“Once again the mystique and the heart of Madrid were able to do more than the best elaborated football”

“The champion is not discussed,” suggested Mr. Américo Barrios, illustrious director of the newspaper Crónica for decades. “The champion is always the best”, proclaims a soccer axiom. And we want to adjust to both precepts, but it costs. The real Madrid he is European champion again… without being the best in Europe. As in all his previous crosses, he was less footballing than his rival and managed to overcome them. The rival goalkeeper never touched the ball due to Real Madrid shots, and he himself was the hero of the Parisian afternoon. He had less of the ball and did not create risk situations, but he knew how to score a goal and defend it. With soul, with determination, with luck, with endurance, with what that glorious shield marks and with some sensational performances such as that of the Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, today the true number one in the universe, who has been the star of this Champions League together with Benzema.

The Madrid of miracles threads its fourteenth European Cup when, at the beginning of the tournament, nobody gave anything for its luck. Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint Germain, Chelsea itself, many promised to caress the crown before the white team, but once again the mystique and the heart of Madrid were stronger than the better developed football of the opponents. And although Liverpool have reached the opposite goal in a ratio of ten to one, it is hard to say that they are not a good champion. He wins by greatness, by the fearsome respect that shirt imposes, by the extreme confidence of his players, I know that, no matter what happens, they will come out victorious. And so it was once again.

The incessant crushing of Liverpool for at least 75 minutes raised several white men to an altar: Courtois, we said, with at least a dozen notable, saving, providential interventions. Carvajal swallowed the field, the best field value of the champion. As a lateral, an impassable guardian, he ate the Colombian Luis Díaz and had a decisive participation in the start of Vinicius’s goal play, but then he was a titan defending, even from above, being that he is short in stature. monstrous performance. The Uruguayan Valverde with his long and judicious stride and his affable relationship with the ball. This time he was the best of the midfield magic square and fabricated the goal by making a completely unexpected cross into the Liverpool defence. Pass that pushed Vinicius to the goal and history, another that, without shining, contributed his proverbial enthusiasm. Special mention for Militao, fantastic Brazilian defender, physically fabulous for speed, energy, elasticity. And with the determination of the great defenders of all time. He always appears his leg to cut off the opponent’s goal shot.

The degree of involvement and dedication of the Real Madrid players is memorable, which speaks wonders for their coach Carlos Ancelotti, who bagged his fourth European Cup. Ancelotti is demerited through a praise: he manages the locker room well, they say. As if he wasn’t a virtue and didn’t have a tactic or didn’t work. His teams win because he chooses the best eleven, stops them in the right place and squeezes the best out of each one. That is, the essential function of the technician.

It was a vibrant, beautiful final. This is the greatest match that world football can offer today. There is no more than this. Whatever the World Cup final in Qatar on December 18, he will not be able to match this level of individual or collective performance. Liverpool and Real Madrid have twenty internationals who on FIFA dates represent different teams, but neither team has twenty players in Madrid or Liverpool. And no national team can reach a definition with the degree of preparation of these teams, which have taken years of rehearsals and understanding. For this reason, for many connoisseurs, although the World Cup grants eternal recognition, the Champions League surpasses it in soccer quality. Party that does not tolerate mistakes.

Liverpool reached the final with superior numbers: 86.11% performance in the Champions League compared to 66.67% for Madrid, with more wins (10 to 8), only one loss against four, more goals for, less against . Although the white club’s path was more difficult: they had to leave behind PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City, three possible finalists. For this reason, we did not understand the high favoritism of the English team in European bookmakers, which gave an average of 1.57 euros for a Red win against 2.40 for one from Madrid.

The development of the game and the superior performance of Klopp’s men did later justify the wide difference in the bets. There was only one period, the last fifteen minutes of the first half, in which the pressure and possession of Liverpool eased and the Spanish midfield had a greater impact, always led by the wisdom of Modric, helped by Valverde’s long stride, the increases of Carvajal and the danger generated by Benzema. Ball that touches the French 9 sows panic among the rivals, despite the fact that this time it did not look like on other triumphant nights.

Liverpool safer with the ball and clearly dominating, looking for holes through which to filter the pass or the individual internment. Madrid, accustomed to having less of the ball, calm and crouched, resolutely focused on the counterattack, what suits them best. The domain had its first serious approach after 16 minutes: a fantastic overflow from Alexander Arnold on the right, a low center, a shot from Salah and Courtois began to be a figure, as usual, covering down with effort. And at 20 ‘, when the superiority of the reds was obvious, a bombshell from Mané was half conjured by the Belgian goalkeeper, hit the post, flirted near the line and returned to the hands of one. That would be the tone that would mark the entire final.

The unexpected madridista goal (nothing could have predicted it) came at minute 58 with 12 seconds, in what was the most precise -and precious- joint maneuver of the people of Madrid. A clean and well-played exit from the back by Carvajal, he combined with Casemiro, opened to the right for Valverde, took out a powerful cross and low cross that surpassed the entire English defense and was served to Vinicius, who, without opposition from nobody, sent her to the meshes. Goal for the eternity of the carioca pointer.

From there there were 37 more minutes and Liverpool sharpened their dominance, it became a gale, especially on Salah’s side. The Egyptian once again had no luck against a Real Madrid team that took refuge to take care of the goal, because he knew that with that he would win. One, two, five, eight attacks with the smell of a goal in the arc of the Belgian giant, but Courtois always won or a leg appeared to rebound it or throw it into the corner. It is also true that Liverpool lacked lights to provoke a heads-up, a pass-goal or a decisive dribbling in the area. It should have been the consecrating function of the Colombian Luis Díaz, however, this time he did not go well and was devoured by Carvajal, being the first replaced by Klopp. There was a dazzling performance from the young Konaté, and also from Alexander Arnold, but talent was needed up front, a 10 to open the can in a great rapture. Liverpool cannot be blamed for anything, they fell giving every last drop of sweat and blood. But against Madrid it is not enough.