Takeaways from the 2019 Champions League final

What occurred inside the opening 30 seconds of play will be debated by analysts, observers, fans, current players and former stars long after Liverpool's celebratory parade ends. One thing plenty can agree on is that the game, as a whole, stunk. Leander Schaerlaeckens of Yahoo Sports called the highly anticipated contest between a pair of English clubs who repeatedly torched European opponents with magnificent attacking sequences a "dud." Deadspin's Gabe Fernandez referred to the match as "dull." Of course, everything changed once the game was turned on its head before some in the audience settled in for what they hoped would be a final to remember.  

Controversy struck just 23 seconds into the match when Liverpool's Sadio Mane played a ball into the box as Tottenham midfielder Moussa Sissoko appeared to point out a defensive assignment to a teammate. What followed was a call argued and disputed by knowledgeable individuals and passionate supporters across social media platforms. Current players had better take note and make sure to keep their arms in natural positions while inside penalty areas from now on because defending is about to become more complicated. 

As explained by the official Bundesliga website and BBC Sport, handbull rules underwent some adjustments ahead of the 2019-20 European calendar. Per the BBC, handball will be called if "a player's hand or arm has made their body 'unnaturally bigger' or when "the player's arm or hand is above their shoulder (unless the player has controlled the ball onto his own arm or hand)." Deliberate intentions matter little under these laws, meaning attackers will, theoretically, look to replicate Mane's cross toward Sissoko's body early and often beginning next August. 

Ahead of the match, Pochettino faced a difficult decision regarding whom to start at right back. Manchester City and Ajax both routinely spun Kieran Trippier during European legs. Serge Aurier hadn't played since early March. Neither Kyle Walker-Peters nor Juan Foyth, both under 23 years old, were ready for such an occasion. As expected, Trippier received the nod, and he did well to tolerate, if not embrace, going against the pacey Mane on European football's biggest stage, creating a pair of tasty chances in the final third late in the match which Spurs failed to convert. If rumors of Trippier's summer exit from White Hart Lane are to be believed, the 28-year-old earned gratitude from Tottenham supporters heartbroken over the result. 

Those who rate a manager's success based on the contents of his trophy cabinet can no longer point out that Klopp came up short in six of seven finals appearances, as Ryan Bailey of Yahoo Sports wrote ahead of the June 1 showdown between Liverpool and Spurs. Last spring, Klopp could do little to scheme against a Real Madrid opponent superior to his Reds in style and talent, especially after Mo Salah was lost to injury. The best side of Klopp's managerial career got nearly everything right vs. Tottenham en route to redeeming their beloved boss. 

Pochettino should've saved forward Harry Kane, who hadn't played since suffering an ankle injury on April 9, for the second half against Liverpool. The two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner looked off the pace and remained anonymous for most of the opening hour, and the England international failed to test Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson once. It may not have mattered, but starting Lucas Moura coming off his heroic hat trick over Ajax while keeping Kane fresh for the final 45 minutes in a one-score affair could've benefited Spurs. 

Klopp and Liverpool responded to Loris Karius committing multiple miscues in last year's final by completing what Fabrizio Romano of The Guardian reported to be a world-record transfer for Alisson. The Brazilian international was mostly a spectator until the closing 15 minutes of play, during which he stopped a long-distance effort from Son Heung-Min and then denied Moura and Christian Eriksen to secure the clean sheet and Champions League glory. Liverpool supporters are grateful they don't have to wonder if Karius would've made those saves. 

Christian Eriksen came within inches of burying a free-kick equalizer in the top corner five minutes from time. Will that be the final memory he creates in Tottenham Lilywhite? As Ben Miller of the Daily and Sunday Express wrote, the 27-year-old has been linked with Real Madrid and Inter Milan, and a pay raise coupled with the opportunity to feature for Los Blancos could tempt the Denmark international to play home Champions League matches at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk entered Saturday's final with nothing to prove after winning both Premier League Player of the Season and PFA Player of the Year honors. The 27-year-old should be a candidate to win Ballon d'Or after his performance vs. Spurs. He denied Kane inside the penalty area and also prevented multiple through balls from reaching desired targets in the first half. His interception of a Son run inside the box in the 75th minute preserved Liverpool's one-goal advantage before Divock Origi put the game to bed three minutes from time. 

Tottenham qualifying for the Champions League final despite making zero signings over two transfer windows and enduring multiple injury setbacks during the campaign is impressive. Fans won't tolerate another quiet summer. Chairman Daniel Levy must back Pochettino with real money, the type needed to replace a midfield maestro like Eriksen, bolster the team's fullbacks and acquire a suitable fill in for the often-injured Kane. This isn't merely about making Spurs contenders for the league throne next season, a campaign they'll actually start in their shiny new stadium. Keeping Pochettino happy for the foreseeable future should be the club's top priority.

After Liverpool's triumph, the Mirror's Andy Dunn wrote "a dynasty has begun." The evidence supports his claim. Liverpool earning 97 points would've been good enough to win the Premier League title nearly every other season. Klopp turned former Chelsea reject Mo Salah into a record-breaking goal-scorer and helped Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold evolve into a historic pair . The Reds have more than enough money to hang with Manchester City and compete in Europe, and acquisitions such as Alisson and Van Dijk show the club can reinvest wisely when teams come in for stars such as Philippe Coutinho. 

Liverpool ending the season trophy-less after earning 97 points in the league would've been downright cruel. The Reds finished 26 points ahead of Tottenham in the table and possessed more quality and overall depth. Liverpool were, in fact, the better team, and there could be only one winner even before Mane targeted Sissoko's outstretched arm. They'll be a tough out in domestic and European play for years to come — or at least for as long as Klopp remains dedicated to the cause. 

Tottenham, meanwhile, enter another summer in limbo. How many players who started for Pochettino vs. Liverpool will be in the lineup when the league opens a couple of months down the road? Is Gareth Bale's return to the Lane realistic and also something Tottenham should pursue? Will Pochettino be given the funds to attract Champions League talent? Can Spurs take the next steps toward winning the biggest and, financially speaking, most important competitions, or is this as good as things will get under Poch? 

Liverpool and Tottenham shared the pitch in Madrid Saturday evening, but they have little in common as of the first week of June.