It seems that Real Madrid always keeps its best for the Champions League, and Liverpool was the latest victim of its uprising in the tournament when the defending champions won 5-2 at Anfield the day before yesterday. Real Madrid’s refusal to surrender to its fate was a decisive factor in achieving its 14th title last season, and it seemed that it had not lost its charming touch. And while it can be said that Liverpool collapsed at the hands of its players, Real Madrid has a history of preserving its best for the best, and in this case it is the Champions League.
The player Liverpool suffered the most in recent matches with Real Madrid, is the Brazilian Vinicius Junior, the player who scored the most goals in the history of European competitions against Liverpool, by five goals in four matches, including a brace in the five-year victory the day before yesterday.
And in Vinicius’ first match against Liverpool, he scored a double in April 2021, in the first leg of the quarter-finals, then played against Liverpool in the second leg and did not score, and in the last Champions League final he scored the winning goal for Real, which led him to the 14th title, then the double the day before yesterday, which makes him five. Goals against Liverpool, and this is in addition to an assist.
Real Madrid showed its true metal in the important match against Liverpool, as it started dull, but quickly changed course in its favor, and showed its true metal in the European competition. Last season, he lost 1-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the round of 16, but he rose up to win 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu before beating Chelsea in the quarter-finals.
Manchester City seemed in a good position when it won 4-3 in the first leg of the semi-finals and advanced with a goal in the return match in Madrid. But Rodrigo scored two goals in the last minutes, extending the match to extra time, which Karim Benzema decided from a penalty kick. Yesterday, Real Madrid scored two goals in the first 14 minutes, and Liverpool fans felt that their team would avenge their defeat in last year’s final, with the guest team suffering to deal with the burning atmosphere in Liverpool’s stronghold. Vinicius Junior rose up to score two goals and equalize at the end of the first half.
In the second half, there was one team on the field, and Real Madrid gave its opponent a lesson in how to decide matches, and perhaps the entire confrontation. Liverpool did not pose any danger after the break despite the support of the fans, while Real Madrid scored three goals from four attempts on goal, becoming the first team in the history of the tournament to turn a two-goal deficit into a three-goal victory.
Liverpool scored five goals at home for the first time in the Champions League, and it is the third time that they have received this number of goals in one match at home in all competitions this century. This is the sixth defeat in seven matches for Liverpool against Real Madrid, including the final in 2018 and 2022.
• Vinicius scored the winning goal for Real Madrid’s 14th title in the “European Champions” last summer, at the expense of Liverpool.
• Liverpool scored five goals at home for the first time in the “champions”, and it is the third time that they have received five goals in one match at home in all competitions over a century.
• The loss from Real Madrid is the sixth defeat for Liverpool in seven matches against Madrid between 2018 and 2023.
Vinicius’ 5 goals in Liverpool:
■ Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool (Quarter-final first leg 2021 – double).
■ Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid (European Champions Final 2022 – the winning goal).
■ Liverpool 2-5 Real Madrid (final first leg 2023 – double).
Ancelotti: A perfect start that we never expected
Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti, said in a press statement: “The victory over Liverpool at home and among its fans with five perfect start we never expected in this way.”
And he continued, “We did not expect a start like that presented by my team, but when we were 2-0 down, I thought about what happened in the (Manchester City) stadium last year, hoping to repeat what happened, but in the end something better was achieved.”
The Real Madrid coach added, “We never lost confidence and succeeded in regaining control of the ball. Experienced players helped young men in many situations, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
Jürgen Klopp: Real Madrid gave us the 5 goals
Liverpool coach, German Jurgen Klopp, said: “I told the players after the match that a defeat becomes a defeat if we do not learn from it. If we allow one match to affect us, that is bad.”
He added in a press statement: “Yes, we need to improve, but we must look at the positive things as well.. We gave Real Madrid the five goals, and we could have done better, but (Real) is completely different.”
He continued, “We will go to (Madrid) in order to win.. and I do not know whether or not this is possible.”
Salah equals Drogba’s achievement and breaks Gerrard’s record
Adel, the star and scorer of Liverpool, the Egyptian Mohamed Salah, the achievement of Ivorian Didier Drogba, as the most African player scoring goals in the “European Champions”.
Salah scored the second goal for Liverpool during his match against Real Madrid. Salah scored his 44th goal in the continental championship, equaling the record of Drogba, the legendary star of Chelsea, England.
Salah also broke the record of Liverpool legend Gerrard, as he scored his 42nd goal for the English team in the “Champions”, compared to Gerrard’s 41 goals. Salah also topped the list of top scorers this season in the “European Champions” with eight goals, beating Kylian Mbappe, top scorer of Saint-Germain, with a goal.
