4️⃣ TALKING POINTS AS REAL MADRID WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOR A 14TH TIME
TALKING POINTS AS REAL MADRID CLINCH LA DECIMACUARTA
-Mihir Mehta
-Editor: Mitansh Kagalwala
Real
Madrid locked horns with Liverpool in the Champions League final in Paris on
Saturday. Liverpool were looking to add their second UCL title in four years,
while Madrid aimed at winning their first European Trophy since the departure
of Cristiano Ronaldo. Liverpool entered the game as favourites, and, while they
created a number of chances, failed to capitalize on their dominance. In what
seemed inevitable, Madrid eventually scored, Vinicius Jr. tapping in from a
fantastic Fede Valverde pass, and Los Blancos held on to secure their
fourteenth ever Champions League, extending their claim as the greatest side in
European competitions. Here’s what we made of it:
1. THE GREAT WALL OF BELGIUM: For
all the attacking stars assembled on the pitch, from Karim Benzema to Mohammed
Salah, from Vinicius Jr. to Sadio Mane, it was Thibaut Courtois who stole all
headlines in the finals. The Belgian single-handedly won Madrid the game,
producing two otherworldly stops to deny Sadio Mane and Mo Salah either side of
half-time. Undoubtedly the best keeper in Europe this season, Courtois made a
firm statement of his ability against both Manchester City in the semi-finals,
and Liverpool, deservedly winning the Man Of the Match award in the final, after
his stunning performance.
2. A LOT OF SMOKE, BUT NO FIRE: All the talk before the game was about Mo Salah finally
getting his revenge and settling scores against Los Blancos, after the Egyptian
had been forced out of the final injured five years ago. A lot was made of
Liverpool’s fantastic attack, with Salah, Mane and Luis Diaz all in fine form
this season. But for all the noise, however, Liverpool’s famed front three spluttered
in front of goal, with Diaz especially quiet, as the Reds struggled for an
equalizer. While Salah and Mane both forced Courtois into make fantastic stops,
they too looked toothless compared to their usual standards. It seems
incredulous that doubts should appear about Liverpool’s ability to score: after
all, Liverpool finished the Premier League with 94 goals, but their failure to
score in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and the Champions League final has raised
questions and eyebrows.
3. KINGS OF EUROPE: What a season Real Madrid have had. Los Blancos beat the
Italian Champions twice in the Group Stage, beat a PSG with MNM leading the
line in the Round of 16, triumphed over the European Champions Chelsea in the quarters,
then beat England’s best teams, Man City and Liverpool, to lift their 14th
UCL, while simultaneously fending off underdog status in every round, and winning
La Liga to boot. Their older players have shined, while their youngsters have
been unstoppable, a dangerous balance that conquered Europe. Karim Benzema is
in the form of his life, almost certainly winning the Balon D’Or, Luka Modric is
showing no signs of his age, Vinicius Jr. and Eder Militao have stepped up
magnificently, and Eduardo Camavinga and Fede Valverde have been vital in
midfield. A squad of the past and a squad of the future, winning titles in the
present.
4. TINY MOMENTS: In
truth, Liverpool were the better team on Saturday, and arguably deserved to
lift the trophy, but as often happens in sports, lost the game in the finer
moments. Jurgen Klopp instructed Trent Alexander-Arnold to tuck inside in order
to neutralize the threat of Vinicius Jr., which worked defensively, but
Liverpool clearly lacked the Englishman’s spark of creativity in attack.
Further, Arnold defended Vinicius well for the large part of the game, but a
momentary lapse in concentration allowed the Brazilian to slip in at the back
post to tap-in the solitary goal of the game. Other moments, such as Courtois
tipping Mane’s shot onto the post, Salah’s shot crashing off the Belgian’s leg,
or Naby Keita’s horrific shot from the edge of the box at the death, defined
the game. In a final such as this, when the two teams are so closely matched,
it is these moments that decide the result, and Liverpool failing to capitalize
on them cost them the game.
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