Liverpool Are Champions Of Europe!

Mohammed Salah’s second minute penalty set the stage for Liverpool to claim UEFA Champions League glory inside the Madrid’s wonderful Wanda Metropolitano stadium on Saturday night.

It was indeed a redemption mission for the Reds as their heroic showing proved soothing to wipe off the trauma of their 1-3 loss to Real Madrid in Kiev one year on.

The Egyptian opened scoring for the mentality giants as they romped to a 2-0 victory over English rivals, Tottenham Hotspur  

On Europe’s biggest stage in Club football, Liverpool delivered and ensured their superb season had a special flowery end to it.

After 14 years in the doldrums, the Jurgen Klopp’s side dug deep and gave their all for the Champions League trophy to head back to Anfield.

For Salah, it was his night of redemption; the one he had dreamed of in the last one year. Devastated in Kiev, the Egyptian was delirious in Madrid and his second-minute penalty laid the foundation for Liverpool to secure their sixth European Cup crown.

Again, Divock Origi, proved the man for the big occasion for Liverpool. Hero of the semi-final second leg clash with Barcelona at Anfield, Origi came off the bench to finish the job and eventually bury Spurs late on. 

It was by no means a classic final, but will anyone care? Liverpool are back at the summit of European football and as the famous Kop banner says, ‘Those Scousers Again’.

They had taken over the Spanish capital, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Santa Ana and Gran Via transformed into a red sea, sun burnt and singing, an invasion of flags and banners, Transalpino and adidas. 

It was some sight, with the Madrid authorities estimating that around 50,000 Liverpudlians had made the journey. 

They’d come from far and wide, from Chile and Egypt, Croxteth and Crosby. They had arrived by car and by train, by air and by sea. They came to party, to see their heroes crowned and their heroes didn’t let them down. 

Last year, their hearts were broken by a team in white, Real Madrid. ‘Lessons were learnt’, Klopp said. Resolve was strengthened. He felt they would be back, he felt they could come again and certainly they did return.

Madrid provided the stage for this crowning night of glory; where a new set of legends emerged. From Jordan Henderson, the captain, who hoisted that famous jug-eared trophy aloft, and Alisson Becker, whose second-half saves got Klopp’s team over the line, to Virgil van Dijk, the £75 million bargain and Trent Alexander-Arnold, the home-grown superstar at 20 years of age, each and every one of the Reds deserved what they got in Madrid. 

For sure, Liverpool can play better than they did. But after a campaign like this, when they have scaled new heights and feared they would have nothing to show for it, they can be forgiven for their nerves and the tension-soaked outing on the night.

There is no doubt that this Liverpool side is a special team, one which has made their supporters proud at every turn. 

For their German-born Manager, Klopp, that first hurdle is cleared. The soccer pundits can stop talking about his ‘need’ for silverware, or his lacklustre record in major finals.

The German promised to bring the good times back when he arrived Anfield in 2015, and he has gone ahead to land the big one for the team.

The victory is good for him as a manager who brings joy to football; puts bums on seats; and smiles on faces. The destination is cool, Klopp might say, but the journey has been even better.

Liverpool’s fans would certainly agree with him. And on Saturday, June 1, 2019 in Madrid, they indeed experienced and are now celebrating the joy of their sixth UEFA Champions League crown. – With agency reports