Real Madrid’s progression to the 2022 UEFA Champions League final has largely defied explanation. Three times it has been outplayed and has seemed to be on its way out, and three times it has found sudden, unexpected late goals to win: three after the 61st minute against Paris Saint-Germain, two after the 80th minute against Chelsea, and three after the 90th minute against Manchester City.
Tactical explanations feel inadequate. What has happened has been partly luck, partly self-belief and partly individual brilliance. On a systemic level, Madrid has been second-best in each match. It has lost the broader game of strategy but won the battles. In the longer term, that feels unsustainable. You can’t keep relying on Luka Modrić to produce a pass of the mesmerizing brilliance that brought the equalizer against Chelsea. You can’t assume that Karim Benzema will always gobble up every half-chance. And you can’t expect Thibaut Courtois to save everything once the surge has begun.
And yet at every stage, after every round, this has felt unsustainable. Nevertheless, here we are. It’s hard to imagine how Madrid could dominate Liverpool. But could it produce enough moments of individual brilliance to win a one-off game? Of course it could.
