Real Madrid is eternal. More than ever at the top in the history of football. You had to see Saturday evening the explosion of joy, the tears, the marks of affection and the long minutes of communion between players, staff members or supporters on the lawn of the Stade de France to realize the moment of grace experienced by all the merengue people. For a timeless streak and a fourteenth Champions League won by Real at the expense of Liverpool (0-1) after a meeting dominated by the Reds, but, once again, returned by valor, courage and a sense of sacrifice of Carlo Ancelotti’s men. The hallmark of this 2021-2022 version winner, very often close to leaving in the round of 16 against Paris SG (1-0, 3-1), in the quarter-finals ahead of Chelsea (1-3, 2-3 ) or even in half against Manchester City (4-3, 3-1). Always hit, never sunk. Unsinkable and admirable. For an unshakable edifice.
“At the start of the season, no one thought we could win it, admits Carlo Ancelotti, legendary conductor of this Madrid and now four-time winner of the C1 (twice with AC Milan and Real Madrid) in the coach’s suit. We deserved it. We suffered a lot during our journey, but we never got demoralized. And “Carletto”, 62, all smiles but also aware of the historical imprint left in the legend of this sport, to highlight the famous institution Real Madrid. With, as a standard, the weight of history, the experience of the elders (Modric 36 years old, Benzema and Marcelo 34 years old, Kroos-Casemiro 32 years old) and this culture of winning pegged to the body.
Since 1981 and a defeat in the Champions Club Cup final… against Liverpool at the Parc des Princes (1-0), Real have won eight of their fourteen C1s, out of eight finals played. Colossal. Gargantuan. Anything but chance. “It’s easier to win the C1 with Real than with another team, recognizes the former PSG coach, who is the only technician to have been champion in the five biggest European championships. The special passion of the supporters, the history, the structure of the club… all of this makes the club special. I am very happy for the four Champions League. I am even more so because we have had a spectacular season.”
European champion and winner of La Liga this season, this Real Madrid will not go down in history in terms of play and romance for the most purists among us, but all the ingredients mentioned for weeks (resilience, courage, fighting spirit, team spirit, sense of sacrifice) come forward as the key words of an unforgettable campaign. “There is no luck, denounces Karim Benzema, winner of his 5th Champions League on Saturday evening, top scorer in the competition with 15 goals and more than ever favorite to win the first Ballon d’Or of his career in October. next. There’s no chance. You can have it only once, luck. But not every time.” As if this Real, aware of its strengths but above all of its weaknesses, had never ceased to believe in its destiny, carried by an incomparable mind this season in the biggest club competition.
Even the episode of Kylian Mbappé not coming to Madrid next season (“Mbappé is forgotten, it doesn’t matter”, according to Florentino Perez on Saturday evening), did not shake this experienced group and carried by a fabulous Thibaut Courteous, impassable on Saturday evening. With one of the best coaches in the world, the strongest goalkeepers and attackers on the planet, as well as an ultra-close-knit team, the merengue club has maintained its legend a little more. For a very beautiful moment in the history of football.
