FC Barcelona 3–0 Liverpool (2019 UEFA Champions League Semi-Final, First Leg)

Lore & Background

Liverpool won the final 2–0, with a penalty which was scored after 106 seconds by Mohamed Salah, and a goal by substitute Divock Origi after 87 minutes. As winners, for the sixth time in their history, Liverpool earned the right to play in the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, as well as against Chelsea, the winners of the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League, in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, winning in both competitions. They also secured qualification for the group stage of the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League.

As Liverpool had already qualified through their league position, the reserved berth was given to Red Bull Salzburg, the champions of the 2018–19 Austrian Bundesliga, the 11th-ranked association according to next season's access list. In March 2018, UEFA announced that a fourth substitution would be allowed in extra time and that the number of substitutes would be increased from 7 to 12. The kick-off time was also changed from 20:45 CEST to 21:00 CEST. The match was also the first Champions League final to use the video assistant referee (VAR) system.

Reader's Guide

This was the fifth European Cup/UEFA Champions League final held in Madrid, after the 1957, 1969, 1980 and 2010 finals, all held at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. The 67,000-seat Estadio Metropolitano is the home of Atlético Madrid, who have occupied it since major renovations were completed in September 2017. Due to UEFA regulations regarding naming rights of non-tournament sponsors, the stadium was referred to as the 'Estadio Metropolitano' in all UEFA materials.

Did You Know?

• Tottenham Hotspur reached their first ever Champions League final, becoming the eighth unique finalist from England and the fortieth overall.
• The final was the 171st competitive meeting between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, with a record of 79 Liverpool wins, 48 Tottenham wins and 43 draws.
• The match was the first final since 2013 not to feature a Spanish team, with Real Madrid (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018) and Barcelona (2015) having won the previous five seasons of the competition.