Luka Modric says Liverpool 'panicked' after Real Madrid had a goal ruled out for offside just before half-time in the Champions League final.
The La Liga giants secured the trophy following a 1-0 win at the Stade de France on Saturday, but they could've taken the lead much sooner had Karim Benzema not had his effort chalked off. Vinicius Jr. later stepped up with the only goal of the game.
Liverpool were unable to respond after going behind with 30 minutes left to play and despite a positive first half from the Reds, Modric believes the offside goal was a turning point.
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“In the first half, I think we defend too much,” he told CBS Sports post-match. “We didn’t have too much of the ball. Liverpool were pressing high and they did well. But we stayed calm and didn’t panic.
“In the second half, we played much better and had more possession – and then we scored the goal.
“I think, from that disallowed goal, we started believing more and I think, for Liverpool, they panicked and they weren’t that comfortable anymore.”
Jurgen Klopp 's side had 24 shots on goal across the 90 minutes, nine of which were on target. Real Madrid had just two efforts on target, but were able to make their chances count.
This was Liverpool's third Champions League final under the current manager and their second defeat to Real Madrid after they were beaten 3-1 back in 2018 in Kyiv. They returned the following season and beat Tottenham 2-0 in the final to secure the club's sixth European cup.
