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Liverpool and Klopp get over the line on a night of Champions League redemption

Liverpool players celebrate with the Champions League trophyGetty Images

Liverpool missed out on the Premier League title by one point but were victorious in Madrid

Phil McNulty
By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Liverpool were two thousand miles away from Kiev - and a world away from the bitter emotions of that night 12 months ago - as they returned to European football's pinnacle.

In the heat of Madrid, Liverpool and manager Jurgen Klopp savoured the moment they had craved since they left Ukraine beaten by Real Madrid, undermined by an early injury to Mohamed Salah and the performance of their accident-prone goalkeeper Loris Karius.

Reds fans travelled in their thousands and packed entire streets around the Spanish capital's Plaza Mayor and the Cibeles Fountain, where one year ago a celebrating Real Madrid had paraded the trophy Klopp and his players wanted so badly.

There was almost a sense of destiny this time around, especially after the miraculous 4-0 turnaround against Barcelona in the semi-final - and so it proved as Klopp finally claimed his first trophy as Liverpool manager and this outstanding group of players received just reward for a magnificent season.

And at the heart of Liverpool's sixth victory in this competition were two key figures, one who was robbed of the chance to make his mark in Kiev and another brought to solve the problem that left them so damaged in this same game last year.