Picture Credit: Twitter
Incredible performances from Thibaut Courtois and Vinicius Jr helped Real Madrid to stun Liverpool on Saturday (May 28) after securing 1-0 win in the Champions League final. The summit clash recorded some controversy as well, as Liverpool fans were held by the local police at Stade de France and then pepper-sprayed before the match started. After chaos outside the stadium was over, match started after a 36-minute delay amidst a massive roar.
Liverpool strikers were right on the money from the start as they tested the abilities of Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who enjoyed an excellent outing at Stade de France as he made a number of crucial saves. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were the first two strikers who put Courtois on the job as they attempted a goal back-to-back. The Belgian goalkeeper was also positioned quite well to gather a tame header from Salah after a cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Karim Benzema had a perfect opportunity just before the half-time to net a goal, but he was adjudged to be offside in the build-up to it. VAR's intervention brought a lengthy check, but the decision from the linesman remained much to the disappointment of the Real Madrid fans. However, minutes into the second half, Vinicius Jr sneaked in behind Alexander-Arnold before finding the back of the net following a cross from Fede Valverde. Real Madrid welcomed the lead and celebrated the first and only goal of the game.
Courtois delivered an excellent performance on the day as he denied Salah's other attempt and ensured his team retained their lead. Real Madrid managed to hold on and win a record-extending 14th European trophy. Despite all the dominance, Liverpool ended up with nothing and finished their campaign with only the League Cup and FA Cup in their trophy cabinet.
Check out how Twitterati reacted to Real Madrid's 14th title win: