Bale Fires Real Madrid To Third Straight Champions League Title

Gareth Bale scored twice including a sensational bicycle kick as Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 3-1 to win the Uefa Champions League for a third straight year.

Loris Karius made a coastly mistake that allowed Karim Benzema open the scoring early in the second half.

Liverpool levelled the game four minutes later when Sadio Mane latched on to a Dejan Lovren header at the far post.

The Reds had earlier lost PFA Player of the Year Mohamed Salah to a shoulder injury after a tackle by Sergio Ramos.

However, just after 122 seconds after coming on as a substitute, Bale restored Real’s lead with arguably one the best goals ever seen in a Champions League final, connecting superbly with Marcelo’s defected cross.

Liverpool pressed for an equaliser, but another costly mistake by Karius, who failed to keep out Bale’s shot, put the game beyond Jurgen Klopps’s side and gifted Real a third Champions League title.

The victory means Real Madrid have now won 13th Champions League trophies, more than any other side in the history of the competition.