The Brazilian is also the official executioner of the Reds, he who had already been a decisive scorer, a little over eight months ago, during the C1 final in Saint-Denis (1-0), marked by serious incidents around the stadium.

A match that Liverpool supporters, accused by UEFA and the French authorities of having been at the origin of the violence before and after, had obviously not forgotten.

The official competition anthem was played at a very low volume by the stadium sound system as the teams entered and covered with boos.

Banners against UEFA -- "UEFA, liars!"

and others less polite -- or to the French Ministers of the Interior, Gérard Darmanin, and Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castera, represented in Pinocchios, also flourished at the start of the match.

On the ground too, Liverpool had decided to settle their sporting accounts with a Real that they have not beaten for seven matches.

Salah's records in vain

Everything had started ideally thanks to Mohamed Salah, decisive passer on the opener, with a brilliant backheel by Darwin Nunez (1-0, 4th), before doubling the lead by taking advantage of a blunder from Thibault Courtois, who had disgusted the attackers of the Reds at the Stade de France (2-0, 14th).

Salah has become with his goal the most prolific African player in C1 with Didier Drogba (44 goals) but also the best director of the Reds in European competition in history (42).

Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah scores his team's second goal against Real Madrid at Anfield on July 21, 2023 © Paul ELLIS / AFP

But Liverpool are not eighth in the Premier League for nothing this season and the inability of this team to keep from one game to another, and even over a whole game, their level of play has again been obvious.

The composure of the reigning European champion, trailing 2-0 after almost a quarter of an hour, in a stadium in fusion, is of course also to be underlined, when he once again displayed its ruthless realism.

Vinicius Jr first took advantage of a very slight lack of aggression from Joe Gomez to roll up a powerful shot from the right and reduce the score (2-1, 21st), before countering a clearance from Alisson for a lucky equalizer (2-2, 36th).

Lucidity and control of Benzema

Without a save from Andy Robertson in front of Rodrygo, at the far post, just before the break, Real could have led on returning to the locker room.

But the second period only confirmed that the dynamic had definitely shifted to the Merengue side.

From the 47th, on a free kick caused by Vinicius, Luka Modric shot halfway up for an easy header from Eder Militao from six meters (2-3).

Top scorer in the C1 last year with 15 goals, it was then Karim Benzema who woke up, seeing his shot deflected by poor Gomez to take Alisson on the wrong foot (2-4, 55th).

Karim Benzema surrounded by his teammates after scoring Real Madrid's 4th goal at Anfield on February 21, 2023 © Paul ELLIS / AFP

He then killed almost all suspense with his usual lucidity and technical mastery, at the conclusion of a high-speed counterattack (2-5, 67th).

Liverpool had never taken more than 3 goals at home in the European Cup and they had only taken 5 goals once, in 1966, against Johann Cruyff's Ajax Amsterdam.

With this impressive and amazing performance, Real sent a very clear message to European football: to take back the "big-eared cup" from them, you will have to be very, very strong.

© 2023 AFP