Real Madrid defeats Liverpool 1-0 to win 2022 Champions League title

There was plenty of opportunities for both teams to capture the 2022 Champions League trophy, but eventually Real Madrid was able to secure a 1-0 win over Liverpool to win the club’s 14th UCL title. Real Madrid was +1600 to win the Champions League entering the season and opened at +300 when the matchup was determined. The Spanish side closed as a +250 moneyline underdog.

Vinicius Jr. provided the breakthrough in the 59th minute after a 0-0 first half. The young forward found space behind Liverpool’s defense and put away a great pass from Federico Valverde to give Real Madrid the lead.

The true star of this final, though, is goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian pulled off stunning save after stunning save, including stopping Mo Salah late on what looked like a sure equalizer. Courtois recorded a whopping nine saves officially in the victory.

This is a disappointing end to the season for Liverpool, which had hopes for a quadruple and a treble dashed in back-to-back contests. The Reds were +750 to win the Champions League ahead of the season, but will have to settle for the FA Cup and EFL Cup double.