Goals: Kylian Mbappe (37), Rodrygo (53), Vinicius Jr (84 pen)
Real Madrid are the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024™ champions after beating Pachuca 3-0 in Wednesday’s final.
Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr were on target for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who rounded off a superb year in style at Lusail Stadium.
Exactly two years after scoring a hat-trick at the same venue in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ final, Mbappe applied the finishing touch to a slick team move to put Madrid in front. Jude Bellingham played in Vinicius Jr, who produced some dazzling footwork to take the ball around Pachuca goalkeeper Carlos Moreno, before squaring for the Frenchman to slot into an empty net.
Pachuca had, in fact, started the game brightly and Luis Rodriguez fired an early warning shot, but Thibaut Courtois was equal to his powerful drive.
Madrid, however, gradually started to stamp their authority on the game and, after Mbappe put them ahead, the striker almost made it 2-0 when he rifled a 20-yard shot just past the post.
Madrid would double their advantage just after half-time, with Rodrygo curling home wonderful effort from the edge of the penalty area. There was a VAR review as Bellingham was standing in an offside position when Rodrygo took aim, but the referee judged he was not interfering.
Pachuca, to their credit, refused to buckle and captain Salomon Rondon saw a sweetly struck free-kick well saved by Courtois. The veteran striker then went even closer to reducing the deficit when his header went inches over the bar.
Madrid, however, put the game beyond doubt late in the piece. Vinicius – fresh from being named The Best FIFA Men’s Player on Tuesday night – converted an 84th-minute penalty to crown a dream trip to Qatar for the Brazilian.
Quotes
“I am very happy, it is natural. We did the things we prepared and this made the difference. Everyone played a good match, I am very happy. It was a match that in the middle of the season could have caused problems and instead we deservedly won it."
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach
"These two days have been incredible for me. Yesterday, I received the award for best player in the world – and today I came here and won and was named the best player of the match.”
Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid forward
"I've been following Vini since when he started in Brazil. We never played against each other in the professional league, only with youth teams. We've always talked about all the difficulties he had in the beginning. He is an example of resilience, for everything he went through, and now he has become the best player in the world. I’m always happy for my friend's achievements, especially after seeing his work every day.”
Rodrygo, Real Madrid forward
"We had our chances, but their efficiency was decisive. We had opportunities and couldn’t capitalise on them. Many young players gained their first international experience throughout the tournament. It was an amazing experience. Of course, we wanted to win the final, but the effort was outstanding."
Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior scored the goals as Real Madrid overcame a spirited Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to win the 2024 UEFA Champions League final at Wembley Stadium.
Edin Terzić had issued a rallying cry to his Dortmund players before the game, saying: "If we are brave then we're going to have a chance." BVB were more than brave in the first half, they were fearless in the face of the 14-time winners and created a host of chances that should have resulted in a half-time lead.
Early sighters from Federico Valverde and the otherwise well-marshalled Vinícius Júnior were as effective as Los Blancos could be, while Dortmund displayed a far greater cutting edge bar the final finish.
Karim Adeyemi was central to their threat. The winger was only denied by a last-ditch tackle from Dani Carvajal after rounding Thibaut Courtois then tested the Madrid No1 from Julian Brandt's pinpoint through ball, Niclas Füllkrug just unable to nod the rebound back towards goal.
In between, Füllkrug himself had prodded against the post from Ian Maatsen's pass, and the half ended with Courtois again called upon, this time to push Marcel Sabitzer's raking drive wide.
A stern-faced Carlo Ancelotti emerged from the dressing room at half-time still in discussions with the often-overworked Jude Bellingham and Toni Kroos, and the German midfielder, playing his last game for the club, took on added responsibility, calling Gregor Kobel into action for the first time with a whipped free-kick.
Dortmund remained unmoved, focused and positive. Though the contest's equilibrium had been restored, it was BVB who continued to prise the more presentable openings, Courtois standing tall to keep out a stinging Füllkrug header just after the hour mark.
Could Madrid find a way to turn the tide? They always seem to find a way – and this time would be no different. The source was perhaps unexpected, but Carvajal, determined to make history by playing in a joint-record sixth winning team in the final, rose highest to head in Kroos's corner.
Now the fear which Ancelotti had warned his players about before the showpiece was gone. Bellingham and Nacho came so close to adding a second before Vinícius Júnior did, receiving Bellingham's pass and sweeping his finish across Kobel to seal a 15th European crown for Madrid.
Matthias Rötters, Dortmund reporter
After a strong first half from Dortmund, Madrid slowly regained a foothold in the contest. BVB were unable to find an answer to the second-half breakthrough from Carvajal. They looked to have the most successful side in this competition on the back foot at times tonight but, once again, it is the La Liga side who are celebrating.
Graham Hunter, Real Madrid reporter
In the amazing moments which won the semi-final against Bayern, it was German-born Joselu who beat Madrid's Bundesliga rivals. This time, it was a brilliant Mannschaft international Kroos, in his final match for Los Blancos, who crossed for a man, Carvajal, who cut his teeth at Leverkusen, to nod Madrid in front and break the deadlock. And the decisive second goal? Set up by an ex-Dortmund man, Bellingham. There was such a remarkable 'Made in Germany' feel to how Madrid won their fabled '15th'.
Carlo Ancelotti, Madrid coach: "You never get accustomed to this. It was a very difficult, much more so than we thought it would be. In the first half, we had to suffer; in the second half, we lost the ball less and played better – but those are all trifling details now. We won. The dream continues."
Dani Carvajal, Madrid defender and Player of the Match: "We sure know how to suffer but, believe me, I'd love to win these matches more easily. I'd been coming up for corners most of the season. Determination is key to my approach – I'd headed one over and I just knew I had to score the second one!"
Toni Kroos, Madrid midfielder: "The decisive thing was that we didn't concede in the first half. The first half really wasn't good from us. Then we got into the game better and scored the goal. We were fully there and the better team. But it took a long time until we were the better team tonight."
Jude Bellingham, Madrid midfielder: "I've always dreamed of playing in these games. I can't put it into words. It's the best night of my life. It's got to be up there in terms of the perfect season. I can't have dreamed it much better than this. I'm so grateful to my team-mates, my family, the team behind the scenes: the physios, everyone there. This is a massive group effort."
Edin Terzić, Dortmund head coach: "We put in a great display and I think we deserved more than losing 2-0. From the first second, we showed the whole world that we weren't just here simply to play a final – but to win it. We did so many things right, but they were ice-cold at the right moment, which is what we lacked today."
Mats Hummels, Dortmund defender: "We had a great match. I’m super proud of the team for how we presented ourselves here. We played bravely, with heart, and played quality football. We only just missed out on scoring a goal. Real Madrid then strike, as they’ve done many times before."
Ally McCoist, TNT Sports
"You've got to have sympathy for Edin Terzić and the Dortmund boys, who performed exceptionally well. We just knew, at some point, Real Madrid would come back into the game. They got their goal from an unlikely source in Carvajal, and Vinícius Júnior effectively ended the match. Madrid are champions once again for a reason."
Key stats
Madrid have won the European Cup for a record 15th time.
Los Blancos have been successful in each of their nine appearances in the final in the Champions League era.
The Spanish side were unbeaten in their 13 Champions League matches this season (W9 D4). This is the first time they have won a European Cup/Champions League final without losing a match during the campaign.
Madrid have only failed to score in one of their last 18 European Cup/Champions League finals. That was in their 1-0 defeat against Liverpool in 1981.
Madrid have not conceded more than one goal in any of their last 11 European Cup/Champions League finals. The last time was in their 3-1 defeat against Inter in 1964.
Dani Carvajal scored for just the second time in the Champions League (group stage to final). His only other goal in his previous 88 appearances came in November 2015 against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Vinícius Júnior became the first Brazilian to score in two different European Cup/Champions League finals.
Luka Modrić and Dani Carvajal have matched Paco Gento's record by playing on the winning team in six European Cup/Champions League finals.
Carlo Ancelotti has extended his record number of Champions League wins as a coach to five – two more than any other coach.
Fantasy star performers
Dani Carvajal: 16 points
Jude Bellingham, Nacho, Toni Kroos, Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy, Thibaut Courtois: 7 points
Real Madrid produced an exhilarating display to defeat Al Hilal 5-3 and lift a record-extending fifth FIFA Club World Cup™. Vinicius Junior got two goals and an assist in the final, with Federico Valverde also bagging a brace.
Vinicius, who broke the deadlock in the second semi-final, did so again in the decider. Karim Benzema played a one-two with Luka Modric, before threading a first-time pass through to Vinicius, who slotted it home. Valverde, also on target against Al Ahly, then doubled the lead, only for Moussa Marega to seal a wonderful team move and halve the deficit.
Madrid really turned it on after the restart. An exquisite, outside-of-the-boot cross from Vinicius gifted Benzema a tap-in that amplified their advantage, before Valverde made it 4-1.
Luciano Vietto dinked it over Andriy Lunin to reduce the deficit, which was swiftly restored when Vinicius curled home from inside the box. Still, however, Al Hilal refused to throw in the towel, with Vietto's third goal of the tournament pulling them within two.
Marega then volleyed wide when he had the goal at his mercy as Al Hilal sought to set up a grandstand finale, but that was to prove the Saudis' final chance as Real saw out a memorable victory, to send home the majority of the 44,000+ crowd in Rabat happy.
The stat
4.28
Morocco 2022 produced 4.28 goals per game – a new record. The previous one was 4.13 at UAE 2018.
So often victorious having had their backs against the wall in this season's competition, Madrid were once again the less assertive team for long stretches of this game. As ever, though, they found a way.
Thibaut Courtois warrants enormous credit, having pulled off a string of fine saves to keep Liverpool at bay. Mohamed Salah was denied on multiple occasions, though it was Sadio Mané who went closest in the first half – this time Courtois had a post to thank for completing the job.
Karim Benzema did have the ball in the net before half-time only for VAR to intervene. The Merengues' celebrations were given full voice just before the hour, however, Federico Valverde's cross-shot picking out Vinícius in space at the back post. Madrid's No20 could not miss.
Courtois was at it again with seven minutes left, Salah again the man denied by his lightning-fast reactions. Madrid threatened to add a second on the break thereafter, but not for the first time, they had done just enough.
PlayStation® Player of the Match: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
Player of the Match: Thibaut Courtois
"Crucial saves at critical moments during the first half when Liverpool were on top. Also an extraordinary save to deny Salah late on."
UEFA Technical Observer panel
Joseph Walker, Real Madrid reporter
What can you say? Madrid just know how to win finals. They get the job done, whatever it takes, and thanks to Courtois and Vinícius they are 14-time European champions. Once they took the lead they didn't look like losing and kept Liverpool at arm's length. Chapeau, as they say round these parts.
Rio Ferdinand, BT Sport
"I've never seen a harder route to the final. Madrid have beaten the champions of France, the champions of England. It's taken my breath away. They put in a magnificent performance."
Matthew Howarth, Liverpool reporter
Had it not been for Courtois, Liverpool would be celebrating a seventh European Cup. The Belgium keeper was simply sensational in Paris, producing save after save to frustrate the likes of Salah and Mané. Given their exploits in previous rounds of the competition, perhaps this was always destined to be Real Madrid's year – but that will be no comfort whatsoever to Jürgen Klopp and his players. They have enjoyed an outstanding campaign domestically and in Europe, but it's a huge shame it had to end in this most painful of defeats.
Reaction
Carlo Ancelotti: 'We've achieved something nobody expected'
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach: "I cannot believe I've won four Champions Leagues! It was a difficult game, we suffered in the first half but in the end with all the games we played I think we deserved to win this competition. We’ve achieved something that nobody expected of us at the start of the season, and we've done that thanks to our quality, our commitment, our history, everything. We're very happy."
Karim Benzema, Real Madrid captain: "We're so happy and proud of this team. We've done the double and deservedly so. It was a tough game but it always is in the Champions League, and more so in a final. It means so much to me to win another Champions League here in my home country."
Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool manager: “The problem is when you play against Real Madrid and they play that deep, their counterattacking threat is immense. I saw us doing a lot of good things, but it was not enough. We accept that. They scored a goal and we didn't – that's the easiest explanation in the world of football. It's harsh, but we respect that of course."
Key stats
Madrid have now won twice as many European Cups as any other club (AC Milan have won seven); they have won all eight finals in which they have played in the UEFA Champions League era.
Carlo Ancelotti is the first coach to win the European Cup four times; he is also the only one to have taken a team to five finals.
Karim Benzema finished as 2021/22 Champions League top scorer with 15 goals.
Benzema, Dani Carvajal and Luka Modrić have all equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's record of five UEFA Champions League titles.
1-0 is now the most common score in UEFA Champions League finals. This is the sixth final – and third in succession – to feature just one goal; five have finished both 1-1 and 2-1.
Fantasy star performers
Thibaut Courtois – 12
Éder Militão – 9
Dani Carvajal – 8
Line-ups
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson (Keïta 77), Fabinho, Thiago (Firmino 77); Salah, Mané, Luis Díaz (Jota 65)
MADRID -- It was written in the stars that a Frenchman would shine at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night, when Real Madrid hosted Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League round-of-16 second leg. It just wasn't the one we all expected.
For his big audition in the Spanish capital ahead of a widely speculated move to Madrid this summer, Kylian Mbappe did what he does best: score goals and be the best player in the world. Yet the star of the show was his "big brother," Karim Benzema.
When the talk of the town was about Mbappe and his future, Benzema sent a reminder, not only to the whole of the Spanish capital but the rest of the world, that he is still the boss. He became the oldest player to score a hat trick in Champions League history, the first French player to score three hat tricks in the competition and he sent his team to the quarterfinals via a 3-1 win on the night and a 3-2 aggregate victory -- sending the Bernabeu into a frenzy in the process.
His celebrations, his evident joy, spoke volumes. Apart from his performance, there was little else from a disappointing Real Madrid side. They lacked intensity for the opening hour, but they can always rely on Benzema, who on this night overtook Alfredo Di Stefano as the third-leading goal scorer in Real Madrid history with 309 goals -- just behind Raul and Cristiano Ronaldo.
He has been their saviour on more than one occasion this season -- and in the previous one, too. His three goals on Wednesday bring his total to eight in the Champions League this season and 77 in his career (only Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski have more). This season, he has 30 goals and 11 assists in 31 matches across all competitions. That's 41 goal involvements in 31 matches, in a team that's struggled to create chances for him, at the age of 34. This is Ballon d'Or territory.
The incredible thing in this game is that he didn't even need much to score. The striker took full advantage of PSG's complacency and errors. How could Gianluigi Donnarumma give away the ball in the manner that he did on Madrid's first goal? What was Neymar doing with his terrible pass that led to the counterattack for the second goal? And what about Marquinhos' assist for Benzema's third? These were schoolboy errors, but Benzema was there to punish the Parisians all the same.
Just when we thought there was a new prince in Madrid, the king struck three times to remind everyone that the Santiago Bernabeu remains his castle.
If Ronaldo was watching from his sofa in Manchester, he surely would have appreciated Benzema's performance. It was a very Ronaldo-esque display, full of talent, efficiency and guts. The Frenchman bailed out his team much like his ex-teammate did so many times before.
Of course, this victory and Madrid's march to the quarterfinals is as much Benzema's success as it is PSG's failure.
Once again, Paris failed mentally. They choked, throwing away a two-goal lead in an unthinkable way.
We have been here before, of course. They conceded three goals in 16 minutes and 41 seconds on Wednesday, which last happened to them in the Champions League in the infamous Remontada in Barcelona (wherein PSG's 4-0 first-leg advantage ended in a 6-5 aggregate defeat) almost to this day five years ago.
At PSG, managers are hired and fired, players come and go, but some things never change. There is a lack of leadership, a lack of resilience, in every squad, year after year. The mindset of the entire football club is wrong.
The players shot themselves in the foot again. They were in control and gave it up far too easily, and too quickly.
Mauricio Pochettino had no answers. He was apathetic on the touchline, almost like he had seen a ghost. How could he leave Neymar on the pitch for the entire game considering the pressure PSG were under? Never mind the fact that the Brazilian just came back from a long-term injury. It is highly unlikely that Pochettino will still be the club's manager next season, despite being under contract until June 2023.
The PSG hierarchy will blame the referee and VAR for allowing the first goal to stand, not calling a foul on Benzema after his physical challenge on Donnarumma in the build-up, and this is part of the problem. When they capitulate like this, it is never their fault. There are always excuses, fault lying elsewhere, and PSG never look at themselves, admit their mistakes or the flaws in the way the club works -- or in this case, doesn't work.
The season is now over for PSG. They will win Ligue 1 but that is almost a minor detail. They failed to win the Trophee des Champions against Lille, they were knocked out of the Coupe de France in the round of 16 by Nice and they were humiliated again in the Champions League at the same stage.
This is the worst season the club has endured since Qatar Sports Investments took over in 2011. And it will be very hard to get over it.
Real Madrid capped off another memorable year by claiming a third successive FIFA Club World Cup title, defeating host team Al Ain 4-1 at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City Stadium.
The Best FIFA Men's Player 2018 Luka Modric opened the scoring on 14 minutes for the UEFA Champions League winners, before Marcos Llorente doubled the advantage on the hour-mark.
Skipper Sergio Ramos then made it three on 79 minutes as Los Blancos secured their fourth Club World Cup crown, with an own goal - after strong work from Vinicius Jr. - reaffirming Real's three-goal lead after a superb header from Tsukasa Shiotani.
Los Blancos applied early pressure but they nearly went a goal down when Hussein Elshahat latched onto the end of Marcelo's misplaced header and cut into the area before getting his shot off - only to be denied by a stunning block from skipper Sergio Ramos.
Just one minute later, though, the holders were in front when Karim Benzema played the ball back to Luka Modric on the edge of the 'D' and the Croatia star curled the ball into the bottom corner. Moments after Real were celebrating their opener, Al Ain had the ball in the back of the net but Caio's effort was flagged for offside.
Santiago Solari's side doubled their lead on the hour mark when the ball fell to Marcos Llorente after a corner, and goalkeeper Khalid Eisa was powerless to stop the midfielder's stunning strike from finding the bottom corner.
Sergio Ramos recorded Real's third, powering a header past Eisa after a corner, before Shiotani headed a consolation goal for the host team after Caio's free-kick. Yahia Nader then turned Vinicius Jr's effort into his own net in injury-time, rounding off a superb win.
The result means Real add to their 2014, 2016 and 2017 Club World Cup titles, while manager Solari claimed his first trophy as Los Blancos boss.
Alibaba Cloud Match Award winner: Marcos Llorente (Real Madrid)
Gareth Bale scored twice off the bench as Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 in Kyiv to become European champions for the 13th time.
Bale's first was an 'I-was-there' goal, one to rival Zinédine Zidane, Mario Mandžukić and any other you care to name as the best in final history. Marcelo's cross from the left looked harmless enough, but the Welshman, 20 metres out, somehow contorted his body to hook the ball over his head with enough power that it fizzed past Loris Karius.
Madrid's dressing room celebrations
Quite the contrast to Madrid's opener on 51 minutes, when Karius attempted to roll the ball out to a team-mate only for Benzema to stick out a hopeful leg which turned out to be a goalscoring interception.
Isco had been denied by the crossbar shortly prior to that, but Liverpool – creaking ever since the talismanic Mohamed Salah had been forced off with a shoulder problem in the first half – were quick to dust themselves down after going behind. Indeed they were level just four minutes later, Dejan Lovren's towering header from a corner poked in by Sadio Mané at the back post.
That was as good as it got for the Reds, though, Bale almost single-handedly turning the tide back in Madrid's direction after coming on just past the hour. He struck his second with seven minutes left, a long-range shot that somehow squirted through Karius's palms, and – after Mané had struck a post at the other end – almost added a third when clean through moments later. Madrid and Zidane had already wrapped up their very own hat-tricks by then, though.
Man of the match: Gareth Bale
Bale: That goal is a dream come true
What an impact. He only got 13 minutes as a substitute in Cardiff last year, but had a far more telling role to play during his half-hour this time round. That first goal really was one for the ages. Peter Rudbæk, speaking on behalf of the UEFA technical observers, said: "The observers chose Bale due to his game-changing display off the bench and his outstanding acrobatic goal to put his team ahead."
Reporters' views
Joe Walker, Real Madrid (@UEFAcomJoeW)
There's a saying in Spain: 'El Madrid es el Madrid'. They are Madrid and they just get things done, no matter the situation. Tonight they were the better team and were able to take full advantage of the chances that came their way. Three in a row, Zidane absolutely got it spot on, and you wouldn't bet against a fourth next year either.
Reaction
Zinédine Zidane, Real Madrid coach
Our achievement tonight is the most important thing – we have to congratulate the players because it's not at all easy to do this. There are no words to describe this. The amazing thing about this squad is that they don't have a ceiling. They are hungry for more and they've demonstrated that today.
Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool manager
Congratulations to Real Madrid. [Salah's departure] was a big moment in the game. It was unlucky that he fell on his shoulder and it's a serious injury. We'll never know what would have happened if he'd played on. The shock was obvious and we dropped too deep. [Bale] was very decisive – the bicycle kick was an unbelievable goal.
Key stats
Madrid are the first team to win three in a row since Bayern in the 1970s
Zidane is the first coach to win the competition three seasons running
Ronaldo first player to win five UEFA Champions League titles
Bale is the seventh player to score twice in a UEFA Champions League final
He is the first to find the net twice after coming on as a substitute
Real Madrid and Liverpool battle it out in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final, Europe's premier club competition finale, live from Kiev, Ukraine. Live blog begins at 8 a.m. UTC -8 and starts with a live look at the EFL Promotion Playoff Final at Wembley Stadium between Fulham and Aston Villa.
This was originally meant to be published by The Stoppage Time. Since this was not published, I am posting it here and also on Tumblr.
The fans depart, the teams depart, and the only ones in the stadium are the janitors cleaning the stands and the lights still being on. I enter the Parc des Princes pitch, still strewn with debris from the rage of the home fans, and in my hands is a bottle of Normandy cider. No wine or champagne tonight, the outcome dictates none of those drinks. Just cider. And a young local, a PSG youth academy product of 14 years, accompanies me on the field like youngsters accompany the heroes on the pitch during classic battles.
I tell the young lad, hold my cider, and he does. With this, I begin addressing the audience of a few grounds staff in practice but in reality, a certain fallen individual.
So the full time score reads, to my right: Paris 4, Real Madrid 2. Aggregate scoreline 5-5, Real Madrid advance to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals on away goals 2-1. Based on this result, Unai Emery Etxegoien of Hondarribia, Spain, I, Jo-Ryan Salazar of Los Angeles, California and The Stoppage Time, welcome you with open arms, open hearts and open minds...to the beginning of the end of your managerial career with the Paris Saint-Germain Football Club of the 16th Arrondissement of Paris, France, with its administrative center based in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Yvelines.
I know, I know, you only saw me once, and that was at a prematch press conference for the International Champions Cup at StubHub Center in Carson, ahead of a 4-0 hammering of the Cinderellas of the Premier League, Leicester City Football Club, who are still hanging around (thankfully) in England's top flight. But that was two years ago. Ages ago. An eternity ago. Times have changed. And so I shall slowly walk the perimeter of this recovering pitch in my own pseudo-lap of honor to continue this spiel.
So why do I cover this team? Why do I follow, as my main European club, Paris Saint-Germain, a club that has never been relegated from Ligue 1 for nearly a half century and has won more trophies than any other club in French club football? I could be scrutinizing other clubs, like Chelsea (my main team in the Premier League), Juventus (the gold standard of Serie A), Bayern Munich (my main team in the Bundesliga)...heck, I could be ripping apart Brendan Rogers's tenure at Celtic in what is a similarly future European exercise. Celtic are my main team in Scotland.
First off, as mentioned, they have more silverware across all competitions than any other team in French club football. Secondly, PSG are meant to be an extension of one of the most influential cities in the world, Paris, a beacon of hope for the world's finest people, the French. PSG is the Finest People's Ally and it is up to the Rouge et Bleu to win not just for Paris but for all of France. A defeat of this magnitude to Paris Saint-Germain is a defeat for Ligue 1 and the entire French Republic. It is not meant to be trivialized.
Finally, Paris is a city built by skilled workers who honestly mastered their craft and leave an indelible impression. Like any self-respecting city, Paris demands that it hires reputable established employees. There are no fakers or fake news meant to be milling about in a genuine metropole like Paris, at least one would imagine.
Unai, I have been monitoring your body of work these past two seasons. You came into the 2016-17 campaign as a passenger and a hack with an unproven reputation, and you will exit the 2017-18 campaign the same way you came. A passenger. A hack. One who misused and mismanaged the big money signings, the talent, the names, and have actually allowed PSG to regress from their quarterfinal exits in the UEFA Champions League under Laurent Blanc. The French have a term for this: honteaux. Disgrace. In Spanish, that's verguenza or fracaso.
The handling of Kylian Mbappe's injury against Toulouse FC was scandalous in its own right, but nothing can compare to the way you treated Hatem Ben Arfa. Here was a player that could only do training and was ready to be called up but never got to play a minute in this last year of his contract because you did not let him. Hatem is Parisian through and through, like Lassana Diarra and Kylian Mbappe and others on PSG's first team. To only allow Hatem to take part in training and nothing else is damaging to his career. You forced him to be a passenger and by not allowing everyone to play this season, it has added to the case that you are not qualified to manage this group of playes.
As an aside, Neymar Santos Jr. realized that the pitch of Le Parc des Princes has a soul, and it chose to keep him in line as it was tired of the Brazilian king not respecting French club football. And so he is out for the remainder of the season, recovering from a broken foot after landing awkwardly on one of his ankles in a Ligue 1 duel against Marseille, who PSG dismissed on back-to-back 3-0 scorelines. That was not your fault, Unai, but just so you know, this stadium does have a soul, vibes, an aura, and it must be respected and paid hommage to.
That leads us to the next point, where does Paris Saint-Germain go from here as the endgame is now in full swing in the City of Light? Nasser Al-Khelaifi will undoubtedly allow you to finish the season, granted that no future cup ties end in defeat and very few draws or losses are incurred in Ligue 1. The only other opposition that stands a chance of defeating you is AS Monaco and they're already been out of European competition since Christmas. But even if Paris run the tables the rest of the way and win out, it does not change a single thing.
Unai Emery, Paris Saint-Germain is not to be managed by passengers or hacks. It needs proven names to keep the vein of silverwear going while getting over the Champions League hump that is the knockout rounds. Perhaps a future job awaits you in the lower leagues of Spain, or maybe a job analyzing or commenting on the game fits your fancy. But I cannot vouch for you anymore as the Parisians have regressed in European competition and you have wasted your oppotunity to harness the power of Edinson Cavani, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. This club is a straightforward club to play for as a player, but a documented challenge as a manager, and you failed in this challenge.
I now complete my pseudo-lap of honor. This is where we have to say goodbye, Unai Emery, even though you will still undoubtedly be the gaffer, at least in name only, for the rest of the season. Your only legacy will have been the domestic trophies won at Paris Saint-Germain Football Club. But the true legacy are your eliminations to La Liga's power duo of FC Barcelona and the masters, the European and World Champions, the gold standard of the Real Madrid Club de Futbol of Madrid, Spain.
Adieu, addio, adios amigo. And make sure the door smacks you hard in the derriere on the way out. You will not be missed. Because even through these darkest of days, this is Paris, and Paris will always be magical. And with that, I retrieve my cider and make my exit from Le Parc des Princes into the cold, dark Parisian night.
Real Madrid have become the first side to retain the FIFA Club World Cup, earning a 1-0 win over Gremio to lift the title at UAE 2017.
A second-half strike from Cristiano Ronaldo was enough to hand the Madrid giants victory, having dominated the encounter with the South American champions in Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening.
The game began with a thump, with plenty of physicality on show. However, it was the title holders that found their rhythm quickest. Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric both had the band blue and black-clad fans in the Zayed Sports City Stadium inhaling sharply.
Though the large amount of local support were not spared some nervous moments either in the opening period, with Edilson striking a swerving rocket of a free-kick inches over Keylor Navas’s crossbar.
Having had two-thirds of the possession before the break, Real returned for the second half looking to make it count. It did not take them long and it was Ronaldo, who broke the resistance. Striking a free-kick from 25 yards, it is no surprise there was an instant inquest among the Gremio wall, as the ball nestled in the bottom corner, having seen the Portuguese’s shot pierce clean through it.
He thought he had taken his record goalscoring tally in the Club World Cup from seven to eight, volleying in seven minutes later, but Karim Benzema’s fine nod down was adjudged to have been from an offside position.
Gremio failed to rouse a response, with goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe forced into fine saves from Modric - tipping his effort onto the post - Ronaldo, and Gareth Bale to stay within touching distance of Los Blancos. However, they could not prevent Zinedine Zidane guiding the Spanish side to successive titles, equalling Barcelona's record tally of three.
Alibaba Cloud Match Award Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid win the European Cup for the 11th time and second in three seasons
Cristiano Ronaldo converts the winning spot kick in the shoot-out
Half-time substitute Yannick Carrasco equalises for Atlético Madrid
Sergio Ramos, who levelled in the 2014 decider against Atlético, puts Madrid ahead
Antoine Griezmann rattles the crossbar with a 47th-minute penalty
Real Madrid prevailed on penalties as they eventually got the better of Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final for the second time in three seasons.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a quiet match by his high standards, scored the decisive spot kick after Juanfran had hit the base of the post with the eighth attempt of the shoot-out. Substitute Yannick Carrasco's 79th-minute equaliser cancelled out a first-half strike by Sergio Ramos, whose own – last-gasp – leveller against the Rojiblancos had forced extra time in Lisbon two years ago.
The contest was at odds with Diego Simeone's prediction that "the game will be very tense" as both sides went at it before fatigue took its toll, Casemiro forcing a fine reaction save out of Jan Oblak after getting on the end of Gareth Bale's inswinging free-kick from the right.
On the quarter-hour mark it was a Toni Kroos set piece from the opposite flank that proved Atlético's undoing. Bale, having lost his marker, flicked it on and Ramos manoeuvred around Stefan Savić to prod the ball under Oblak.
Atlético's purposeful start to the second period bore fruit when Pepe fouled Fernando Torres in the area. Opting for power rather than placement, Antoine Griezmann blasted his penalty against the crossbar.
Madrid might have doubled their lead inside the last 20 minutes through Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale, whose shot was blocked in front of goal by Savić. Moments later, Juanfran exchanged passes with Gabi and crossed for half-time substitute Carrasco to turn in his first UEFA Champions League goal of the campaign.
Key player: Sergio Ramos
How Atlético must be sick of the sight of the Madrid captain. The defender does not get many goals – just two this season before tonight – and had not found the net in the UEFA Champions League in two years. His last European goal denied Atlético in the 2014 final, though, and he was at it again here, becoming the fifth player to score in two UEFA Champions League finals, and the first defender.
Atlético's final heartbreak
No side had ever lost their first three European Cup finals, with Juventus and Barcelona the only other clubs to have suffered two initial final defeats. Both landed the trophy at the third time of asking, in 1985 and 1992 respectively, and Atlético must have fancied emulating them – but Madrid had not lost a European Cup final since 1981 and that pedigree proved too strong again.
Griezmann loses out to Navas again
Griezmann missed a penalty against Madrid in the Liga in October and failed again from the spot this evening. Keylor Navas had saved that spot kick eight months ago and played a crucial role here, psyching out the French international – who had converted his other two penalties in open play this term. Griezmann had better luck in the shoot-out, yet to no avail.
Atlético spirit shines through
Simeone's team had lost just one of their ten meetings with Real Madrid since the Lisbon final – albeit that came in last season's UEFA Champions League quarter-final – and they kept their heads superbly to work their way back into this.
Carrasco's Belgian first
Carrasco has regularly been used as an impact player by Simeone during this campaign but can scarcely have had such a significant contribution to make as here. Not only was his balance and willingness to run with the ball crucial in steadily pushing Madrid back, but he hammered in the equaliser – making him the first Belgian to score in a European Cup final. Nice celebration with his partner too.
The praise heaped on Real Madrid by the team’s FIFA Club World Cup rivals before the tournament turned out to be justified. The hot favourites more than lived up to expectations in Morocco by winning their fourth trophy of 2014, making this the most successful calendar year in the club’s history.
The ruthless manner in which Madrid brushed the opposition aside may have had a familiar look to it – after all, Carlo Ancelotti’s menhad conquered Europe in May by winning the UEFA Champions League for the tenth time. But the team’s current 22 game winning streak, the most recent of which came with a 2-0 victory over San Lorenzo in the final, has taken Los Merengues to another level. Madrid, who disappointed at their last appearance at the Club World Cup in 2000, will now make sure the trophy takes pride of place in the Santiagao Bernabeu cabinet.
"It’s a fitting end to an unforgettable year. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and delighted with our performances. For me, Real Madrid are the best team in the world," said Ancelotti who, after winning the Club World Cup in 2007 with Milan, is now a two-time world club champion.
But while the manager is entitled to enjoy his team’s success, he is also already thinking about the future. "I’m proud to say that I have a very professional, serious and focused group of players to work with. I'd be delighted if we could repeat what we’ve achieved this year.”
It’s a fitting end to an unforgettable year. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and delighted with our performances. For me, Real Madrid are the best team in the world.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti
It would take a brave man to bet against it. With a talented, versatile squad, Madrid showed how dangerous they are once again in Morocco, even though their biggest star did not find the net. This season’s top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score in the wins over Cruz Azul (4-0) and San Lorenzo, but still managed to play a key role in his team’s triumph. And as proof of the team’s versatility, it was a central defender who scored the decisive goals.
Plaudits and records Sergio Ramos set Madrid on the road to victory in both the semi-final and the final, thanks to the same strength, determination and positional awareness he displayed when scoring the dramatic late equaliser in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid. The adidas Golden Ball award he received after the tournament was a fitting reward for this goalscoring defender’s heroics.
“It has been a really memorable year for me, and I'm delighted to have been able to contribute goals in important matches. It’s the happiest phase of my life, both on a personal and professional level," said Ramos. "I can’t ask for much more than this, but tomorrow I’ll start to think about our next trophy. We know this team can keep on achieving great things.”
In terms of making history, Real, who have now equalled Milan’s record of four World and Intercontinental Cup wins, a number of players had special reason to celebrate: Iker Casillas, as the only survivor from the team that came fourth in 2000; Toni Kroos, the midfield colossus and provider of the passes for Ramos’ goals, who won his third world title in 12 months; and Cristiano Ronaldo, who after winning the Club World Cup with Manchester United in Japan in 2008, becomes one of the few players to have won the trophy with two different teams. And the incredible achievements of this team may be just beginning.
No surprises Not only did Real Madrid’s triumph in Morocco represent the climax of the club’s phenomenal current run, but it also confirmed the recent domination of European sides in the tournament. It was the seventh win in 11 editions for the UEFA representatives, and the third time an Argentinian team has been defeated in the final. After overcoming modest Auckland City in the semi-final with a 2-1 extra time win, San Lorenzo could not repeat the heroics that won them the Copa Libertadores.
I can’t ask for much more than this, but tomorrow I’ll start to think about our next trophy. We know this team can keep on achieving great things.
Sergio Ramos
Still, the team showed great courage against a side which even the San Lorenzo players had described as "the best in the world” before the tournament. "We knew it’d be a very tough game but we didn’t fall far short. We made a couple of errors [for Madrid’s two goals] and you can’t afford a single moment of carelessness against a team like this with players of this class,” said Leandro Romagnoli after the final.
But even if the champions made fulfilling their role as favourites look easy, the Club World Cup in Morocco hardly lacked surprises and great stories. The biggest shock of all was undoubtedly provided by New Zealand’s Auckland City, who, after numerous unsuccessful appearances at the tournament, finally earned their place in history.
Tremendously improved on previous years, the semi-professional team led by Catalan coach Ramon Tribulietx recorded confident victories over Moghreb Tetouan and ES Setif, gave an organised, skilful display against San Lorenzo in the semi-final, and eventually claimed an improbable third place after overcoming Cruz Azul on penalties.
Nor was Auckland’s success the result of the team riding its luck. "I'm so proud of what we’ve achieved. We didn’t lose a single game [in normal time], and we deserved to come third because we were fantastic from start to finish. These players are the real moral winners," said Tribulietx.
Despite coming from a country accustomed to a more direct style of play, the impact of Auckland’s tactical innovations were clearly visible: the team made headlines around the world, and the players are guaranteed an unprecedented welcome back home. No one will underestimate this team in future tournaments.
Historic moments According to midfielder Christian Gimenez, there was a sense of shame associated with Cruz Azul’s fourth place finish in Morocco. Although the team started the tournament well enough, in the end they could not avoid another frustrating campaign for Mexico’s representatives at the Club World Cup.
I'm so proud of what we’ve achieved. We didn’t lose a single game [in normal time], and we deserved to come third because we were fantastic from start to finish. These players are the real moral winners.
Auckland City coach Ramon Tribulietx
Still, at least the team provided one of the most memorable images of the competition during their victory over Western Sydney Wanderers. After putting his team ahead in extra-time in a match played in pouring rain, Hugo Pavone dived chest first into one of the many puddles on the waterlogged pitch in Rabat. "It was like being a child again. When it rained, the best way to celebrate was always to dive into a puddle."
The striker's joy that day came in sharp contrast to the disappointment of the Wanderers players. After the fairy tale of winning the AFC Champions League in 2014, two defeats sent the young Australian side home early. At least they managed to score two great goals in the Match for Fifth Place: one by Romeo Castelen, and the other by Vitor Saba, whose terrific free kick brought to mind Ronaldinho’s goal in last year’s competition. The similarity was no coincidence: the Brazilian spent six months watching Ronaldinho practicing free-kicks when he played for Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro. "I picked up a few tricks," he joked.
In the same game, ES Setif provided African fans with one of their few happy memories of the tournament by claiming fifth place. While Abdelmalik Ziaya scored a marvellous goal, driving a bouncing ball into the top corner, it was goalkeeper Sofiane Khediairia who ultimately emerged as the hero during the penalty shoot-out. Unlike 2013, when Raja Casablanca caused a sensation by reaching the final, the African representatives did not have much cause to celebrate in 2014.
Or perhaps they did. Even though Morocco’s Moghreb Tetouan also failed to impress, the number of white shirts and flags in the stands showed that the fans in Marrakech had adopted Real Madrid as the newest local team. "The support we received from the fans was a pleasant surprise. We felt at home," said Carlo Ancelotti. After that, all he and his players had to do was what they have become very good at doing – win a title, and play some great football. It is becoming something of a habit for this Real Madrid team.
The Stats Teams: 7 When: 10-20 December, 2014 Final: Real Madrid 2 v 0 San Lorenzo Games: 8 Goals: 20 (average of 2.5 per game) Total attendance: 228,021 (average of 28,503 per game)
