Champions League Final Live: Real Madrid vs. Liverpool
Liverpoolvs
Real Madrid
Follow live as Liverpool's attacking trio of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino try to stop Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo winning a third consecutive Champions League title.
- May 26, 2018
Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool (FT)
Karim Benzema 50', Sadio Mane 54', Gareth Bale 63' 83'.
Lineups: RMA - Keylor, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Isco, Cristiano, Benzema. LIV - Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Milner, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
- Invalid Date
- May 26, 2018
Reaction
An extraordinary achievement for Real Madrid to make it three in a row, a heartbreaking evening for Liverpool and, especially, Loris Karius.
Full time
Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool
REAL MADRID WIN A THIRD CONSECUTIVE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TITLE
90+3'
Ronaldo into the box...halted by a pitch invader. He's hauled off in short order but the chance is gone.
90+2'
Good intervention from Van Dijk to cut out and clear a cross with Ronaldo lurking.
90'
Three minutes added on. Alexander-Arnold's free-kick reaches Lallana but he can't get a shot away and Madrid clear.
88' - RMA Sub
Final Madrid sub: Asensio for Benzema. Last minutes of the game and Real Madrid are close to a third successive Champions League win.
87'
Almost a fourth, Lovren does superbly to sprint back and challenge. Liverpool now look down and out; two horrible goalkeeper errors has lost this match for them.
Another Shocker
Oh Karius, what a nightmare. Bale's shot is from miles out, 30 yards or more, straight at the keeper...and he spills it, behind himself and over the line. Awful.
83' - GOAL!
Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool Gareth Bale
83' - LIV Sub
Benzema volleys at goal and Karius makes the save. Liverpool looking stretched as they leave two up; Mane is booked for barely touching Ramos.
Emre Can on for Milner
80'
Time quickly running out and there hasn't been too much threat from the Reds since Mane struck the post. Nobody warming up as yet for Liverpool.
77'
Well inside the final 15 minutes now. Klopp must be thinking of changes soon...Moreno on the wing perhaps, or Solanke in attack? Emre Can is there too.
73'
End-to-end! Firmino's shot is blocked then saved, Cristiano gets free behind the defence...but Robertson is back and making an outrageous last-ditch tackle! Superb.
70'
WOODWORK! Brilliant turn and shot from Mane from outside the box, beats Keylor's dive....rattles the base of the post! So close to a second equaliser.
69'
Ramos at full stretch keeps out Mane after Robertson's pass from deep almost sets him free.
67'
Real Madrid playing the ball about with confidence now. They have time on their side and a lead to protect. A quarter of the game remaining!
STUNNER
Unbelievable goal - Gareth Bale, just on, with a 20-yard bicycle-kick into the top corner. Unstoppable and Madrid back in front.
63' - GOAL!
Real Madrid 2-1 Liverpool Gareth Bale
60' - RMA Sub
Isco turns in the box and shoots, Karius saves one-handed. That's his last moment of the game.
RMA sub: Bale for Isco
57'
The Reds fans are back in full voice now as Klopp is raging and demanding more from his players on the touchline. Looks like 4-4-2 for Liverpool now.
Equaliser!
Four minutes between the goals and Liverpool are level! A corner is headed toward goal by Lovren and Mane is there to bury the finish from close range, 1-1!
54' - GOAL!
Real Madrid 1-1 Liverpool Sadio Mane
Horror Show
Karius, what have you done....the goalkeeper gathers a ball, rolls it out - straight at Benzema who's ahead of him, the striker sticks a foot out and diverts it in. 1-0.
50' - GOAL
Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool Karim Benzema
47'
Woodwork! Alexander-Arnold loses possession, Isco is played in and finishes past Karius - but onto the crossbar and back out!
Second Half
We are back underway in Kyiv.
Reaction
The Reds were on top, but losing Salah is a massive blow. Carvajal also off injured for Madrid and it's goalless at the break.
Half time
Real Madrid 0-0 Liverpool
44'
Fierce drive by Nacho, right on the volley, but into the side netting.
Three minutes added on.
42'
Goal ruled out for Real Madrid - after a great save from Karius! Cristiano is offside, not given, he heads goalward and Karius makes a superb reaction stop. Benzema is offside as he tucks home the rebound, but this one is noted.
41'
Lots of distaste and fume aimed toward Sergio Ramos on social media for his foul on Salah - which Liverpool didn't get a free-kick for, by the way. Cristiano counters, goes one-on-one with Lovren...and passes to Wijnaldum.
38' - RMA Sub
Nacho on for Carvajal. Lallana is almost played in by a ball over the top, but it skids away to Keylor. Real Madrid controlling possession again now, without quite as much pressing from the Reds.
35'
And now Dani Carvajal is down and looking just as distraught as Salah was - looks like his hamstring has gone after a sprint down the wing. He'll be worried about his World Cup, too.
Heart-Breaking Images as Salah Is Forced Off
Shoulder injury deprives Liverpool's hero of a chance at immortality
via Bleacher ReportReal Madrid vs Liverpool 2018-5-26
Salah's World Cup in Doubt
Shoulder injury deprives Liverpool's hero of a chance at immortality
33'
Liverpool needing to regather themselves now. Real attack, Robertson has to close down Modric as he shoots. Benzema then turns in the box and is closed out. Mane has come right side, Lallana left in the attack.
LIV Sub
Lallana for Salah
29' - Huge blow for Liverpool.
Terrible for the Reds; Salah is back down and coming off in tears. Adam Lallana getting ready.
27'
Mane does brilliantly to win a corner against two defenders. After a minute or two of concern, Salah is back on the pitch; Ramos fouled him and dragged him down, falling on his shoulder.
25'
Great hit by Trent Alexander-Arnold, even better save from Keylor! Tremendous reflexes to get down and save after Firmino's initial effort had been blocked.
22'
Liverpool really keeping Madrid penned in so far. Firmino almost sets Mane through once more but the pass is just lacking in accuracy.
19'
Carvajal chips a back-pass straight out of play for a Liverpool corner, absurd ball! The Reds aren't far from making him pay, either, as Van Dijk heads just over.
16'
Half-sighters for Mane and Firmino in the box but Real scramble it away. At the other end Ronaldo gets a first run at goal but blazes his shot off target from a narrow angle.
12'
A period of possession for Real Madrid, after Liverpool's early pressing. The Reds looking fine in shape though in midfield.
9'
Liverpool on the front foot from the start, no question. Firmino attacks the near post but sends a header wide from Robertson's cross.
6'
Short free-kick from Liverpool and Salah gets a shot away, but Marcelo closes down quickly. Then a fantastic through pass from Firmino almost sees Mane in behind the defence—but Keylor is out quickly.
3'
Salah almost feeds in Mane in the opening seconds, but Ramos clears his lines. At the other end Isco runs in and Karius flies out to punch clear, good goalkeeping.
Kick off!
We are underway in Kyiv!
Five Minutes to KO!
The players are in the tunnel and ready to emerge. Ramos, Van Dijk. Ronaldo, Salah. Kroos, Mane. Zidane, Klopp. Who will emerge triumphant?!
Pre-match Entertainment
Just in case the 90 minutes isn't enough for you...
15 Mins to Go
Andriy Shevchenko, legendary former Ukrainian striker, brings the trophy out to the pitch.
Not for the First Time...
...Liverpool fans are comfortably the majority inside the Champions League final stadium. The support is there, will the performance be?
Cristiano Ronaldo's Stage
"He'll be the most relaxed player out there," says Steven Gerrard of Cristiano. The competition's top scorer, this season and all time.
Half an Hour to Play
What a season it has been for Trent. Breaking into the team, now a Champions League final. And a World Cup to come!
Fans in Place
More Reds than Los Blancos in place so far. Klopp spoke in the week about the Liverpool supporters making it like Anfield, where the atmosphere has been so positive.
Stadium Filling Nicely!
The players are out on the pitch and warming up. Lots of noise already!
Three in a Row?
Favourites, sure, but are Real Madrid underestimating Liverpool? 4-1 in the final, Del Bosque?
Destination Kyiv
The Olympic stadium is our venue tonight and the teams are there are ready.
One Hour to Kick-off
It's exactly the same XI for Madrid this year as in last year's final.
LIV XI
For Liverpool it's exactly as expected, with the Salah-Firmino-Mane trident in attack. Lallana and Can both make the bench, Ings is left out.
RMA XI
Benzema starts in attack with Cristiano, but Bale is only on the bench for Real Madrid. Isco starts, so it's likely a diamond to start.
UEFA Champions League final
Evening all! It's the final day of the season, the last game, the big one...the final of the Champions League, and Real Madrid vs. Liverpool. Team news next.
Madrid Win It 3-1 #JordanVibes
13th Champions League title 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆