Real Madrid Defeat Liverpool to Win Champions League Behind Vinicius Jr.'s Goal
May 28, 2022
Thibaut Courtois' masterpiece and Vinicius Junior's 59th-minute goal off a beautiful Federico Valverde pass propelled Real Madrid to a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League Final on Saturday in Paris.
Liverpool outshot Real Madrid 24-4. Nine of the Reds' shots were on goal, while only two of Real Madrid's efforts found the target.
However, none of that mattered as Courtois delivered an incredible performance that included brilliant saves all night.
Tom Worville of RB Leipzig put the goalkeeper's effort in proper perspective:
Courtois kept Real Madrid level nearly single-handedly, and it was Vinicius Junior who put his team ahead after sliding the game's only goal into the net.
That was all Real Madrid needed thanks to Courtois' evening, and Real Madrid has now won 14 European Cups or Champions League titles, twice as many as any other club.
Courtois' clean sheet will last a lifetime, and he made history along the way:
Here's a look at Courtois by the numbers:
Madrid Zone @theMadridZone❗MOST SAVES in a single game in this season's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a><br><br>🥇 Courtois vs Liverpool - 9 (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLFinal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCLFinal</a> record)<br>🥈 Courtois vs PSG - 8<br>🥉 Courtois vs Man City - 8<br><br>What a LEGEND. <a href="https://t.co/Vn4FcABESU">pic.twitter.com/Vn4FcABESU</a>
And here's how Courtois' night looked live:
Courtois had some added motivation going into this match, as he told BT Sport:
He was tremendous on a night when Real Madrid had few offensive chances, although they were of high quality.
Karim Benzema nearly got Real Madrid on the board in the first half, but he was called offside.
All was well, though, as Vinicius Junior took advantage of his chance for the lone goal, marking the third straight time the Champions League Final has finished 1-0.
Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomanoVinícius Júnior has been involved in 10 Champions League goals this season. More than a top talent. ⚪️⭐️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLFinal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCLFinal</a><br><br>Quick reminder: Vini’s still 21. <a href="https://t.co/gPz2nYt5u1">pic.twitter.com/gPz2nYt5u1</a>
That goal would not have been possible without Valverde, who was sensational in his own right:
Statman Dave @StatmanDaveFede Valverde’s game by numbers vs Liverpool: <br><br>100% aerial duels won<br>47 total touches <br>4 ground duels won <br>4 ball recoveries <br>2 ball clearances <br>2 successful dribbles <br>2 crosses played <br>1 big chance created <br>1 assist <br><br>Huge performance on the big stage. 👏 <a href="https://t.co/8fmS2RMoN9">pic.twitter.com/8fmS2RMoN9</a>
Real Madrid's run to the Champions League title was legendary. They lived on the edge throughout the entire knockout round, winning all four by one goal apiece.
Real Madrid needed a Karim Benzema hat trick to overcome a 2-0 deficit to Paris St-Germain in the Round of 16. Benzema was the hero again versus Chelsea in the quarterfinals, scoring in the 96th minute of the second leg to cap a four-goal aggregate performance and give his team a 5-4 win.
Extra time was needed again in the semifinals as Rodrygo scored goals in back-to-back minutes as the match neared its end to square the semifinal against Manchester City at five goals apiece. Benzema was the hero once more in extra time with a penalty for the 6-5 win.
There were new heroes Saturday as Courtois cemented himself as a legend, while Vinicius Jr. and Valverde did enough to catapult Real Madrid to the Champions League title.