Liverpool suffers a brutal 2-5 defeat to Real Madrid, leaving them clutching at straws.
Liverpool will look to their Champions League past as they grasp at straws following a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid, but reality dictates that this particular miracle may be out of reach.
If last year’s Champions League final in Paris was a close contest that could have gone either way before Vinicius Junior’s goal, this was a dreadful moment in Liverpool’s history at Anfield.
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After Uefa initially blamed supporters for the chaos at the Stade de France in May, the atmosphere before kickoff was tumultuous. Anticipation for the arrival of the defending champions with vengeance in mind was heightened by the desire of Liverpool’s fans to voice their displeasure with Uefa.
The Champions League anthem was jeered at a deafening volume, and a banner reading “UEFA Liars” was prominently displayed in front of The Kop.
Liverpool suffers a brutal 2-5 defeat to Real Madrid, leaving them clutching at straws. Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool a 2-0 lead in the opening 14 minutes, while Jurgen Klopp was pumping his fists in the stands to whip up the crowd.
Carlo Ancelotti’s brilliantly ruthless team dispatched Liverpool in the final minutes, as players could be heard shouting to each other and Jurgen Klopp stood crestfallen and motionless with his hands in his pockets.
Liverpool had conceded five goals in Europe for the first time at Anfield, and in the closing minutes, Real appeared more likely to add to their total than to concede a third.
Here is where we bring up a more palatable aspect of Liverpool’s history.
Remember the 2019 Champions League semi-final when Liverpool famously overcame a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona at Anfield in the first leg? Expect to hear about this again before the second leg.
However, there are substantial differences.
Real Madrid is more resilient than the fragile Barcelona squad. The second leg of this round-of-16 match is being played at the Bernabeu, not in front of The Kop, as Liverpool is a far cry from their 2019 selves.
Liverpool made the kind of start that has become their trademark at Anfield in the Champions League with those two early goals, but once Real Madrid established a foothold in the match, the cracks seen in Klopp’s side all season were exposed in a midfield that was completely overrun and a defense that was prone to costly errors.
Recent victories against Everton and Newcastle United hinted at a Liverpool renaissance, at least in the Premier League, but questions remained as to whether all of their problems had been resolved.
Newcastle created numerous chances, but Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson was outstanding in a 2-0 victory on Tyneside. Real would never be as wasteful in front of the net.
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Alisson was at fault when he failed to clear the ball away from Vinicius, allowing Real Madrid to equalize. Vinicius’s first goal was an individual masterpiece with a stunning finish.
Real Madrid exuded elegance and command as Liverpool retreated, with Ancelotti maintaining a poker-faced demeanor in the technical area as Anfield fell silent.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, who had a difficult night against Vinicius, along with the rest of the defense, fell asleep as Eder Militao was allowed to run unmarked onto Luka Modric’s free-kick to put Real ahead.
That was essentially it. Game over. True never looked backward.
Joe Gomez’s miserable evening was summed up by the unfortunate deflection of Karim Benzema’s shot past Allison to make it 4-0, and it would only get worse from there.
This season, Liverpool’s midfield has provided little protection for their defense. As Benzema scored his fifth and final goal, it would have irked the bewildered home fans to see Modric, 37, sprint away from the laboring Fabinho and shrug off Stefan Bajcetic.
Fabinho and Jordan Henderson were helpless against the movement and strength of not only Luka Modric – whose substitution was applauded by Liverpool’s fans – but also Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga.
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The Liverpool midfield requires immediate attention and renewal. Klopp is aware of this, but these torturous ninety minutes will crystallize this understanding.
Real’s victory was accompanied by chants of “Oles” from visiting fans. In stark contrast, their Liverpool counterparts were shocked.
Real is a truly remarkable side. Last season, their unwavering confidence was on display when they survived a scare against Chelsea and scored two goals in injury time to save and win the semi-final against Manchester City.
Real, with Modric as the master manipulator, Benzema as a constant threat, and Vinicius as close to unstoppable as possible, continued as if nothing had happened following Liverpool’s opening two-goal burst.
They are the most decorated club in the history of this competition due to their exceptional endurance, resiliency, and mental toughness, which have been shaped by their success.
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Salah’s injury after a tussle with Sergio Ramos remains a source of lingering resentment for Liverpool following their Champions League final loss to Real Madrid in Kyiv in 2018; however, they have struggled to overcome this obstacle, having lost to the Spaniards in the quarterfinal in 2021 and the final last season.
Klopp and Liverpool will not believe the game is over, nor should they, given their history of overcoming seemingly impossible odds.
This Liverpool team, however, is flawed in a way that makes that outcome improbable, especially given the ruthlessness of this Real Madrid squad.
If Liverpool can pull off this comeback, it will rank among their best in Europe.
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