Real Madrid have beaten Liverpool 3-1 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev to take their third consecutive Champions League title, the first side to achieve the feat.
After a goalless first half marred by injuries to both Mohamed Salah (suspected dislocated shoulder) and Dani Carvajal (suspected hamstring injury), Karim Benzema took advantage of a schoolboy error by the Liverpool goalie, Loris Karius, in the first few minutes of the second half to put Real Madrid ahead.
Sadio Mane grabbed an equaliser from a well-worked corner kick just four minutes later, but the arrival of Gareth Bale on the pitch in the 61st minute really allowed Real Madrid to stamp their authority on the match.
A sensational scissor kick by the Welshman put Real Madrid back in the lead, and his long-range shot in the 83rd minute beat a fumbling Karius to make sure the title went the way of the Spanish side.
Bale, who's future at Real Madrid has been in doubt, told BT sport, "Obviously I was very disappointed not to start the game, I felt I deserved it but the manager makes the decisions. The best I have been doing is to come on and make an impact, I certainly did. [...] It has to be the best goal in a Champions League final, there is no bigger stage. I am just happy to get the win". Asked about his future, he added "I need to be playing week in, week out and that has not happened this season. I had an injury five, six weeks in but fit ever since. I have to sit down with my agent in the summer and discuss it."
Real finished 17 points behind Barcelona in La Liga but they are kings of Europe again with a record 13th Champions League title. English teams have suffered a defeat in their last seven UEFA club competition finals against Spanish opposition (4 x Champions League Finals, 3 x UEFA Cup/Europa League finals).
Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the European Cup for the fifth time (2008, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018) left the football world wondering what his future plans are after giving reporters a rather cryptic message after the match: "It was good to play for Real Madrid. I'll talk to the fans in a few days, as they're the ones who have always been there for me."
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