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LONDON — Jurgen Klopp surveyed the wreckage of Liverpool’s 2018 Champions League final against Real Madrid and responded with a transformative swoop for Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Without Alisson’s prodigious contributions to the Liverpool cause, including a vital goal last season, Klopp’s side would not be preparing for Saturday’s revenge mission against the Spanish champions in Paris.

Liverpool’s agonising loss to Real four years ago was an especially bitter pill for Klopp to swallow as his hand-picked keeper, Loris Karius, was largely to blame for the 3-1 defeat.

Klopp signed Karius from Mainz and made him first choice ahead of Simon Mignolet, but the German never convinced and his Champions League meltdown in Kiev proved the final straw.

Minutes after half-time, with the score at 0-0, Karius inexplicably threw the ball against Karim Benzema and watched helplessly as the ball rolled behind him into the empty net.

Liverpool were still in the game at 2-1 down with seven minutes left, but Karius then fumbled Gareth Bale’s long-range shot into the net to seal Real’s victory.

Just weeks later, Klopp signed Alisson from Roma for a then world-record fee for a goalkeeper of around £67 million ($84 million).

While Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have been Liverpool’s most influential stars in the Klopp era, Alisson’s impact cannot be understated.

Goalkeepers have always been revered at Liverpool, with a mural for 1970s great Ray Clemence adorning a house wall near Anfield.

Alisson, 29, deserves to be ranked among Liverpool’s all-time greats between the posts and Klopp has no doubts about his quality.

“Alisson Becker is the best goalkeeper in the world for me,” the Liverpool boss said earlier this season. “There are top goalies out there but this keeper is insane.

The Brazilian’s fingerprints are all over some of Liverpool’s biggest moments in recent years.

‘I would have 

paid double’

Just months after his arrival on Merseyside, Alisson made a phenomenal stoppage-time save against Napoli in December 2018.

Heading into their final Champions League group stage match, the Reds knew only a win with a clean sheet or victory by two clear goals would secure progression to the knockout stages.

But, as Liverpool clung onto a one-goal lead, Napoli’s Arkadiusz Milik looked certain to send them crashing out when he found himself one-on-one with Alisson.

However, the goalkeeper produced a wonderful stop with his feet to earn a spot in the last 16, moving Klopp to say: “If I knew Alisson was this good, I would have paid double. The save he made, I have no words for that.”

Liverpool went on to win the Champions League that season, beating Tottenham in the final to give Alisson the first major prize of his career in Europe.

A year later Liverpool won the Premier League, becoming English champions for the first time since 1990, with their goalkeeper again a model of consistency.

Klopp’s men struggled to defend the title and were battling to secure a Champions League berth when Alisson produced a dramatic intervention against West Bromwich Albion in May 2021.

Liverpool were drawing 1-1 at the Hawthorns with seconds left when Alisson jogged forward and nonchalantly headed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner into the net for a remarkable winner.

Coming just three months after the tragic death of his father, he saw the goal as a moment of divine intervention.

“I’m too emotional” Alisson said. “I’m sure he is celebrating with God at his side. God placed his hand on my head.”

Alisson has been no less imperious this term during Liverpool’s chase for an unprecedented quadruple, a quest that was ended on Sunday when Manchester City pipped them to the Premier League title.

He had 20 league clean-sheets to his name this season and saved Mason Mount’s effort in Liverpool’s recent penalty shootout victory against Chelsea in the FA Cup final, paving the way for Kostas Tsimikas to score the winning spot-kick.

Should Liverpool be crowned European champions for a seventh time this weekend, it would be no surprise if Alisson delivers another signature moment.

MADRID — Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro said on Tuesday the club will continue to succeed without Kylian Mbappe after the striker decided to stay at Paris Saint-Germain.

Madrid were desperate to sign Mbappe when his contract expired this summer but the striker rejected a move to Spain, opting instead to sign a new three-year deal with PSG.

“This club is not about players, this club is about history,” said Casemiro on Tuesday. 

“Players can mark certain times like Alfredo di Stefano, Cristiano [Ronaldo], but this club will continue to win, because the players are very important, but what wins is the club. The fans may be sad, but with what we have this club will continue to win.”

Mbappe scored against Real Madrid in both legs of the Champions League last 16 this season and was applauded by the home fans at the Santiago Bernabeu in March.

“He is a great player, who made us work hard in both games,” Casemiro said. 

“The second thing is respect. If he has made that decision, we have to respect it, we have to realise that he has made that decision with his family and we can no longer talk about a player who does not belong to Real Madrid.

“We wish him the best in his life, not against Madrid, but hopefully he will be happy where he is.”

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said Real Madrid’s players had “disconnected” fromRECASTS the speculation over Mbappe. 

“On a day to day basis, we are not reading everything that comes out,” said Courtois. 

“In the end everyone decides what’s best for their career and life but I think there is nothing more beautiful than playing for Real Madrid.”

Ancelotti ‘respect’

Carlo Ancelotti had earlier been asked if the hype surrounding Mbappe could affect his players as Real Madrid look to defeat Liverpool in the Champions League on Saturday and win a 14th European Cup.

“It’s quite clear for us what we have to think about,” Ancelotti said in a press conference. 

“We have never talked about players from other clubs. We have total respect for everyone, we respect the decisions they take and we respect other clubs. 

“We have to do our jobs and it’s quite clear what we have to think about, which is the final.”

Ancelotti was reluctant to discuss Mbappe. When asked if he was personally disappointed by the 23-year-old’s decision, he said: “I understand you have to do your jobs but I never talk about players who don’t belong to Madrid and I’m not going to.”

Real Madrid won La Liga last month with four games to spare while Liverpool were pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester City on Sunday.

Liverpool have already won the FA Cup and League Cup this season but have been hit by a handful of injuries this month, with Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho both struggling to be fit for the final. 

Mohamed Salah, who has had a groin injury, and Virgil van Dijk, who has had a knee problem, both started on the bench against Wolves on Sunday, with Salah coming on in the second half.

Ancelotti said all his players are in “good condition” while Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard both trained at Valdebebas on Tuesday.

Hazard and Bale have been on the fringes of the first team all season but Ancelotti said they could play against Liverpool.

“Hazard is training well, he can play in the final, Bale can play too, everyone is motivated,” said Ancelotti. 

“The feeling in this moment is to enjoy, prepare well, for now we are calm and happy. As we get closer to the match there will be all the other things, some nerves, all very normal.

“Today there is just a lot of motivation to play in another final.”

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom — Manchester United’s new manager Erik ten Hag believes it is possible to end the dominance of Manchester City and Liverpool despite taking over a struggling side that finished a lowly sixth in the Premier League.

United ended up 35 points behind champions City, who pipped Liverpool to the title by a point, as the Red Devils registered their lowest-ever Premier League points tally.

City boss Pep Guardiola has now claimed four titles in five years, while Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp can complete a treble of cup trophies this season should the Reds see off Real Madrid in Saturday’s Champions League final.

Guardiola and Klopp — the managers of United’s two biggest rivals — have consistently battled it out for the major trophies, leaving the Red Devils, without silverware since 2017, as bystanders.

However, the Dutchman challenged the suggestion it would take the departure of one or both of Guardiola and Klopp for United to be able to compete again.

“In this moment I admire them both,” Ten Hag said as he was unveiled at Old Trafford on Monday. “They play in this moment really fantastic football, both Liverpool and Manchester City.

“But you always see that an era can come to an end. I am looking forward to battle with them.”

The former Ajax boss, 52, is United’s fifth permanent manager since the club last won a league title in Alex Ferguson’s farewell season in 2013.

Ten Hag also had a spell as Bayern Munich’s reserve team manager earlier in his career and said he was used to the demands of working at a big club.

“This is a project, it takes time,” he said. “I know in this club — I have the experience of Ajax and Bayern — in the top [clubs] there is never time.

“We want to win every game so we go from game to game and then we will see. This club has a great history, now let’s make the future. It’s really exciting to do that with the people around in the club.”

Ten Hag refused to be drawn on how many new signings he is targeting in the transfer window, but said there would be a role for top-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who turns 38 next season.

Ralf Rangnick’s interim time in charge since November failed to summon any sort of response from an expensively assembled squad as United finished 13 points outside the top four.

Rangnick is set to take over as Austria manager but is still contracted to the club in a consultancy role for the next two years.

Ten Hag, though, was non-committal on how much contact he will have with Rangnick.

“That is on the club,” he said of Rangnick’s role. “I analyse by myself, I observe and I speak with a lot of people, but finally I draw my own line.” 

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke said on Tuesday that Ten Hag must perform “major surgery” at the club to get them back to the top.

Yorke, who won three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup with United, spent the last fortnight around Old Trafford and saw for himself what needed to be done.

“We [Man United] are nowhere near where we are supposed to be, especially with the players that we have in the squad at the moment,” he said in Sydney, where he will coach an A-League All Stars side against Barcelona on Wednesday.

“I spent the last two weeks there and had some more insight into looking where the club is and why we are in that position.

“He’s [Ten Hag] got some major surgery to repair there, there’s work that needs to be done.”

United finished a massive 35 points behind Premier League champions Manchester City, who pipped Liverpool to the title by a point, with the Red Devils registering their lowest-ever points tally.

“I’m not sure what his first step needs to be but he must stamp his authority on the team in terms of getting the players united together. That seems to be a bit of a challenge at the moment,” added Yorke, 50, when asked by AFP.

“When you look at our squad we have some fantastic players but the achievement doesn’t add up to it. There’s some major ground work that needs to be done.”

AMMAN — The national football team left for a training camp in Doha as they start the countdown for the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in Kuwait.

Jordan was drawn to play the qualifiers kicking off on June 8 in Group A alongside hosts Kuwait, Nepal, and Indonesia. The top team in addition to the top five second- placed teams will move on to the finals which will be held in 2023.

During their camp in Qatar, Jordan will play India on May 28 before playing Australia on June 1 in their last two friendlies.

Head coach Adnan Hamad said: “Choosing the current line-up took a lot of considerations into account as the national U23 team also has its Asian Championship simultaneously.”

Meanwhile, the U23 team that is preparing for the 5th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Championship in Uzbekistan in June is also holding a training camp in Doha, where Jordan is scheduled to play Qatar in two friendlies.

At the AFC Asian Championship, Jordan will play in a tough Group B against Australia, Kuwait and Iraq.   Fifteen nations will join hosts Uzbekistan in the championship which will be held in Central Asia for the first time.

It will be the 5th time for Jordan in the AFC U23 championship. In 2014, they finished third. In 2016, they reached the quarter-final, while in 2018, they were knocked out of Round 1 and in 2020, they reached the quarter-finals.

On the regional scene, Jordan won the title of the 2021 West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) U23 Championship in which they beat hosts Saudi Arabia in the final.  In 2015, Jordan was eliminated in the group stages of the first edition of the WAFF U23 Championship won by Iran, before they moved to the Central Asian Football Association.

TULSA, Oklahoma — Justin Thomas matched the greatest last-day comeback in PGA Championship history on Sunday, roaring back from seven strokes down at Southern Hills to capture his second major title.

The 29-year-old American defeated compatriot Will Zalatoris by one stroke in a tension-packed three-hole aggregate play-off after a heartbreaking 72nd-hole collapse by Chile’s Mito Pereira.

Pereira led all day only to hit his final tee shot into water and launch a double-bogey disaster at the 18th hole and hand Thomas the trophy.

“It was a bizarre day,” Thomas said. “I was asked earlier in the week about what lead is safe, and I said, no lead. This place is so tough.

“But if you hit the fairways you can make birdies and I stayed so patient. I just couldn’t believe I found myself in a play-off.”

Not since John Mahaffey’s seven-shot rally at Oakmont in 1978 had anyone made such a fightback to win the PGA Championship.

Thomas, who also won the 2017 PGA title, fired a three-under-par 67 in Sunday’s final round and Zalatoris, last year’s Masters runner-up, shot 71 to finish 72 holes deadlocked on five-under 275.

Zalatoris and Thomas each birdied the par-5 13th to open the playoff. At the par-4 17th, Thomas drove the green and two-putted for birdie from 36 feet while Zalatoris chipped to seven feet but missed his birdie bid.

At the 18th hole, Zalatoris missed a 40-foot birdie try and finished on one-under while Thomas two-putted from 26 feet, tapping in for par and the victory on two-under.

“We just tried to play the golf course for what it is, and this place is so tough,” Thomas said.

Zalatoris settled for his fifth top-10 finish in eight major starts and a sense he’s near a breakthrough.

“I can do it. I’m pretty close,” said Zalatoris. “I battled like crazy today. I’m close and super motivated. We’ll get one soon.”

Pereira shot 75 to share third with American Cameron Young on 276.

“It’s really sad to not be in the playoff,” Pereira said. “I wasn’t even thinking about the water. I just wanted to put it in play and I hit it too far right.

“I guess you have so much pressure in your body you don’t even know what you’re doing.”

The fate of Pereira, who missed the 2019 US Open cut in his only prior major, recalled the epic watery last-hole collapse of Frenchman Jean Van de Velde to lose the 1999 British Open.

“I was really nervous,” Pereira said. “I tried to handle it a little bit, but it was really tough. Sad to hit it in the water. I wish I could do it again.”

The 27-year-old from Santiago twice squandered three-stroke leads before throwing away his chance at the last.

“He’ll be able to learn from it and be better from it,” Thomas said. “He played unbelievable golf this week. There’s no reason to hang his head.”

Thomas had issues as well, shanking a tee shot at the par-3 six but making a 19-foot bogey putt.

“It was the best bogey I’ve ever made in my life, that’s for sure,” Thomas said.

While Pereira struggled, Thomas went on a birdie binge starting with a 12-foot putt to close the front nine.

Thomas holed out from 64 feet at the par-3 11th, sank a birdie putt from just inside 18 feet at 12 and blasted out of a bunker to inside four feet of the cup at 17.

Spieth, Rahm well back

England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who had runs of four bogeys and four birdies in a row, shared fifth on 277 with countryman Matthew Fitzpatrick and American Chris Kirk.

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, who began nine off the pace, made four birdies in the first five holes but never sank another and settled for 68 to finish eighth on 278.

Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth, who could have completed a career Grand Slam with a triumph, fired a 69 to finish on 284.

Second-ranked Jon Rahm, the reigning US Open champion from Spain, would have overtaken Masters winner Scottie Scheffler for the world number one ranking with a victory. He shot 68 to finish on 286.

LONDON — Pep Guardiola hailed Manchester City’s “legends” as they won the Premier League for the fourth time in five seasons after staging an incredible comeback from two goals down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 on Sunday.

Guardiola’s side were teetering on the brink of blowing the title after falling 2-0 behind midway through the second half in the final chapter of their pulsating battle for supremacy with Liverpool.

But Ilkay Gundogan sparked an astonishing City revival at the Etihad Stadium as the German midfielder reduced the deficit before Rodri grabbed the equaliser.

Gundogan turned in City’s third goal in the space of five minutes in the 81st minute, triggering wild celebrations and rendering second placed Liverpool’s 3-1 victory against Wolves irrelevant.

City finished with 93 points, one ahead of Liverpool as they ended their rivals hopes of winning an unprecedented quadruple.

On a breathtaking final day, Burnley were relegated as Leeds beat the drop, while Tottenham qualified for the Champions League at the expense of their north London rivals Arsenal.

It was City who hogged the spotlight on a day their fans will never forget.

Guardiola’s men can rightly be called a dynasty after joining Manchester United as the only clubs in the Premier League era to have won four titles in five seasons, with Alex Ferguson’s teams doing it on three separate occasions.

The eighth league title in City’s history is Guardiola’s ninth major trophy since arriving at the club in 2016.

“These guys are legends. When you win in this country four times in five years, it is because these guys are so special. They will be remembered forever,” Guardiola said.

Fittingly, it was long-serving City captain Fernandinho who lifted the trophy in his last game before leaving the club.

“It feels like we came back from the dead to win the league. This is the Man City spirit. You never give up,” Fernandinho said.

Once again, City saved the best until last as they edged Liverpool out on the final day of the season for the second time after beating them to the finish line in 2019.

It was 10 years since Sergio Aguero’s famous last-second goal against QPR sealed City’s first title since 1968 and this jaw-dropping success was almost as unlikely.

City were stunned in the 37th minute when Matty Cash got in front of Joao Cancelo to score with a bullet header.

Former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho doubled Villa’s lead with a cool finish in the 69th minute.

The shell-shocked Guardiola slumped into his seat, but City would not surrender and Gundogan headed them back into contention in the 76th minute.

Rodri’s low strike from the edge of the area two minutes later set up a nerve-jangling finale.

And in the 81st minute, Kevin de Bruyne’s low cross reached Gundogan at the far post and the substitute tapped home to send City into ecstasy.

“After their second goal it was really difficult. It was ‘get the first goal’, then we had momentum and our people did the rest. Winning at home with our fans is the best,” Guardiola said.

Having already won the FA Cup and League Cup, Liverpool can still enjoy a memorable season of their own if they beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Paris on Saturday.

Rocked by Pedro Neto’s third minute opener for Wolves, Liverpool equalised through Sadio Mane in the 24th minute.

Mohamed Salah poked Liverpool ahead with six minutes left but by then news of City’s extraordinary recovery had reached Anfield, which was in subdued mood by the time Andrew Robertson scored in stoppage-time.

“Congratulations to Man City and Pep Guardiola. It’s not the result we wanted. Finishing second is the story of my life,” Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said.

Tottenham’s 5-0 rout of relegated Norwich secured fourth place at Carrow Road and ended their two-year absence from the Champions League.

Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min scored two each and Harry Kane also netted.

Tottenham’s victory left Arsenal in fifth place despite their 5-1 win against Everton.

Burnley’s six-season stay in the top tier ended with a 2-1 home defeat against Newcastle, with Leeds staying up after a 2-1 win at Brentford.

Leeds started the day below Burnley on goal difference, but the Clarets were beaten by Callum Wilson’s brace, while Jesse Marsch’s team escaped thanks to Raphinha’s penalty and Jack Harrison’s last-gasp strike. 

Manchester United lost 1-0 at Crystal Palace, but qualified for the Europa League thanks to West Ham’s 3-1 defeat at Brighton.

MONTMELÓ, Spain — World champion Max Verstappen overcame a sequence of problems to lead his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez home and claim the lead in this year’s title race on a bad day for Ferrari in Sunday’s sizzling Spanish Grand Prix.

His victory in a crushing Red Bull one-two was the 24th of his career and third in succession this season as he came home ahead of his Mexican partner with George Russell confirming Mercedes’ revival by finishing third.

Charles Leclerc, who had led the championship and dominated practice, set off convincingly from pole position until he was forced to retire his Ferrari with an engine failure.

Beaten at the start, Verstappen was blown off the circuit and had technical problems, but he overcame them to produce a furious drive aided by his team-mate’s generosity for his second win at the Circuit de Catalunya, where he claimed his maiden victory as a teenager in 2016.

Carlos Sainz came home fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who produced an inspired drive in the second Mercedes after an opening lap collision, and Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo.

Hamilton had to slow in the closing laps due to overheating problems, allowing home favourite Sainz to re-pass him to the delight of his home crowd.

Esteban Ocon was seventh for Alpine, ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren, two-time champion Fernando Alonso in the second Alpine and Yuki Tsunoda in his Alpha Tauri.

“At first I went off, as I had a lot of tail-wind,” said Verstappen.

“Then, I was in the train and tried to pass, but my DRS was not always working. But, we did our own race and eventually we won.”

Perez was satisfied, if also frustrated. “I’m happy for my first podium in Spain. It was close and I’m happy for the team, but we need to speak later.”

Russell said: “It was very tough today. I did all I could to hold Max off, but he did a great job.”

In front of a sell-out crowd of 121,670 spectators, the race began in hot conditions with an air temperature of 36 degrees and the track surface registering 49.

‘It’s okay, but unfair’

Leclerc made a near-perfect start to lead Verstappen into Turn One while, behind him, Sainz struggled with his anti-stall mechanism allowing both Russell and Perez to pass him.

Magnussen started well and climbed to seventh before attacking Hamilton on the outside of Turn Four where they clashed, the Dane going off into a gravel area after leaving Hamilton with a front left puncture.

In his damaged car, Hamilton, 19th, suggested he retired. “I would save this engine, guys, I’m sorry,” he said. Mercedes told him to continue.

At the front, Leclerc built a clear lead before, in succession, Sainz and Verstappen went into the Turn Four gravel, blamed on a gusty wind by Red Bull.

Russell and Verstappen pitted together after 13 laps but the Dutchman was struggling with intermittent DRS (Drag Reduction System) problems, as he had on Friday.

Unexpectedly, on lap 27, Leclerc slowed and pitted in anguish. “Oh no, no,” he cried, as he conceded the lead to Russell. 

In the pits, Ferrari smothered him in sympathy as Russell led and Verstappen, on lap 29, pitted for softs.

Perez then showed his vim with a slick pass round Russell to take the lead, with 35 laps to go, and Verstappen launching his charge to swiftly regain third with a thrilling overtake of Bottas.

Hamilton was also fast, climbing to seventh, as the searing conditions took their toll before Russell pitted again on lap 37, followed by Perez. He remained quick before and after a final stop for softs rose to sixth with brilliant passes and fastest laps.

Ferrari confirmed a power unit failure had undone Leclerc’s race, a problem that also hit Guanyu Zhou’s Ferrari-engined Alfa Romeo. For the Italians, it was a worrying trend.

“It’s a hard race for us, but we must look at the positives,” said Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto, as Perez, obeying orders, conceded the lead to his teammate on lap 50. 

“Thanks, mate,” said Verstappen. “It’s ok, but unfair,” said the Mexican, gifting him the glory and the championship lead again.