Liverpool fans have begun the long trip home from Ukraine after a devastating 3-1 loss to Real Madrid last night.
Dejected fans slept on floors and benches at Kiev’s Boryspil International Airport as they were caught up in travel chaos – just two days after a thousand others faced Champions League heartbreak when their flights out to the match were cancelled.
Direct flights from Kiev to Liverpool were fully booked up until late next week as fans scrabbled to return home.
Two horrendous goalkeeping errors by Loris Karius gifted Real Madrid victory, leaving the German weeping on the pitch. In the stands Liverpool fans looked deflated as their chance at victory slipped away.
And today fans faced further trouble as more than 30,000 of them attempt to travel back to the UK after the shocking loss.
Devastated: Dejected Liverpool fans slept on floors and benches at Kiev’s Boryspil International Airport as they waited for the flight home after seeing their team lose
Thousands of heartbroken Liverpool fans today began the long trip home from Ukraine after losing to Real Madrid
A Liverpool fan weeps by himself outside the stadium following his team’s 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid last night
This girl gathers her thoughts outside the stadium in Kiev having witnessed Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid
Liverpool fans were slammed for directing a torrent of abuse at their goalkeeper in the wake of last night’s match.
As the final whistle blew, viewers at home noticed that it was players from Real Madrid who were the first go over a console Karius.
Social media users blasted the Liverpool keeper’s fellow stars for not also rushing over to their team mate.
One wrote: ‘Not a single Liverpool team-mate is consoling Karius, only the Real Madrid players. So much for ‘you’ll never walk alone’.
Another added: ‘Karius has to be picked up by Real Madrid players. No Liverpool team-mates in sight. Poor sod.’
Others described Liverpool’s post-match behaviour as ‘utterly classless’, with one noting: ‘Real Madrid players go over to console Karius. Not one Liverpool player comes near him.’
Another use took to Twitter to say: ‘Poor Karius. Leaving him there crying into the turf. Real Madrid players coming to support but NOBODY from his own team. This is the worst moment of his life.’
Karius did eventually make his way over to the stands where he apologised to fans who had made the 1,500-mile journey to Kiev. At last Jurgen Klopp put his arm around the keeper who then disappeared into the tunnel.
A Liverpool fan gazes around at empty seats in the Olympic Stadium in Kiev after the UEFA Champions League Final
Liverpool’s Loris Karius gifted Real Madrid two goals in the Champions League final in Kiev which finished 3-1
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez after his side secured a historic win against Liverpool
Disappointment: More than 30,000 Liverpool fans began the long journey home after a shocking defeat at the hands of Real Madrid
Goalkeeper Karius’ error certainly won’t be forgotten by devastated Liverpool FC fans in a hurry
Karius had gifted Madrid their first goal after throwing the ball directly into the path of Madrid striker Karim Benzema.
Sadio Mane equalised four minutes later, but Gareth Bale restored the Madrid lead with a spectacular overhead kick, with little over half an hour remaining.
With five minutes left on the clock, Karius made a second blunder, this time from Bale, by palming the Welsh wizard’s long range shot into the back of his own net.
The young keeper apologized for his mistakes last night amid exasperated criticism. He told Talk Sport: ‘I don’t feel anything right now. Today I lost my team the game and I feel sorry for everyone.
‘I’m sorry for everyone – from the team, from the whole club – that the mistakes cost dearly.
‘Shame on you’: Social media users slammed Liverpool fans overnight after they directed a torrent of abuse at the team’s keeper
‘I tried to catch it, maybe I should have done it safer and just put it out of play instead of trying to catch it.
‘I judged it wrong and it went in.’
While acknowledging the mistakes, Klopp said he had great sympathy for the keeper he signed from his former club Mainz.
‘What can I say? Loris knows it, everybody knows it. It’s a shame in a game like this and after a season like this. I really feel for him; he’s a fantastic boy,’ Klopp said.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, a Champions League winner with the club in 2005, told BT Sport that Karius had lost his cool for the first goal.
‘We spoke about experience before the game, know-how on the big stage and the Madrid players being more switched on. The first goal is a keeper in a rush,’ he said.
‘It’s a rush of blood to the head, all he had to do was stay calm and he’s made a mistake and been punished.’
Karius lay on the ground after misjudging Gareth Bale’s second goal of the night weakly palming the ball into his own net
Karius looks on helplessly after his second blunder of the night in the dying minutes secured victory for Real Madrid
Karius pulled his jersey over his head and lay on the ground as he contemplated his role in Liverpool’s defeat in Kiev
Liverpool fans looked on in shock after watching Mo Salah hit the ground holding his left shoulder
Liverpool fans gathered inside Anfield but their dreams of victory were dashed by two goalkeeping howlers
Salah was seen as the biggest threat against Madrid by Liverpool fans who cannot believe their bad luck
In the first half, Liverpool’s talisman striker Mohammed Salah went off injured after 30 minutes following a challenge by Madrid’s skipper Sergio Ramos.
The match, which is the highlight of the European club football season took place in Kiev’s Shevchenko Park.
Karius arrived at Liverpool from Mainz in 2016 and endured some difficult moments early in his spell at the club as he made some high-profile mistakes.
The 24-year-old has shown some significant signs of improvement this season and firmly established himself as Jurgen Klopp’s first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Simon Mignolet.
Dua Lipa entertained the crowd at the stadium in Kiev ahead of the crunch Champions League final
However, Karius’ major error on the biggest stage in club football certainly won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
Former players including Rio Ferdinand and Gary Lineker were among those to comment on Karius’ ridiculous mistake.
Former Manchester United defender Ferdinand seemed shocked by Karius’ error, while Lineker remarked: ‘What an extraordinary error’.
Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp defended his young keeper following the game: ‘It’s really hard, I really feel for him, nobody wants that. The mistakes were obvious, we don’t have to talk about that, it’s all clear. he knows it, I know it, you all know it. He has to deal with it, we have to deal with it, we will do that.’
Gareth Bale’s first goal which restored Real Madrid’s lead was unstoppable
The club’s captain Jordan Henderson admitted Real Madrid deserved the victory.
He said: ‘It’s disappointing, of course. We did well to get the goal and get back into the game but we made mistakes and Real Madrid were really good. They’re a fantastic side and will always hurt you, they deserved to win and were better on the night.
‘The first 30 or 35 minutes, we dominated with the ball, had a couple of chances but it is frustrating. You have to give credit to them.
‘When Mo Salah got injured they started to dominate with the ball. They scored a goal which was offside in the first half but we stayed in the game,’ added Henderson.
‘We still believed we could go on but there were a couple of goals on another night which would not have gone in.’
Real went ahead after the break when the ill-fated Karius threw the ball out towards forward Karim Benzema whose outstretched leg turned it into the unguarded goal.
‘The first goal I am not sure what happened… and then the overhead kick he (Karius) could do nothing about. The third goal, the ball had loads of movement on it. It is not the mistakes Loris Karius made, we got to the final as a team and lose as a team. It is about everybody.
‘We were not good enough on the night, and I am so proud of the players and the fans who came out for us on the night. I hope we can carry on and get into more finals and use it going forward.’
Madrid substitute Gareth Bale scored a spectacular overhead kick to restore Real’s lead minutes after joining the game
Bale, pictured, started the game on the bench but made an impact only minutes after taking to the field
Karius had to be consoled by Liverpool’s goalkeeping coach John Achterberg and Madrid’s Gareth Bale after the final whistle
On BT Sport, Steven Gerrard admitted: ‘No it wasn’t (to be). And you’ve got to feel for the Liverpool players in general because the performance was good. Individual players have played really well tonight and they’ve been done by two individual mistakes.
‘Obviously Salah going off was pivotal because the opening stages of this game were dominated by Liverpool.
‘Zidane again gets the big decisions right by bringing Bale on. The goal he scores is phenomenal – out of this world.
‘But the talking points will be the keeper’s mistakes.’
Former England captain Gary Lineker: ‘It’s hard to see how a goalkeeper can recover from something like that.’
Karius, pictured, apologised to Liverpool fans who travelled to Kiev after his two errors cost the team the game
While former Chelsea player Frank Lampard felt sympathy for the Liverpool keeper: ‘On I human level… absolute sadness with him. That’s for life now.
‘Mistakes like that are not for this level. In Champions League finals, they shouldn’t be happening.
‘Both of them – particularly the first one which kind of changes the momentum of the game – I can’t believe what I’ve seen.
‘It’s a horrible, horrible moment for him. I’m feeling sorry for him and he needs some big support from his team-mates and everyone around him. No matter what his future is.
‘He didn’t mean that but it has cost them the game.’
Before the fall: Spirits appeared high in Kiev’s Shevchenko Park, where thousands of Liverpool fans gathered in the sunshine ahead of the Champions League final kick-off
Some Liverpool fans failed to travel because flights they had booked had been cancelled at the 11th hour
Tensions ran high amid reported violence from local hooligan gangs targetting British supporters
Optimistic Liverpool fans congregated in Shevchenko Park before their hopes were dashed last night
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp turned his head away from the trophy following his second final defeat
The Madrid team celebrated wildly following their 3-1 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League Final
Cristiano Ronaldo looked happy with his winner’s medal despite failing to improve on his 15 goals in the competition this year
The match started badly for Liverpool as their star striker Mohammed Salah went off with a shoulder injury after just 30 minutes.
Salah, who had scored 10 goals in the competition, landed awkwardly following a challenge with Madrid’s Sergio Ramos.
Liverpool fans held their heads in their hands in the stand while the physio treated him on the pitch, although within moments it was clear the Egyptian striker could not continue.
Salah walked slowly from the field holding his left shoulder in tears and made his way straight down the tunnel for further treatment.
The club said at half time that Salah was suffering a suspected dislocated shoulder. The injury may also prevent him from representing Egypt in next month’s World Cup.
Gareth Bale kissed the Champions League trophy after his two goals secured victory for Real Madrid who retain the cup
Karim Benzema opened the scoring for Real Madrid following a monumental blunder by Liverpool keeper Loris Karius
Madrid captain Sergio Ramos was involved in the challenge which sidelined Liverpool’s top striker Mohammed Salah
TV replays clearly showed the veteran Madrid defender holding Salah’s arm as he tumbled.
Older Liverpool fans will remember that the match is taking place 29 years to the day that they lost the league to Arsenal at Anfield.
The Gunners needed to beat the Merseyside club by two clear goals to secure their first league championship since 1971.
Goals by Alan Smith and a last-gasp winner by Michael Thomas secured victory for Arsenal.
Sadio Mane equalised moments later giving Liverpool a lifeline during the crunch Champions League match
Liverpool’s Mo Salah was substituted after 30 minutes following a strong challenge by Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos
The Liverpool talisman injured his shoulder after being bundled over by Ramos leaving Liverpool fans distraught
Liverpool fans were additionally disappointed by the failure of the referee to show Ramos a yellow card.
Salah was replaced by England’s Adam Lallana.
Several minutes after Salah left the field, Real Madrid had the ball in the back of the net, but luckily for Liverpool, the linesman flagged it offside.
Before he went off injured, Liverpool had nine shots at the Real Madrid goal. After his substitution, Liverpool did not have another shot at goal for the remainder of the first half which remains 0-0.
Salah was left flying and came down heavily on his shoulder which forced his replacement on with at least an hour remaining
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp tried to console the distraught Salah as he left the field after only 30 minutes
Liverpool fans outnumbered Real Madrid’s following in the 63,000-capacity crowd.
Both teams’ fan anthems were played before kickoff and the red scarves of Liverpool fans peppered one corner of the end occupied by Madrid supporters during ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone.’
The game kicked off with Liverpool fans’ current Champions League song, ‘Allez, Allez, Allez,’ booming around the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.
Both teams were allocated more than 16,000 tickets for the game.
But Liverpool fans appeared to secure additional tickets from other sources.
Uefa prepared an extravagant ceremony ahead of the game
Cristiano Ronaldo, pictured, has scored 15 goals in the Champions League this season – two fewer than in 2013-2014
At home in Madrid, Real opened up the Santiago Bernabeu stadium for fans to watch the game, with almost 80,000 supporters turning up.
In Liverpool, fans gathered in the city centre outside bars as the warm sun rapidly vanished over the Irish Sea.
UEFA expects a global television audience of more than 160 million for the Champions League final.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA’s marketing director, says the audience rating will include viewers watching the game streamed live on YouTube in Britain.
Liverpool fans outnumbered Real Madrid fans at the stadium, despite only receiving an allocation of 16,000
Epstein said that Real Madrid and Liverpool have ‘two strong brands’ and global appeal.
Liverpool, which has a strong following in Asia, is also playing in its first Champions League final for 11 years.
‘There has been a lot of hype with the way the teams qualified,’ Epstein says. ‘It’s been a mad season.’
The best-performing recent final was a 175 million ‘global in-home average audience’ for the 2011 final when Barcelona beat Manchester United.
Former King of Spain Juan Carlos was spotted in the crowd, far left, along with the president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, centre and the Fifa president Gianni Infantino, right
The violence came as Kiev police revealed they evacuated five stations on the city’s subway network after a hoax caller warned of bomb attacks.
Ahead of the Champions League final police checked the stations and ‘dangerous items were not found.’
Thousands of Liverpool fans who did not travel to Kiev gathered outside McCooley’s bar in Concert Square on Merseyside.
Cristiano Ronaldo leads the Real Madrid attack needing to score twice to match his own single-season Champions League record.
The family of Madrid legend Sergio Ramos are in the stadium to watch the game with his mother Paqui Garcia, left, son Marco Ramos Rubio, centre and the player’s wife Pilar Rubio, right
The Madrid star has 15 goals in the competition, and got 17 in the 2013-14 title-winning season. His record year included a penalty in the last minute of extra time in the final to cap a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid.
Ronaldo seems sure to be the Champions League top scorer for the sixth straight year, and outright top scorer in five of them.
He is five goals ahead of Liverpool forwards Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, who have 10 each. Sadio Mane, who also starts in the Liverpool attack, has nine.
Subway operations are now back to normal. The police say they’re now hunting the hoax caller.
Besides the bomb scare, police have so far registered 26 crimes involving foreigners, whether as victims or perpetrators.
Liverpool’s Mo Salah failed to provide that moment of inspiration =after going off injured on 30 minutes
Wales player Gareth Bale, pictured, did not start the game having been left on the bench by Madrid coach Zidane
That includes 10 cases of theft, three of hooliganism and two of fraud. Other foreigners were fined for causing a road accident and drinking in public.
Police earlier detained two people after Liverpool fans were attacked at a restaurant on Thursday, leaving two injured.
While flight cancellations meant more than 1,000 Liverpool supporters could not leave Britain, coupled with soaring accommodation prices persuadeding roughly the same number of Madrid fans to have their ticket money refunded rather than travel to Ukraine.
Before the game, Mayor of Kiev Vitali Klitschko was spotted walking pitchside two hours before kickoff.
The former world heavyweight boxing champion had tried to secure additional landing slots at the local airport for flights from Liverpool after several charters were cancelled just hours before the jets were supposed to depart, leaving fans disappointed.
Instead the 75-year-old will be listening to the game on the radio alone with no way of joining his fellow diehards at the match
Social media images showed one bare-chested fan getting punched to the ground , although neither man was wearing club colours ahead of the big game
Some fans wandered around the stadium precincts earlier in the hope of security a ticket for the sell-out game
Organizer UEFA has said refunded tickets will be made available to locals but there is likely to be the unusual sight of empty seats at a Champions League final.
Those fans who did make it are largely positive about Kiev, where the beer is cheap and a festival atmosphere is apparent in the city center.
Madrid fans Fabino Mohino and Yago Saez said they spent about 750 euros ($875) apiece on flights and traveled for 20 hours through Barcelona.
‘We were lucky to have a friend of a friend in the suburbs,’ Mohino said, meaning they could dodge Kiev hotel prices which are as much as $2,000 a night.
‘Loving it,’ added Saez, who has attended six of the last seven Champions League finals. ‘So far, so good.’
Security is tight in Kiev, with police lining the center, which has been closed to traffic. That seems to have prevented repeats of Thursday night’s attack on Liverpool fans at a restaurant – apparently by Ukrainian hooligans – which left two injured.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp will be supported at the Champions League final by a Premier League counterpart – Huddersfield’s David Wagner.
The two coaches have been friends for more than 25 years, starting in Germany and continuing in England.
Speaking in Kiev ahead of Saturday’s final against Real Madrid, Wagner said ‘we have texted a few times in the last week … and I am sure his team will be on fire tonight.’
Klopp is godfather to Wagner’s daughter. Wagner was Klopp’s best man. They played for the same Mainz team in the Bundesliga in the early 1990s. They were coach (Klopp) and assistant coach (Wagner) for Borussia Dortmund from 2011-15.
Klopp was hired by Liverpool in 2015 when Wagner was appointed Huddersfield manager.
Wagner says Klopp ‘is able to deliver an atmosphere where everyone is relaxed but focused enough and this is why I am pretty confident they have a chance.’
Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool: Los Blancos win third consecutive Champions League title as Gareth Bale nets twice – including incredible bicycle kick – while Loris Karius produces two huge errors in final
Gareth Bale pulled off the spectacular to ensure Real Madrid won their third consecutive Champions League title after beating Liverpool 3-1 on Saturday night.
Liverpool got off to a brilliant start in Kiev, with both Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold among the names to go close for the Reds. However, their impressive opening was somewhat dampened by a shoulder injury to Mohamed Salah, who was forced off in the 31st minute after Sergio Ramos awkwardly hauled him down to the ground.
After Karim Benzema saw a first half effort ruled out for offside, the French striker did open the scoring in bizarre fashion in the 51st minute after intercepting Loris Karius’ throw to poke home into the empty net.
But Liverpool fought back in impressive fashion, when Sadio Mane tapped home past Keylor Navas after latching on to a determined header from team-mate Dejan Lovren.
With the game intriguingly poised, it was Bale who stole the show, scoring an incredible bicycle kick from the edge of the penalty area, which left Karius with absolutely no chance as the ball nestled into the top corner. And he then sealed his side’s victory late on in the game, firing in from long-range, leaving Karius red-faced again as he fumbled the ball into the net.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5775177/Real-Madrid-3-1-Liverpool-Los-Blancos-win-straight-Champions-League-title-Bale-nets-twice.html#ixzz5GdvoawrP Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Pensioner Liverpool fan, 75, who has watched beloved club in every European final they have played in is left in tears after his flight to Kiev is cancelled at the last minute
Ernie Ashley, 75, has supported Liverpool for 68 years, and tonight’s Champions League clash would have been his 13th European final – but instead his flight was cancelled
An elderly Liverpool fan who has followed the Reds to all their European finals will miss the big match after his flight to Kiev was cancelled at the last minute.
Ernie Ashley has supported Liverpool for 68 years, and tonight’s Champions League clash would have been his 13th European final.
But instead the 75-year-old will be listening to the game on the radio alone with no way of joining his fellow diehards at the match.
Last night, Mr Ashley received the devastating news that his flight to Kiev was cancelled – just hours before he was due to leave for the airport.
‘This would have been the 13th final for me. I was in bed at 7pm because I had to be up early for my taxi at 3am,’ he said.
‘I got a call at 7.10pm saying the flight had been cancelled. The girl was in tears telling me and I was in tears with her to be honest with you.’
‘There’s definitely something unlucky about 13 finals for me.’
With a ticket to the final but no way of getting to Kiev, Mr Ashley said he could’t bear the idea of going out to watch the match anywhere in Liverpool tonight, so he’ll be following the game on the radio.
‘I’ll be putting the wireless on – my nerves are gone. I’m just so sad that there’s a ticket here and there are some good lads that have not got one,’ he said.
‘I’ll live to see another final under [Liverpool manager Jürgen] Klopp – that’s the main thing.’
The Anfield season ticket holder said he feared it may be too late for him to pass his ticket on to another lucky supporter who is heading to Kiev.
‘Here I am stuck with my match ticket. I’d love to go down to the airport and give it to a genuine fan but you don’t know in this day and age – they might sell it over the odds and it would come back to me,’ he said.
‘I could lose my season ticket. I’ve been watching them for 68 years, I don’t want that to happen. It breaks my heart, the Reds fans, good lads with no tickets, and there’s me here with a ticket.
‘I’m scared to go down and give it to someone in case it goes in the wrong hands.’
Hundreds more football fans were stranded after another Liverpool to Kiev flight was cancelled last night.
Myriad Travel said one of their chartered flights set for the Champions League final would not be able to travel this morning.
Passengers booked on JTA flight number 1 from Liverpool Airport at 6am were told of the news just after 6pm yesterday.
Liverpool Football Club claimed the cancelled flight was operated by Air Partner Ltd and booked through Myriad Travel and Crown Travel.
Myriad travel is based in Woolton and Crown Travel is based in Allerton.
‘Liverpool FC has been made aware of the cancellation of a further charter flight to Kiev operated by Air Partner Ltd and booked through travel agents Myriad Travel and Crown Travel,’ the club said.
The team said those with cancelled flights were entitled to apply for a refund of their match ticket for the Champions League final.
‘We are sorry to advise that flight 1 (SVB116) to KIEV has been cancelled by our supplier JTA in the last few hours,’ Myriad Travel said.
‘We have been desperately trying to source an alternative but none are available. Flight refunds will be issued ASAP. The other three flights are not affected.’
The tweet also included a statement from JTA that claimed the charter provider did not hold the correct licence to fly.
Supporters were sent a document from Myriad Travel last night which appeared to come from the provider JTA travel.
‘It is with great regret we have to advise of the cancellation of your upcoming flight to Kiev,’ it read.
‘The aircraft charter provider has notified us that the aircraft does not have the correct licence to fly and has refused to provide any further assistance or suitable alternative.
‘JTA are the agent of air partner and have exhausted all alternate options due to such late notice and therefore cannot provide an alternative flight due to aircraft availability and slots available at such a late stage.
‘This is no reflection on your reputable independent travel agent Myriad & Crown Travel you have booked via, who we have worked extensively with to try secure alternatives for you.
‘A full refund of all monies paid for flights will be reimbursed to your agent and we cannot express our sincere apologies and regret for this cancellation.’
‘We deeply regret that the original aircraft was not able to fly,’ Air Partner said.
‘On Thursday morning, we offered a number of alternative aircraft solutions to the travel agent that contracted us, but they declined them, and we fully refunded the travel agent.’
Hundreds of other fans who booked with World Choice Sports were also delivered a devastating blow on Thursday when three planes bound for Kiev were cancelled.