Real Madrid lifted their 14th European Cup on Saturday at Stade de France in Paris, edging Liverpool 1–0 with tremendous world-class goalkeeping by Thibaut Courtois and a goal by Vinícius Júnior in the 59th minute assisted by Federico Valverde.
Madrid’s 14th Euro Championship, eight in the “UEFA Champions League” era, doubling that of the next closest winner AC Milan with seven.
Beginning with the inaugural final on June 13, 1956, at nearby Parc des Princes Stadium, Madrid defeated Stade de Reims for the first title and defended it the following year over Fiorentina at their home Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
The victory gave Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti the most ever championships as a manager with his fourth European Cup title; with two titles eight years apart with Madrid and twice with his native Italian club AC Milan.
Ancelotti is also the first manager to win league titles in Europe’s top five countries: Spain, England, Italy, Germany, and France.
Madrid has consistently won in six different decades with the exception of the seventies and eighties between their titles in 1966 and 1998.
While Liverpool holds six titles from 1977 to 2019, and this runner-up finish marks their fourth.
Liverpool’s high-powered attack resulted in 24 shots, forcing Courtois into nine saves, while holding a slight edge in ball possession with 54 percent; Madrid made the most of their two shots on goal of four total.
Courtois frustrated Liverpool’s top strikers Mohamed Salah and Said Mane with repeated saves throughout the match. He is in his fourth season with Madrid, following criticism of his time with English club Chelsea.
“Today nobody was going to get in my way,” said the Belgian international Courtois following the game. “I was going to win a Champions League no matter what.”
In the 21st minute, Mane found space at the top of the box to blast a right-footed low shot to the bottom left corner that Courtois saved with a diving right-handed deflection that came off the left post for Courtois to gather.
Though considered one of the best in the world, Courtois stated “I needed to win a final for my career, for all the hard work, to put respect on my name as I don’t think I get enough respect, especially in England. I saw a lot of criticism even after a great season.”
In the 43rd minute, Madrid’s top goal scorer Karim Benzema seemingly scored, but was disallowed following VAR review for being offside.
The deadlock would end in the 59th minute when Valverde made a powerful low-driving cross from the right side that found an open 21-year-old Brazilian, Junior, on the backside for a sliding volley beating Liverpool’s Brazilian keeper Alisson, low to the left.
The lead was their first in three of Madrid’s victories in the knockout round, they had rallied from a goal behind, with 15 minutes remaining in each final aggregate match.
Courtois would make another magnificent save in the 82nd minute as Salah would have Liverpool’s best last opportunity from just outside on the right side of the six-yard box as Courtois deflected the low left shot away from goal.
“We are the best,” Madrid striker Karim Benzema said. “It was a very difficult competition for us and we deserved to win this final. With all the history this team has, we showed everyone that we are always here.”
Liverpool was contending for an unprecedented four major titles a week ago, winning English Premier Leagues FA Cup and League Cup through penalty shootouts following scoreless draws—Liverpool finished second in their major domestic title to Manchester City.
“In the dressing room, nobody feels it was a great season at the moment,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
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