PARIS (Reuters) – Liverpool and Real Madrid were locked at 0-0 by halftime in their Champions League final on Saturday with the English club hitting the post and dominating the first 45 minutes.
There was a 36-minute delay to the kick off as police tried to hold off people trying to force their way into the Stade de France and trouble was still going on after the game started.
With midfielder Thiago Alcantara a surprise inclusion in the lineup, Liverpool had the upper hand with their high-pressing game rattling the Spanish champions and Mo Salah twice testing Real keeper Thibaut Courtois in the opening exchanges.
Sadio Mane came even closer in the 21st minute with a low shot that Courtois managed to tip onto the post. Real thought they had scored just before the break but French striker Karim Benzema’s effort was ruled offside after a lengthy VAR review.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)
