Benzema… It was an inadvertent touch Fabinho which means it is offside. That’s a let-off for the Reds.
59’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid. Vinicius Junior arrives unmarked on the left side of the area to tuck home Valverde’s driven cross.
64’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Salah cuts in from the right and curls a fine effort towards the far corner, but once again Courtois pulls off a good stop to deny Liverpool.
69’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Jota nods Henderson’s deep cross back across goal for Salah who can’t quite steer past the inspired Courtois from a narrow-angle.
82’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Keita smashes a first-time shot well wide after Firmino had cut it back from the left byline. He had time to pick his spot there.
KEY STATS
Courtois’ nine saves are the most on record (since 2003-04) of any keeper in a single Champions League final
Carlo Ancelotti became the manager to have won the UEFA Champions League the most times: four (for AC Milan in 2002/03 and 2006/07, for Real Madrid in 2013/14 and in 2021/22).
Real Madrid won the European Cup/Champions League on 14 occasions – twice as many times as any other side in the history of the competition.
Vinícius Júnior (4 goals, 6 assists) is the first South American player to be directly involved in 10+ goals in a single UEFA Champions League campaign while aged 21 or under since Lionel Messi in 2008-09 (14 – 9 goals, 5 assists).
