Gareth Bale's breathtaking volley somehow tops Karius' catastrophic clangers
Real Madrid have crushed Liverpool's Champions League dream. These goals are crazy.
Gareth Bale is now a four-time Champions League winner and it's unlikely that the Welshman has ever scored a better goal in his life.
While the events of the first-half were overshadowed by the cruel injury to Mo Salah, the second-half was ignited by an absolute clanger from Loris Karius.
Granted, before the scoring started, Isco's volley smacked off the bar but the deadlock was broken in calamitous fashion.
After gathering an innocuous ball over the top, the Liverpool 'keeper tried to roll the ball out to his defenders but Karim Benzema intervened to score the easiest goal of his career.
It was absolutely shocking and Karius' night didn't get any better.
What followed was ten minutes of frantic football as Liverpool drew level when Sadio Mane got his foot on the end of Dejan Lovren's header to steer the ball past Navas in the Real Madrid goal.
At the start of the night, there was discussion about Zidane's starting XI with many wondering if he'd opt to start Bale. Ultimately, Real opted for Isco but the former Spurs man came off the bench to win the Champions League with a brace of goals - one of them was absolutely stunning.
As George Hamilton said in commentary, this strike is a "goal for the ages."
BALE BALE BALE!
Zidane's reaction says it all! #UCLFINAL pic.twitter.com/z4geyGLEU7— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) May 26, 2018
This is the best goal EVER in a final.
Period.
Insane from Gareth Bale.#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/RyAIR94p2W— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 26, 2018
What followed next regarding Karius compounded an already miserable night for Liverpool's 'keeper.
If there was hole in the ground for Karius to hide in, he would have jumped into it. Sadly, he probably would have missed that too.
Real Madrid are the kings of Europe for the 13th time.
This is nightmare stuff... Absolute stuff of nightmares. The cup is Real's #UCLFINAL pic.twitter.com/S1kwURJWVd
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) May 26, 2018
Despite those two clangers, credit goes to Bale who helped swing the game in Real's favour.
Ronaldo scored an absolutely stunning volley vs Juventus in the quarter-finals, Bale may have even managed to up that.
Calling that from Bale as the third best final volley of all time, behind Marco van Basten and Zinedine Zidane.
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) May 26, 2018
Best goal ever in a #UEFAChampionsLeagueFinal and that beats his coach’s own special volley. Brilliant from Bale. Brilliant.
— JohnDykes (@JohnDykesFC) May 26, 2018
We wonder of Zidane will rate Bale's strike even higher than his own sublime volley against Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park?
That Zidane reaction 👋👋👋#UCLFinal pic.twitter.com/xrpgfxPUmw
— eir Sport (@eirSport) May 26, 2018
