Karius Howlers Hand Real 13th CL Cup

Sports - Football - Champions League - RMA 3:1 LIV

Liverpool keeper Loris Karius was in tears after giving away two howlers and watching substitute Gareth Bale's stunning smacker of a goal, seeing his side fall 3-1 against Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev on Saturday night, handing the great Spanish side and their manager Zinédine Zidane their third consecutive Champions League trophy, 13th European Cup overall.

The score does not reflect the match in the slightest, it was no real competition, as in Real have been handed a very generous result for a mediocre performance thanks to the Red number 1.

Jürgen Klopp's men were dominant and in control in the first half, no real sign of Cristiano Ronaldo and co apart from one offside goal, Karim Benzema denied on the rebound after Karius saved the number seven's header.

The first and biggest blow for the Reds came after Real skipper Sergio Ramos clashed and fell with LFC star man and top scorer Mohamed Salah.

The great Egyptian landed awkwardly on his shoulder and arm, the pain reflected in his tears and devastation having to come off and be replaced by Adam Lallana with only half an hour gone.

Ramos' actions and reactions looked very calculated and menacing, close to ridiculing his opponent, no respect whatsoever, shame on the Spaniard. (A petition against him and his actions has collected over 150,000 signatures!!!)

A few minutes later Daniel Carvajal was forced off as well due to injury, replays showing his ankle giving way, Nacho replacing him.

It remained goalless at the break, both teams trying to cope and reset after receiving injury blows. It was all to play for.

Benzema was handed the opener six minutes after the restart, Karius throwing the ball against the French striker in protest of the player not keeping his distance, to watch the ball ricochet off the man and into the back of the net. 1-0 out of nowhere, like a bad comedy outtake clip!

But the Reds fought back, Sadio Mané equalizing four minutes later, prodding in Dejan Lovren's header off James Milner's corner and taking his total of the season to 20 goals. Game on.

Then came the decisive substitution, Bale on for Isco with just over an hour gone, and three minutes later the former Tottenham striker thanked his manager with an absolute stunner, overhead kick into the back of the net. Wow. 2-1

Liverpool were still in the game, and their Senegalese forward had a couple of chances including hitting the woodwork, until seven minutes from time when Bale gave it a try with a shot from distance for Karius to softly glove the stoppable attempt into the back of his own net. Ouch.

The Welsh striker is only the second Brit to score a brace in a European Cup/Champions League final after Bobby Charlton for Manchester United in 1968, the first player ever to do so coming off the bench.

It was absolutely heart-breaking to watch as an LFC fan with players like Andy Robertson and youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold having played their hearts out and owned the opposition throughout the 90 minutes, to be beaten and broken in such embarrassing manner.

It was Klopp's sixth final defeat out of seven, third with Liverpool, whilst Zidane joins Bob Paisley and Carlo Ancelotti having won the European trophy three times - the (in)famous Frenchman being the only one to have done it in three consecutive seasons.

The Reds fans kept singing on, despite the result, proud of their side and full of hope that they learn from their mistakes and come back even better and stronger next season!!!!! WALK ON!!! XxXxX YNWA!!!

Real Madrid Goals: Benzema 51', Bale 64' & 83'.

Liverpool Goal: Mané 55'.

Match Stats: RMA 3-1 LFC
Possession: 66%-34%
Shots: 14-13
On target: 5-2
Corners: 9-5
Fouls: 5-18
Yellow cards: 0-1

Real Madrid Team: 1 Javas; 12 Marcelo, 4 Ramos (c), 5 Varane, 2 Carvajal (6 Nacho 37'); 8 Kroos, 14 Casemiro, 10 Modrić; 22 Isco (11 Bale 61'); 7 Ronaldo, 9 Benzema (20 Asensio 89'). 4-3-1-2
Subs not used: 14 Casilla, 15 Theo Hernàndez, 17 Lucas Vázquez, 23 Kovačić.
Manager: Zinédine Zidane

Liverpool Team: 1 Karius; 26 Robertson, 4 van Dijk, 6 Lovren, 66 Alexander-Arnold, 5 Wijnaldum, 14 Henderson (c), 7 Milner (23 Can 73'); 19 Mané (booked 82'), 9 Firmino, 11 Salah (20 Lallana 30'). 4-3-3
Subs not used: 22 Mignolet, 2 Clyne, 17 Klavan, 18 Moreno, 29 Solanke.
Manager: Jürgen Klopp

Referee: Milorad Mazic
Man of the match: Gareth Bale
Ground: Kiev Olympic Stadium
Attendance: 61,561

Click here for my last LFC match report.

All pictures, facts and stats were taken from the BBC match report and Sky Sports app, Twitter and BT and beIN sports coverages.

Michael Owen does it again

Sports - Football - Premier League - Michael Owen

I cannot stop thinking, he should not have left in the first place...

In 2004 Michael Owen left the club that established him as a world player to try his chances at Real Madrid. And failed - as I predicted the day he left. Not because I was holding sour grapes against him or anything like that, but because I stayed realistic and was not blinded by the flow of Galacticos cash.

He would have become a god at Liverpool - he was on his way, put it that way - just as worshiped and loved as Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher are now! Stevie G. had his flirts and episodes of distress - should I stay or should I go now - too. But he came to his sences in time and stayed where he belonged and look at him now, a god! What would Liverpool be without him - and vice versa? Just like the Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish, et al.

Real Madrid have always been overcrowded with star players and I just knew Owen would not have much of a chance to become the same god there. No chance indeed, he had in the end.

Owen then tried his luck at Newcastle and was hit by one injury-curse after another. I saw it as his punishment for leaving Liverpool in the first place, not that I am biased or anything...

He then abandoned the sinking Tyne ship - after the club kept the faith in him and his paycheck flowing for four years, all for nothing in the end.

That is why I have always worshiped Alan Shearer. The top player, striker and scorer he always was, he never left for the cash. He stayed with his home team and is still fighting with and for them now. He deserves ten-times the respect and honor compared to the modern-day players and greats that just go there where the highest bid comes from.

So, to which club does the born Everton fan decide to go next? None other than Manchester United. Who can blaim him? Having won three titles in a row, nearly defended the European crown, too, I could go on and on listing the reasons, glories and past players' success-stories as good and more-than-plausible reasons why a player should join Man Utd to rekindle his written-off career.

I agree with Phil McNulty, it could not have been a better move for both Michael Owen and the proven genius Sir Alex Ferguson himself. Manchester United needed to strengthen their attack after losing their main player Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. Owen needs to put his career back on track, to get back into the England team, and only Hull and Stoke had made bids for him so far. Not good enough for the Scouser. The prior get what they need for hardly a penny - compared to the deals they are normally part of - and the latter gets what he needs, regardless of his past.

Paul Merson stayed more cautious with his assessment of the situation looking back at the player's injury-prone past. I think this move could be a master stroke for both sides. But on the other hand, I cannot stop shaking my head thinking of what could have been. If only he would have stayed in the first place, none of this long farce would have happened. But instead, he keeps on kicking everyone who had faith in him in the face, defiantly. He dare not do that to Fergie!

1996-2004 Liverpool: 297 games 158 goals (53.2% scoring rate)

2004-2005 Real Madrid: 40 games, 14 goals (35%)

2005-2009 Newcastle: 79 games, 30 goals (37.97%)

1996-2009 Overall: 416 games, 202 goals (48.56%)

Source: Own records and BBC article