La Liga

Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final on Saturday at Stade de France for their first Champions League title since 2018 and 14th overall.

Impressive performances from Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, who scored the match's only goal in the 59th minute, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois highlighted the play. That said, it was an incredibly disappointing result for Liverpool, which entered with hopes of avenging its 2018 UCL final loss to Real Madrid.

With one of the biggest matches of the year now complete, we'll break down Saturday's biggest winners and losers below.

Winner: Real Madrid Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois

Real Madrid invested nearly $43 million to sign Courtois in August 2018, and that investment has paid off in a big way. The Belgian was brilliant in goal for Real Madrid in the final, making nine saves to help his team earn the victory.

According to Statman Dave, the 30-year-old finished the match with 65 total touches, 27 long balls played, nine saves, seven saves from inside the area and two high claims. Courtois is the first goalkeeper in UCL final history with that many saves, which only further highlights how dominant he was against Liverpool.

One of Courtois' best stops came in the 80th minute as Liverpool's Mohamed Salah came very close to finding the equalizer. That said, all of his saves were nothing short of incredible.

Courtois mentioned after the match that he didn't have much respect in England—he will get it now after shutting out Liverpool.

Winner: Real Madrid Forward Vinicius Junior

Vinicius Junior was the lone goal scorer in Saturday's match, which makes him an automatic winner. The 21-year-old Brazilian found the back of the net in the 59th minute to seal Real Madrid's victory.

Vinicius Junior made a run on the back post, and Federico Valverde found him on a gorgeous pass for the goal.

Vinicius Junior has been with Real Madrid since the 2018-19 season, though the 2021-22 campaign was a breakthrough year for the youngster. He tallied 17 goals and 10 assists in 35 La Liga matches (30 starts) this season.

Vinicius Junior also entered Saturday's game with three goals and six assists in 12 Champions League matches this season.

The Brazilian is only beginning to make a name for himself at 21 years old and should receive a pretty significant contract extension. According to Marca's Mario Cortegana (h/t MailOnline's Dominic Hogan), Real Madrid was ready to offer Vinicius Junior an extension through the 2027-28 season worth 10 million euros in net wages.

That's not a cheap salary by any means, though it's a steal in relation to what other elite players make.

Loser: Liverpool's Defense

The Liverpool defense of Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate and Andrew Robertson struggled. It nearly allowed Karim Benzema to score toward the end of the first half, but the goal was overturned after it was ruled he was offside on VAR.

The team's defense then had a major breakdown on Vinicius Junior's goal and was ultimately one of the reasons Liverpool failed to keep Real Madrid off the scoresheet.

Vinicius Junior's goal also ended up being Real Madrid's only shot on goal in the match, and Los Blancos had just three total attempts.

Real Madrid's defense, backed by Courtois' play, managed to avoid critical mistakes unlike Liverpool's defensive group. The Reds made just seven tackles, winning four, and also lost three tackles and had just one clearance completed. For comparison, the Real Madrid defense made 17 tackles, winning 15, and completed 11 clearances and managed to maintain a clean sheet.

That said, the Liverpool offense certainly had its chances with nine shots on goal and 23 total attempts, but Salah and Sadio Mane were left scoreless thanks to an incredible effort from Courtois and a solid effort from the Real Madrid defense.

La Liga announced it will report Paris Saint-Germain to UEFA after the Ligue 1 champion convinced Kylian Mbappe to sign a new contract.

ESPN's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez first reported the development.

Mbappe's deal was made official Saturday:

La Liga issued a statement arguing the contract "attacks the economic stability of European football":

It is scandalous that a club like PSG, which last season reported losses of more than 220 million euros after accumulating losses of more than 700 million euros in prior seasons (while reporting sponsorship income at doubtful valuation), with a squad cost around 650 million for this season, can close such an agreement, while those clubs that could afford the hiring of the player without seeing their wage bill compromised, are left without being able to sign him.

La Liga president Javier Tebas already voiced his criticism on social media, calling Mbappe's return to PSG "an insult to football":

Faez and Julien Laurens initially reported that Mbappe was snubbing Real Madrid in order to sign a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain.

The 23-year-old was widely seen as likely to sign with Real with his PSG deal expiring this summer. Discussions with the Spanish giants were far enough along that Laurens and Faez reported Mbappe personally spoke with Madrid president Florentino Perez to let him know he wouldn't be signing after all.

The specifics of Mbappe's new PSG contract are unclear. The Guardian's Ed Aarons and Fabrizio Romano only described it as a "lucrative extension" that runs until 2025.

It's fair to express a level of concern about how this move is part of a wider trend across world football, one in which an ever-shrinking number of clubs can realistically attract the best talent.

That has been the case to some degree for a long time, but it's telling when even a historically significant power such as Real Madrid is beginning to lose ground, as Miguel Delaney of the Independent noted:

Of course, English football legend and former Barcelona striker Gary Lineker noted there's a level of irony in La Liga drawing a line in the sand here:

Real Madrid, for example, has been siphoning off top talent from lesser opposition for years.

And in terms of spending above your means, the failed Super League was largely viewed as a vehicle for Real Madrid and other top clubs to begin addressing their sizable debts. Perez and past presidents have been savvy in finding inventive ways to balance the books.

It's unclear what kind of consequences PSG could face as a result of La Liga's legal measures. In May 2014, the club was fined 60 million euros ($63 million) and a squad reduction in UEFA competition for the following season for FFP breaches.

Kylian Mbappe is reportedly set to choose between re-signing with Paris Saint-Germain or joining Real Madrid "over the next few days," but he's yet to communicate his decision to either club.

ESPN's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez reported Friday that "pessimism" has grown at Madrid after limited contact with Mbappe in recent weeks, while a "similar level of uncertainty" exists at PSG as they work to keep the 23-year-old superstar forward.

The situation was seemingly trending in favor of Real Madrid earlier in the week when ESPN's Julien Laurens reported the Parisians were set to give up on their efforts to keep the French international.

PSG offered Mbappe a massive extension along with the captain's armband, the ability to keep 100 percent of earnings from his image rights and a promise to upgrade the squad before next season, per Laurens.

The Ligue 1 champions appeared to lose confidence when the proposal wasn't accepted, but it now sounds like Mbappe has simply decided to keep his decision close to the vest until it's announced.

PSG's offer is "significantly higher" than what Real Madrid has put on the table, according to Kirkland and Faez.

Mbappe's decision has the potential to shift the balance of power in Europe.

The dynamic forward has recorded 168 goals across 216 appearances in all competitions across five seasons at PSG.

He's coming off a 2021-22 campaign in which he tallied six goals and four assists in eight UEFA Champions League matches. He also scored 25 goals in 34 matches to help lead the club to its eighth Ligue 1 championship in the past 10 years.

Not only would Mbappe's departure leave a massive void at PSG, but he'd provide another elite option for a Real Madrid attack that's already showcased its might as the club advanced to the UCL final against Liverpool on May 28.

Quite a week could be on the horizon for Los Blancos if they raise the Champions League trophy and finalize an Mbappe transfer within a couple days of each other.

Karim Benzema and Real Madrid overcame a two-goal deficit to stun Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 matchup.

After a 1-0 home win in the first leg, PSG were seemingly in a great position after Kylian Mbappe gave them a 1-0 halftime lead at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. Real Madrid didn't give in, however, with Benzema scoring three second-half goals to win 3-2 on aggregate.

Benzema needed just 17 minutes to complete the hat trick and transform the tie.

Paris Saint-Germain have a star-studded team with Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar, but they are once again unable to secure a Champions League title. Real Madrid, meanwhile, lead all clubs with 13 European titles and will look to top last year's semifinal appearance.

Real Madrid appeared dead in the water when trailing by two goals on aggregate, but a mistake from Paris goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma kept the tie alive.

It was enough to create drama for the final 30 minutes, but Benzema didn't need that much time as he scored two more goals back-to-back.

The performance from Benzema was unforgettable:

PSG never recovered, unable to find an equalizer in the closing minutes.

It was a major shift after Paris Saint-Germain seemingly had one foot in the quarterfinal after the first half. The French squad took advantage of the counter-attack early in the match, with Mbappe putting a lot of pressure on the defense. 

Just like he did in the first leg, Mbappe scored the first goal of the second match with a great finish in the 39th minute. 

Neymar provided a perfect pass to set up the break, but it was also an elite finish by Mbappe to get past Thibaut Courtois. The 23-year-old continues to impress as one of the best players in the world.

The forward's chances weren't as prevalent in the second half with Real Madrid doing a much better job of getting back in transition. 

The hosts also improved in the final third, leading to Benzema's outstanding finishes to earn the 3-1 victory. 

Paris Saint-Germain entered the tournament as one of the favorites to win it all, but a tough draw has them going out in the round of 16. On the other hand, Real Madrid will be a club no one will want to face in the quarterfinal.      

Real Madrid is reportedly set to open discussions with Borussia Dortmund about a potential summer transfer for superstar Erling Haaland.

ESPN's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez reported Friday that Manchester City is "best positioned" to land Haaland, but Los Blancos are still keen on trying to land both the Norwegian striker and Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe.

Barcelona is also said to be involved in the pursuit of Haaland, whose camp has "made it clear" he'd prefer to leave Dortmund this summer and would like to finalize plans in the "next few weeks to avoid further drama," according to the ESPN report.

Haaland scored 41 goals in 41 matches across all competitions for the German club last season and has continued to shine throughout the 2021-22 term, tallying 16 goals and five assists in 14 Bundesliga appearances.

In January, the 21-year-old attacking sensation told Norwegian outlet Viaplay (h/t ESPN) that Dortmund had started to "press" him into making a decision about his future.

"That is what they want," he said. "It means things will happen now. They have started to put a lot of pressure on me, and I have to accept that ... so now is the time to get things started."

Real Madrid leads La Liga with 52 goals scored in 26 matches this season, which has helped the club build a six-point lead over Sevilla atop the table.

Adding Haaland or Mbappe, or potentially both, to the squad would make it even more difficult for their Spanish counterparts to keep pace in the coming years.

That would obviously come at quite a cost, though. In November, agent Volker Struth estimated to German outlet Sport Bild (h/t Marca) the total price to sign Haaland between the transfer fee and the striker's new contract will likely be in the €250-300 million range.

Given Haaland's status as one of the world's top strikers and the high-profile clubs involved in trying to sign him, transfer talks could stretch well into the summer as Dortmund tries to maximize its return.

But it sounds like both the player and the club would prefer to settle the situation well before the transfer window opens to avoid a summer of unrelenting speculation.

Spanish police are investigating the burglary of Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema's home that took place during Sunday's match against Elche.

Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez of ESPN reported the burglary took place between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET, which was at the same time Benzema was in action in the 2-2 draw.

Benzema's home was previously broken into in 2019. Teammates Casemiro, Isco and Lucas Vazquez have also been the victims of robberies in recent years as part of a string of events seemingly targeting soccer players.

The report did not include what was stolen from Benzema's home, nor did it say whether anyone was home at the time of the incident.

The Frenchman has been with Real Madrid since 2009, emerging as one of the most decorated scorers in club history.

Aston Villa announced Friday it has agreed to acquire midfielder Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

"The agreement, which is subject to the player completing a medical and receiving a work permit, also includes an option to buy, and Philippe will travel to Birmingham in the next 48 hours," the club wrote in a statement.

Coutinho joined Barca in January 2018 from Liverpool in a $192 million transfer and previously spent the 2019-20 term on loan at Bayern Munich.

The 29-year-old Brazilian international fell out of favor at Camp Nou with 11 of his 16 appearances this season coming as a substitute. He'd drawn just one start since new manager Xavi, a club legend, took over in early November after the firing of Ronald Koeman.

ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens reported five Premier League clubs reached out to Barcelona about the former Liverpool star, and it was the presence of his previous Reds teammate Steven Gerrard as the Villa head coach that shifted the race in Villa's favor.

His desire to earn a spot on Brazil's 2022 FIFA Men's World Cup roster also played a role in his desire to leave Barca for more consistent playing time, per Marsden and Llorens.

Coutinho, who started his career in European football at Inter Milan in 2008, enjoyed a strong campaign on loan at Bayern two years ago. He recorded 11 goals and nine assists across 34 appearances between the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League.

He played just 14 matches upon his return to Barcelona last term before suffering a season-ending knee injury, and he wasn't able to regain his place in the starting XI to open the current campaign.

Coutinho tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 30, but Villa's statement suggested his arrival to the club won't be delayed significantly.

Once back up to full speed, he should take on a key role in Villa's attack as they look to remain comfortably clear of the relegation fight.

They own a 7-1-11 record (22 points), which puts them 11 points clear of the bottom three heading into the season's second half and 12 points back of West Ham United for a spot in the Europa League next season, though a run up the table would require jumping over several clubs.

Villa's next two matches are both against Manchester United, first in the FA Cup on Monday and then in Premier League play on Jan. 15. There was no indication in Villa's announcement of whether Coutinho will be cleared to play in either of those fixtures or if his debut will have to wait a little longer.

Real Madrid won't restrict itself to signing either Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe or Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland this summer; it wants both.

ESPN FC's Mark Ogden reported the Spanish giant is plotting moves for the pair "in an attempt to take advantage of the financial problems at Barcelona by landing the two most sought-after players in world football."

Ogden noted the contracts of Gareth Bale, Isco, Luka Modric and Marcelo are due to expire, which will free up significant space on Madrid's wage bill.

The club failed in its pursuit of Mbappe last summer, with PSG turning down a €200 million bid. The French forward will be a free agent after this season, at which point Real Madrid or anybody else can sign him without paying a transfer fee.

The 23-year-old reiterated his desire to remain in the French capital to finish out the current campaign, 

PSG sporting director Leonardo remains optimistic Mbappe will sign a new deal, but that would seemingly require him to make quite the reversal.

Although Haaland is under contract with Dortmund for 2022-23, an exit from Germany could be similarly straightforward thanks to a reported €75 million ($87 million) release fee. Ogden reported in October a transfer is nonetheless going to be expensive because the Norway international will look to earn at least £30 million ($41 million) annually on top of a payment to his representatives.

According to Ogden, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are both contenders to sign Haaland, with the latter looking at the 21-year-old as a potential replacement for Mbappe. Still, Ogden described Real Madrid as the "leading contenders."

On two occasions, Florentino Perez has ushered in an era of Galacticos at the Santiago Bernabeu. The club signed Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and David Beckham in the early 2000s and then brought in Kaka, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.

Now, a third class of Galacticos could be incoming.

An emotional Sergio Aguero announced his retirement Wednesday because of a heart condition that's kept him on the sideline since October.

The 33-year-old striker signed with Barcelona ahead of the 2021-22 season but ended up making just five appearances with the club. He previously starred for Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Independiente along with Argentina's national team.

This conference is to announce I have decided to stop playing professional football. It is a very difficult moment. The decision I have taken for my health; the problem I had a month and a half ago.

I have been in good hands with the medical staff. I made the decision 10 days ago after doing everything possible to have some hope of playing on. I am very proud for my career. I always dreamed of a professional career since the first time I touched a ball at five.

I want to thank Atletico Madrid who took a chance on me when I was 18 and Manchester City, everyone knows how I feel about City and how well they treated me there.

Aguero, nicknamed "Kun" since childhood after a Japanese cartoon character, is Manchester City's all-time leading scorer with 260 goals across all competitions. That's 83 more than any other player to wear a Citizens kit (Eric Brook, 177).

His most memorable goal came in City's final match of the 2011-12 campaign, when he scored a 94th-minute winner against QPR to seal the Premier League title.

The Buenos Aires native joined Independiente's youth program at the age of nine. He made his professional debut for the Argentine club in 2003 at the age of 15.

After four seasons with El Rojo, he moved to La Liga with Atletico Madrid in 2016. He tallied 102 goals across 234 appearances for the Colchoneros.

Aguero then began his decorated 10-year run with City in 2011. He was named the club's player of the year twice and won the Premier League's Golden Boot Award with 26 goals in 2014-15. He also helped the club win five EPL championships.

The dynamic forward also shined at the international level with 41 goals in 101 matches for Argentina. He was part of national teams that won the 2021 Copa America title and reached the 2014 FIFA World Cup final.

Aguero remembered some of his favorite goals during Wednesday's press conference:

The goal for Independiente against Racing when I was 17 was one of the best that I ever scored. Winning the Europa League with Atletico was a really happy moment, and then obviously with City the goal I scored to win the first Premier League, for me and City, was a beautiful moment.

There are a lot, and the last was the Copa America. I only played two or three matches, but it was something that we had been looking for for years and years.

And of course, I will take my last goal against Madrid. It is not bad for a last goal, is it?

In all, Aguero scored 427 goals between his club and international careers.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta isn't so sure Lionel Messi has played his last game in a Barca shirt.

The club officially welcomed Dani Alves back Wednesday after he had left in 2016. Using the Brazilian as an example, Laporta entertained the idea of Messi and fellow legend Andres Iniesta returning as well, per ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens:

I can't rule it out. ... Leo and Andres are two spectacular players. I can't predict the future. They are Barca greats and who made this club what it is and they will always be present, but they're players with contracts with other clubs. That must be respected, but in life you never know.

Messi turned 34 in June. While his physical skills have diminished slightly, 70 or 80 percent of peak Messi is still better than a lot of players around the world.

In his first season with Paris Saint-Germain, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is still waiting on his first Ligue 1 goal, but he has scored three times in three Champions League appearances.

Perhaps there's a point a few years down the road where Barcelona's finances will accommodate re-signing Messi. Laporta referenced the "financial sacrifice" required by Alves to secure his signature.

And in general, the idea of Messi once again representing the Blaugrana isn't any more outlandish than Cristiano Ronaldo re-signing with Manchester United.

However, Ronaldo's reunion with the Red Devils provides one reason why this might be a bad idea—assuming it becomes anything more than an unlikely theoretical.

The Portuguese has scored some critical goals for United, but he has also presented a general tactical problem for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. One can't help but wonder whether his late-game heroics wouldn't be required in the first place if Solskjaer had a more balanced squad.

And that's to say nothing of how Ronaldo has somewhat overshadowed Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood.

If Barcelona were to bring Messi back, then whoever is the manager at that time might be faced with a dilemma. Accommodating the role he would presumably command based on his profile may not be the best route to get Barca back to the pinnacle of European football.