How do you explain it? What magic did they conjure up this time? What sorcery is this? Those questions have been asked countless times during this Champions League season and they will be asked again after this final. Real Madrid, the undisputed emperors of football on this continent lifted the European Cup for the fourteenth time in their history in Paris, once the clouds of pepper spray had lifted outside the Stade de France.
This time was a bit different, though. No great comeback was required. There was no quick burst of Madrid goals from nothing. No truly historic moment happened in a final that was more forgettable than the rounds that have preceded it. Instead, Madrid sat in, soaked up pressure and took their chance when it came, successfully trading on the underdog status that the biggest club in the world has embraced throughout this remarkable run.
