For Real Madrid, winning the Champions League final has become a habit, but they still celebrated winning their 14th European crown with gusto.
PARIS — Lucas Vazquez doesn’t speak much French at all. But the Real Madrid utility player had no problem understanding one word, and repeating it after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final: „Cinq.“
Karim Benzema had his right hand open, looking at his family members in the stands — many of whom made the three-hour train journey from his hometown of Lyon to the French capital — and shouting: „Cinq, cinq!“ Vazquez then started shouting it, too, with a big smile on his face. Five is the number of Champions League trophies Benzema has won. Five in the last eight years. This one, in France, on home soil, has a particular flavour. Marcelo, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Casemiro, Dani Carvajal are also part of this incredibly exclusive club. Carlo Ancelotti has six (two as a player, and now a record four as a manager) but the Italian coach couldn’t show six with his fingers because he was too busy hugging all of his players. One after another, they came to him for a kiss, an embrace, a nice word, as though he were their own father.
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On Friday evening, before the last training session, Ancelotti gathered all of his players and staff in the middle of the pitch.
