Nine months after their last face-to-face at the Stade de France last season – in the Champions League final – Liverpool and Real Madrid met on Tuesday February 21 in the round of 16 first leg of the most prestigious European Cup. Europe at Anfield Stadium.
This match was a duel of stars, between two teams accustomed to European cups and who have won twenty Champions Leagues between them.
Fourteen for Real, six for the Reds.
It was finally Real Madrid who emerged victorious from this meeting (2-5), after an explosive match and a festival of goals.
A start to the advantage of the Reds
The start of the match is however to the advantage of the Reds, who carry out intense pressing on the people of Madrid.
From the second minute of play, a loss of the ball from Eduardo Camaving created panic in the Madrid defense.
But the Liverpool attackers fail to convert this opportunity.
Two minutes later, the pressing is paying off.
Pushed by the Anfield public, the Liverpool players find the fault in the 4th minute, with an opportunity from the right side of Mohammed Salah.
The latter sends a strong cross in front of goal for Darwin Nuñez who opens the scoring with a heel.
Anfield lets his joy burst.
Ideal start to the match for Jürgen Klopp's men.
Despite Madrid's attempted incursions, the Reds continue to push.
In the 12th minute, Gakpo took advantage of a relaunch to start a counterattack and sent a pass to Mohammed Salah who fixed and went alone to goal, taking advantage of a double call from Alexander-Arnold.
The Egyptian enters the box but shoots just wide of the Madrid goals.
The latter will not have waited long to create a new opportunity.
The Reds double the lead in the 14th minute.
A back pass from the defense lands on the chest of Thibault Courtois.
The Belgian goalkeeper fails to clear the ball.
Mohammed Salah takes advantage and pushes the ball into the back of the net.
2-0 before the first quarter of an hour of play.
Vinicius Jr reassures Real
It was not until the 20th minute to see Real come back to score.
After a combination with Karim Benzema on the left side, Vinicius Jr manages to strike on goal with three players around him.
His shot from the opposite side leaves Alisson Becker no chance.
In the 25th minute, panic in the Real area.
A right side incursion arrives in the area, but, in the mess, the Liverpool players fail to push the ball into the back of the Madrid net.
The ball is cleared in disaster by Eder Militão.
The 36th minute is that of deliverance for Real.
Vinicius Jr, again, takes advantage of a clearing error from Alisson Becker to score twice.
Wanting to kick the ball forward with a flat foot, the Liverpool goalkeeper makes his pass, but the ball is blocked by Vinicius and lands in the Liverpool goal.
Real Madrid hangman Vinicius Jr, who scored the winning goal in the final last year, has struck again.
Shortly before the break, another Brazilian, Rodrygo, almost managed to give Real Madrid the advantage after a counter attack led by Valverde and Vinicius on the left side.
But Robertson saves his team.
The first half ends with four goals scored.
A Madrid second half
It didn't take long to see another goal in this game.
From the start of the second period (47th), a free kick from Luka Modric landed on the head of Eder Militão which gave Real Madrid the advantage.
The Spanish club almost got scared on a center from the Reds from the right side.
Darwin Nuñez tries to head the ball back but collapses in the box.
The referee does not whistle.
Real flies away in the 55th.
Karim Benzema who shoots on goal after a combination.
The French Ballon d'Or sees his strike blocked.
However, it lands in the Liverpool goal.
4-2 for Real after a quarter of an hour in the second half.
The Reds try, somehow, to come back to the score like Bajcetic who does not hesitate to shoot on goal from outside the penalty area.
But the ball misses Courtois' goals.
The Madrid ogre does not intend to stop there.
He scored his fifth goal in the 67th minute of play. A counter led by Luka Modric found Vinicius Jr who passed it on to Karim Benzema.
The Frenchman dribbles Alisson Becker and pushes the ball into the back of the net despite the return of the defenders.
The situation will not evolve the rest of the meeting, the opportunities are becoming rare.
Real thus inflicts a correction on Jürgen Klopp's players and takes a serious advantage for qualification in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The two teams will meet again in the second leg on March 15 at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid.
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