Sport

Real Madrid Wins Champions League

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Liverpool’s bid to claim the Champions League trophy for the seventh time ended in disappointment as Vinicius Jr’s second-half winner gave Real Madrid victory in Paris. Jurgen Klopp’s side ran into a one-man wall of defiance as Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced one of the great individual performances to thwart Liverpool time and again.

Mohamed Salah, seeking revenge for his early departure through injury in the 2018 final against Real, was denied three times by Courtois who was simply unbeatable.

The victory also sees Carlo Ancelotti make history by becoming the first coach to win a fourth Champions League title.

Real were always a threat and the decisive moment came after 59 minutes when Vinicius stole in unmarked at the far post to score.

This was also a final marred by chaotic scenes outside Stade de France with thousands of Liverpool fans, some targeted with pepper spray by French police, unable to get into the stadium, forcing the kick-off to be delayed by more than 30 minutes.

ThisDay/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

Sport

Champions League Final: Liverpool, Real Madrid Lock Horns

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Liverpool will look to win European club football’s most prestigious prize for the seventh time when they face Real Madrid in a mouth-watering Champions League final in Paris on Saturday.

Up to 60,000 Liverpool fans – many without tickets – are expected in the French capital as Jurgen Klopp’s Reds attempt to seal an FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Champions League treble in their 63rd and final game of 2021-22.

However, Real Madrid are record 13-time winners and their Italian boss Carlo Ancelotti is looking to win the competition for a fourth time – the most by any manager in the tournament’s history – after leading AC Milan (2002-03, 2006-07) and Real (2013-14) to European glory.

Liverpool head into their third Champions League final in five seasons on the back of the disappointment of narrowly losing out to Manchester City in the Premier League title race last weekend.

“We are all in a good mood. If you are healthy, as the boys obviously are, life gives you opportunities again and again and in this case it is the Champions League final,” said Reds boss Klopp.

The German added: “Three finals in five years is exceptional because this competition is really difficult. It is really special. We really want to give it a proper go and we will see.”

While Liverpool are looking to seal a cup treble, Real are attempting a league and European double after being crowned champions of Spain.

By steering Real to a 35th La Liga title last month, Ancelotti became the first manager to win the league in all five of Europe’s major leagues.

“Two great teams will face each other, and the one with more courage and personality will win at the end,” said former Chelsea boss Ancelotti.

The final will be decided on the day with extra time and penalties coming into play if the sides cannot be separated.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

Sport

Liverpool beat Chelsea on Penalties to win FA Cup Final

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Liverpool held their nerve to win the FA Cup for the first time since 2006 after a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Chelsea as the quadruple chasers kept their history bid alive on Saturday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side won 6-5 on penalties at Wembley as Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas was the unlikely hero with the decisive kick after Alisson Becker kept out Mason Mount’s effort.

A hard-fought final had finished a 0-0 draw after extra-time, setting the stage for a nerve-jangling shoot-out that featured misses by Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta and Sadio Mane, whose shot was saved by Edouard Mendy when he had a chance to clinch the trophy.

For the second time this season, Liverpool emerged victorious against Chelsea on penalties, having already beaten them 11-10 following another 0-0 draw in the League Cup final in February.

Liverpool’s triumph keeps them in the hunt to become the first English team to win all four major trophies in a single season.

With two prizes already secured, the Reds will hope for a slip from Premier League leaders Manchester City, who are three points clear of them in the title race with two games left for both teams.Even if Liverpool are unable to win a second English title in three seasons, they could still cap an astonishing campaign by winning the Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris on May 28.

Net/Olaolu Fawole

Sport

Who Joins Liverpool at Stade de France?

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s men have qualified for the final of the Champions League courtesy of a 5-2 drubbing of Villarreal.

The stage is set for the clash of titans as Manchester City Take on Real Madrid in Spain.

It could be best described as an epic semifinal following seven goals thriller in England in the first leg, Man City taking a pound of flesh four times at Etihad Stadium, while Carlo Ancelotti’s men struck back thrice.

What happens at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain when the two lock horns?

For Manchester City, it will be a second successive Champions League final. City lost 1-0 to Chelsea in last year’s final.

Real have been European champions 13 times and won La Liga at the weekend.

The winners will play Liverpool in the final in Paris on 28 May.

In the thrilling first leg, goals from Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus gave City, aiming to become European champions for the first time, a 2-0 lead after 11 minutes before Karim Benzema pulled one back after 33 minutes.

Phil Foden took City 3-1 ahead early in the second half only for Vinicius Jr to score two minutes later.

For a third time, City gained a two-goal advantage following Bernardo Silva’s goal before Benzema scored an audacious chipped ‘Panenka’ penalty late on to leave the tie well balanced.

England defender Kyle Walker could return after missing City’s past five matches because of an ankle injury.

Walker is back in training and Guardiola confirmed he will travel to Spain, with a late decision to be made, although fellow defender John Stones remains sidelined after he sustained an injury during the first leg.

Joao Cancelo is also available after missing the game in Manchester through suspension and City will be pleased to have more options at right-back after 36-year-old Fernandinho had to cover there following Stones’ injury. The veteran Brazilian struggled against the pace of 21-year-old Vinicius Jr, who sprinted away from him to score the Spanish side’s second goal.

For Real, defender David Alaba is injured but midfielder Casemiro returns – a major boost as they look to tighten up in midfield against City’s potent creative players.

Culled from BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

Sport

UCL Last Eight: Liverpool Face Real Madrid, Bayern Take on PSG

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Liverpool will face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Manchester City will play Borussia Dortmund, while Chelsea will face Porto and defending champions Bayern Munich take on Paris St-Germain in a repeat of last year’s final.

In the semi-finals, the winner of the Real Madrid v Liverpool tie will face Porto or Chelsea and Manchester City or Dortmund will take on Bayern or PSG.

The two-legged quarter-finals will take place on 6-7 and 13-14 April.

BBC

Sport

Arsenal beat Liverpool on penalties to win Community Shield

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a superb goal and netted the winning penalty in a shootout as Arsenal beat Premier League champions Liverpool in the Community Shield at an empty Wembley Stadium.

Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster, brought on in stoppage time, hit the crossbar with his penalty – the only one not converted in the shootout.

Aubameyang’s curling strike gave FA Cup winners Arsenal the lead in the first half before Liverpool substitute Takumi Minamino equalised after the break.

Minamino’s flicked pass to Mohamed Salah bounced back kindly for him to slot home from close range.

There was a quick VAR check for handball by Salah but the replay showed no clear contact.

It is the second year in a row Liverpool have lost on penalties after Manchester City’s victory in 2019.

BBC Sports

News Sport

Liverpool Back to Winning Ways Against Bournemouth

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Liverpool Football Club in front of their home fans at Anfield put their recent losing streak behind them after running out 2-1 winners over Bournemouth, who are currently in a battle for survival as they currently find themselves swimming in relegation waters.

Bournemouth gave the Reds a big scare after Callum Wilson opened scoring in the 9th minute of the 1st half, it took the table topers Liverpool until the 25th minute to get the equalizer thanks to a goal from Mohamed Salah, which was his 80th goal in his 100th Premier League appearance, 8 minutes after the equalizer e the current African footballer of the year Sadio Mane coolly taken effort gave Liverpool the win and the much needed 3 points.

The win gives the Reds a 25 point lead ahead of Manchester City who will be in action against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday in the Manchester derby.

Victory over Bournemouth ended a run of three defeats in four matches in all competitions and was the ideal morale-booster before Wednesday’s pivotal Champions League second leg last-16 tie at home to Atletico Madrid, which they trail 1-0 after the first leg.

Ojeakhe Ozoya