Real Madrid were crowned Champions of Europe for the 14th time after beating Liverpool 1-0 at the Stade de France. An eighth successive UEFA Champions League (UCL) final victory means the Spaniards have won Europe’s premier competition twice as many times as any other club.

While the tension inside the stadium was nearing fever pitch, a scene of mayhem was unfolding outside as a large number of spectators battled to get admission. The following 37-minute delay in kick-off did little to deter the 'Reds,' who took entire control of the contest, seeking revenge for their defeat in 2018 final.

The Liverpool assault intensified, with both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané troubling Thibaut Courtois early on. Carlo Ancelotti's team has been masters of survival in this UCL run, and those abilities were put to the test as the Liverpool barrage intensified. The Senegal international had the greatest chance for his team, evading Eder Milito's challenge before blazing at goal, only for Courtois to tip his shot against the post.

Real had to wait until the final moments of HT to find a gap on the other end. Karim Benzema was at the center of the action, as he dashed in behind before missing his shot, only for the ball to rebound off Fabinho and back to the Frenchman, who slotted home. The goal was controversially ruled out for offside following a lengthy VAR review, but the scare served as a timely reminder of the Spanish champs' threat.