Liverpool shot themselves in the foot as they allowed Real Madrid to trample their hopes in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final, with Los Blancos running out 3-1 winners on an eventful night in Kiev.

The Spanish giants were favourites to secure their 13th continental crown and become the first team to do a three-peat and their cause was certainly helped by an early injury to Mohamed Salah.

Despite the Egyptian’s unfortunate exit, however, Zinedine Zidane’s men struggled to make things happen with Isco and Cristiano Ronaldo putting in sub-par displays.

Loris Karius had a moment to forget as he allowed Karim Benzema to sneak in the opener but while Sadio Mane equalised soon after, Gareth Bale came off the bench to etch his name into Champions League folklore with a wondrous two-goal cameo.

Here are the five main talking points from an unpredictable Champions League final in the Ukrainian capital:

First half: More injuries than goals

With both teams considerably more adept at the attacking side of the game than the defensive, most had pegged it to be a goalfest but in the first 45 minutes the notable incidents were ones that you would rather never see in any football game, let alone a Champions League final.

If there was anyone you would have backed to open Liverpool’s account, it was Mohamed Salah but sadly, the Egyptian’s participation was cut short as he was brought down in contentious circumstances by the wily Sergio Ramos.

With his shoulder at an awkward angle and coming under Ramos’ body, Salah was reduced to tears and his departure did take the sheen of the final and definitely hamstrung the Reds.

Then, Dani Carvajal pulled a hamstring while attempting an innocuous backheel and everyone was wondering what was happening as the fullback went off in tears.

The second half, however, was a different story altogether…

Gareth Bale: Real Madrid’s enigma?

He’s been on the peripheries of the squad all season, despite being the club-record signing, struggling with injuries and form, but when it mattered most, Real’s flying Welshman came up big.

Reports of a rift with Zidane have refused to go away, but the £86 million man did all the talking with two wondrous strokes off his left boot.

Star man Cristiano Ronaldo had an off night in the final, not the first time the Portuguese has failed to fire in high-profile clash, but thankfully for Los Blancos, Bale’s superb cameo was enough to secure their third European title on the trot.

And while the second goal certainly comes under the fortuitous category, the first one was pure magic and worthy of being a winner in any final.

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With his back to the goal, Bale soared high and executed a perfect bicycle volley off Marcelo’s cross to give his side the lead within minutes of his introduction.

Even Zinedine Zidane, who’s no stranger to scoring crackers in finals, couldn’t quite believe what he had just seen and frankly, neither could we.

He may still depart in the summer, but with four Champions League titles in five seasons, he will most certainly leave with his head held high.

All hail Emperor Zinedine Zidane

This man is very much in unchartered territory for no manager has ever even come close to securing three Champions League crowns on the trot.

Still, we get to read stuff like ‘Zidane is not tactically astute’.

What? Seriously?

A man who has a 8-0 record in cup finals, and has Europe at his feet deserves far more respect.

Sure, he inherited a top-class squad from former mentor Carlo Ancelotti but it’s easy to forget that Rafa Benitez’s tumultuous reign had threatened to tear the squad apart and ‘Zizou’ has done wonders ever since.

Had this been a Pep Guardiola or even Jurgen Klopp, the world press would have been lapping it up, but then why the double standards here?

Zidane may not claim to be a revolutionary coach in terms of tactics or playing style, but he’s certainly transcended the game in terms of success and titles.

The bar is now dangerously high for all future Real Madrid managers…

Real’s depth, not experience, proves telling in the end

Much had been made of Real’s ‘superior’ experience over Liverpool’s, but in the end it was the quality they possessed on the bench that saw them emerge victorious.

Disaster struck for the Merseyside outfit when Salah got injured and a rusty Adam Lallana (he’s hardly played all season) came on.

Los Blancos midfielder Isco was disappointing in his hour-long runout, so who did Zinedine Zidane turn to?

Gareth Bale.

A £86 million acquisition and player who has, intermittently at least, proved he’s world class. Definitely one who would walk into the starting XI of most sides in the world.

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That just about sums up the gulf in class, for Los Blancos still had the likes of Sergio Asensio, Lucas Vazquez and Mateo Kovacic on the bench.

Asensio did come on for Karim Benzema in the end, but Bale had done the damage by then.

This is not to disparage Lallana or claim that Real’s deep pockets won them the Champions League, but having a world-class squad, not even XI, certainly helps, doesn’t it?

Emre Can and Dominic Solanke were the only offensive/midfield options available for Jurgen Klopp and while Liverpool do not have meagre resources by any stretch of the imagination, they will need to make some moves in the transfer market if they seriously expect to challenge Europe’s elite next season.

Loris Karius, what were you thinking?

One goalkeeping blunder in a match can be forgiven, but two?

And that too in a Champions League final?

Real, despite being buoyed by Salah’s departure, were still struggling to click in attack but then they were literally handed the opener on a plate.

Forget the third goal, for Real were already ahead by then. It was the first one that killed off Liverpool and it was borne out of a completely avoidable situation.

Karius, trying to spring a counter attack, somehow forgot Benzema was lurking and literally there the ball into the French forward’s boot to gift Real the lead.

It doesn’t matter what the rule book says about disrupting the goalkeeper’s drop-kick/throw, you need to be aware of your surroundings and most importantly, have some common sense.

Of course, the third goal didn’t exactly cement Karius’ reputation, but as mentioned earlier, irrevocable damage to Liverpoool’s hopes had already been don.