Real Madrid Wins Champions League 2018
With this win, Real Madrid retains their trophy with an ultimately comfortable victory in a bizarre final that will be remembered for many things: Mo Salah’s heartbreaking injury, Gareth Bale’s outrageous overhead kick, and most of all two unthinkable howlers from Lorus Karius.
Much of the pre-match build-up had centred on the anticipated battle between star forwards Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo in Kiev, but the duel was cut short before the half hour when Liverpool’s talisman suffered an apparent shoulder injury.
The 25-year-old landed awkwardly on his left shoulder after grappling with Sergio Ramos, while Ronaldo remained on the periphery throughout.However, Liverpool only had themselves to blame when five minutes into the second half, goalkeeper Lorus Karius threw the ball straight into the leg of Benzema, with the ball dribbling past him and over the line.
Against the run of play, Sadio Mane flicked home an equaliser not long after, but parity lasted less than 10 minutes.
With the game locked at 1-1 in the 64th minute and 122 seconds after replacing Isco – who earlier hit the crossbar – Gareth Bale scored an overhead kick of rare brilliance.
And the Welshman put the finishing touches on the win, although he had more than a helping hand from Karius, who allowed a long-range strike to slip through his fingers.
A tearful Loris Karius ended the Champions League final by apologising to Liverpool fans after his two errors cost his side dear in Kiev.
Real Madrid are the first team in the Champions League era to win the competition three times 👏
Real Madrid has been European Champions for these years:
1956 🏆
1957 🏆
1958 🏆
1959 🏆
1960 🏆
1966 🏆
1998 🏆
2000 🏆
2002 🏆
2014 🏆
2016 🏆
2017 🏆
2018 🏆
