Liverpool vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League final result, score and reaction
Relive all the action from the Stade de France after Vinicius ensured Real Madrid of a record-extending 14th European Cup
Liverpool were denied a seventh European crown as Real Madrid became kings of the continent once again thanks to Vinicius Junior’s strike in a Champions League final marred by chaos outside the Stade de France.
Paris stepped in as host after UEFA stripped St Petersburg of the showpiece following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but it did not provide a fitting host as European royalty went toe-to-toe in the biggest club match of the season.
Kick-off had to be delayed by 36 minutes due to substantial security issues outside the Stade de France, where Liverpool would be edged out 1-0 in a tense, engaging final settled by Real star Vinicius Jr.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds were unable to find a response to the second-half strike as Carlo Ancelotti, managing a record fifth Champions League final just a year after leaving Everton, oversaw the Spanish giants’ 14th European Cup triumph.
It was a heartbreaking end to a memorable season for Liverpool, who won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup before being pipped to the Premier League title by a point and losing in the French capital.
Relive all the action from Paris:
Jurgen Klopp dedicates Champions League final to the people of Ukraine
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has dedicated their Champions League final to the people of Ukraine after Russia’s invasion of the country in February.
The Reds face Real Madrid, in a rematch of their 2018 encounter in Kiev which they lost 3-1, at the Stade de France after the showpiece was moved from St Petersburg following Vladimir Putin’s decision to start a war against their neighbours.
Klopp, after much consideration of his answer, felt the decision to play the match in Paris sent an important message.
Jurgen Klopp dedicates Champions League final to the people of Ukraine
The showpiece game was due to be played in St Petersburg but was switched to Paris after Russia’s invasion of its neighbours
Champions League final 2022: Liverpool’s last win
Real Madrid are unbeaten in the last five meetings between these two sides, since a 4-0 Champions League round of 16, second leg defeat at Anfield back in 2009.
Steven Gerrard chipped in with two of the goals that night, including one from the penalty spot.
Champions League final 2022: Is Salah Liverpool’s star man?
Mo Salah became the fourth player to end a Premier League season top for both goals (23) and assists (13), after Andy Cole (93-94), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (98-99) & Harry Kane (20-21).
He won a third Premier League Golden Boot with only Thierry Henry (4) having more.
Can he take that domestic form into the Champions League final this evening?
Sadio Mane reveals how Jurgen Klopp stopped him joining Manchester United
Liverpool star Sadio Mane has revealed just how close he was to signing for Manchester United, and how a phone call from Jurgen Klopp persuaded him to move to Anfield instead.
Mane was a £30 million signing from Southampton in 2016, Klopp’s first summer at Liverpool, and has had a transformative effect on the team under the German’s management.
The 30-year-old will play in his third Champions League final in five seasons on Saturday against Real Madrid, as Liverpool attempt to win the treble by adding to their Carabao and FA Cup wins this season.
But in an interview with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, Mane revealed there was a contract offer from United that he was close to accepting before Klopp managed to change his mind.
Sadio Mane reveals how Jurgen Klopp stopped him joining Manchester United
Mane was ‘ready’ to join Manchester United before a phone call from Klopp changed his mind
Champions League final 2022: Europe’s deadliest duo?
Vinícius Júnior (10) and Karim Benzema (8) have assisted each other a combined 18 times for Real Madrid this season; the most of any duo among the big five European leagues in all competitions.
Champions League final 2022: Henderson’s long year
Jordan Henderson is set to make his 57th appearance of the season for Liverpool tonight; this would see him end 2021-22 as the player with the most games played for a club within Europe’s big five leagues across all competitions.
Is Karim Benzema the deadliest finisher in Europe? The data behind the world’s best goalscorers
After one of Karim Benzema’s 10 goals during the Champions League knockouts, someone on BT Sport’s commentary team declared we were watching “the best finisher in the world”.
It is hard to argue (though we will). Benzema has had an incredible season, scoring 44 goals in 45 games, including 15 in the Champions League which puts in reach Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 17 in a single campaign – Benzema scored hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea, and it is not unimaginable that he might leave Saturday’s final against Liverpool with the match ball under his arm and Ronaldo’s record too.
But finishing is different to goalscoring. The best finisher in the world does not necessarily score the most goals, but makes the very most of the chances they have. If every forward in Europe had exactly the same chances this season, would Benzema have scored the most goals?
We decided to try and find out.
Is Karim Benzema the deadliest finisher in Europe?
Karim Benzema has racked up goals in the Champions League propelling Real Madrid to Saturday’s final against Liverpool, so is he the most accurate forward around? And what else does the data show?
Champions League final 2022: Surprise starters for Liverpool?
Jurgen Klopp was asked whether he might spring a few surprises on Real Madrid by starting some players who may not have featured in most of the competition this season, to try and throw them off track at kick off.
“I believe when you do the right stuff all the time then it is the right thing to do in the final as well. But, it has to be on the highest level possible,” he replied.
“We obviously played some really, really good stuff this season, we are not here by surprise or we got a ticket or something like that – we deserved it as well.
“So, being us on the highest level would be cool. If we could do that then, as I said, we are a really uncomfortable opponent. A really uncomfortable opponent. That’s what we have to be.”
I think that’s safe to say he’ll be sticking with the core group of players that have brought the Reds this far already.
Battle between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Vinicius Junior set to decide Champions League final
That Liverpool are a better team than Real Madrid is a fairly uncontroversial point ahead of this year’s Champions League final. The consensus is that they will have the edge in many of the individual match-ups across the pitch at the Stade de France. There is no easy way to stop Jurgen Klopp’s side from playing their game. There is an obvious way to hit them back, though.
And in Paris, they will come up against the opponents who were responsible for their most recent Champions League exit in April of last year. Liverpool were short of any of their first-choice centre-backs then, due to the freak run of injuries that made last season the most difficult that Klopp has experienced in six and a half years at Anfield. Their exit at the quarter-final stage to Madrid was not especially surprising given those wider difficulties.
No player did more to bring about that exit, though, than Vinicius Junior. By repeatedly finding space in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold down Liverpool’s right, he scored twice in Madrid’s 3-1 first leg win and had chances to settle the tie once and for all in the goalless draw at Anfield. It is easy to read too much into those games. That was a different Liverpool. Yet it was also a different Vinicius.
The battle between young stars set to decide the Champions League final
The Real Madrid forward has been one of the most improved players in Europe this season and is the perfect weapon to exploit Liverpool’s style of play in Paris
Champions League final 2022: Returning victors
Tonight will be the fourth Champions League final between two managers who have already previously won the competition, after 2007 (Ancelotti vs Benítez), 2010 (Mourinho vs Van Gaal) and 2011 (Guardiola vs Ferguson).
Who will triumph between Ancelotti vs Klopp in 2022?
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