Seven Deadly Stats as Real Madrid win third-straight Champions League title

Aditya Devavrat 08:30 27/05/2018
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    • Real Madrid made history with a third straight Champions League title.

    Real Madrid wrote their name into the history books by becoming the first team in the Champions League era to win three- straight trophies in the competition following a 3-1 win over Liverpool in Saturday’s final.

    Gareth Bale scored a stunning overhead kick and added a second goal, while Karim Benzema also scored for Madrid. Sadio Mane scored Liverpool’s goal.

    Here are Seven Deadly Stats from the game.

    MADRID’S TRIED AND TESTED

    There’d been a lot of debate over the team Zinedine Zidane would select for this final. With options such as Benzema, Bale, Isco, and Marco Asensio to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, it wasn’t an easy decision.

    In the end, however, everyone should have just looked at Madrid’s team sheet from last year’s final. That’s what their manager did.

    It’s the first time the same line-up has been selected for consecutive finals.

    THE FRENCH CONNECTION

    Zidane has kept faith with compatriot Benzema the entire season, even as the French striker was the target of criticism from pundits and his own home fans as his form dipped.

    Perhaps it takes one great Frenchman to recognise another. Two goals in the second leg of the semi-final, followed by the opener in the final – is anyone doubting Benzema now?

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    RED ARROWS MAKE HISTORY

    Mohamed Salah‘s final was cruelly cut short half an hour into the game with a shoulder injury, so his team-mates had to dig deep.

    Thankfully for Liverpool, they have one of the best attacking tridents in football history. When they fell behind and people wondered how they’d fight back without their talisman, Mane stepped up to remind everyone there were other stellar forwards in this team.

    MANE CARRYING THE FLAG

    Mane was making history just by playing in this game, becoming the first Senegalese to feature in a Champions League final. What better way to mark the occasion than to score.

    The Liverpool forward is already a hero in his country, and his stock only rose on Saturday.

    FIRST IN 30 YEARS

    Everyone knew what was at stake for Madrid on Saturday. Win, and become the first team ever with three-straight Champions League titles.

    Not since the 1970s, when this was still the European Cup, had this trophy been won three times in a row.

    SACKED IN THE MORNING?

    Despite all the success Zidane brought his club, when Madrid slumped in La Liga this season there was serious talk that he could get sacked.

    Nobody’s going to be calling for his head now after the ninth trophy in two-and-a-half years.

    NO GOALS, BUT RONALDO STILL WRITES HEADLINES

    Ronaldo became the first player to score in three different European finals this year, and he was hoping to make it four.

    He ended up having a subdued night, getting only one clear chance and hitting that straight at the keeper, but it didn’t matter – there’s no keeping the Madrid superstar from making history.

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