It’s a repeat of last season’s Champions League final as Liverpool meet Real Madrid in the first leg of the mighty Round of 16 at Anfield. Real prevailed in Paris, with Vinicius Jr scoring the game’s only goal as Carlo Ancelotti won the competition for the fourth time as manager.
Liverpool are far from the form they showed last season when they threatened to win the treble. There are signs, however, that Jurgen Klopp’s side could be starting to get going as back-to-back wins over Everton and Newcastle keep their top four prospects alive. Darwin Nunez is fit and a regular for Liverpool, as is Virgil van Dijk. This is a huge step forward, though, against a Real side who have been Champions League specialists for the past decade. They won the Club World Cup earlier this month, though trail Barcelona by eight points in La Liga. Karim Benzema is able to lead the line for Real, with Rodrygo and Vinicius alongside him in the top three. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below!
OBJECTIVE! Liverpool 2-1 Real Madrid | Vinicius Jr 21′
Sensational. Benzema plays ball to Vinicius, he has no right to do anything with so many shirts around. But move the ball to that right foot and hammer a shot into the far corner.
19 mins: Militao far too loose at the back, Bajcetic quick to the scene to steal it.
Alexander-Arnold tries to pass the ball, Carvajal is there to send it back to his goalkeeper. Look real so flimsy on the back.
17 mins: I don’t know what’s going on on the pitch, but we can’t last 30 seconds without a player slipping. Courtois looked down the field, but had absolutely nothing to do with his mistake, despite his best efforts to deflect the blame.
OBJECTIVE! Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid | Mohammed Salah 14′
LIVERPOOL IN FLIGHT!
Courtois absolute horror show. The ball was put back to him, he let it slide and it went straight to Salah, who had the easier shot.
13 minutes: GREAT OPPORTUNITY!
Second after Rodrygo blocks an attempt, Liverpool attack.
Nunez comes back to defense and clears the ball, it’s a brilliant touch and turn from Gakpo on the halfway line. It feeds him in Salah, guides in the box and finds the space, but avoids a large attempt. Enormous opportunity.
11 minutes: Salah is on the right again, actually does not press and are cut into pieces on that wing.
Bad Ball, however, and really another possibility of breaking. Benzema forced to return, Liverpool receives enough bodies. First obsession for visitors, which comes up against a chorus of boos.
9 mins: Alaba with a loose touch, Henderson there to pounce.
Great slip ball for Salah, he narrowly missed Alaba but Real’s full-back is doing very well to come back.
Real look to break, Vinicius much too fast for Fabinho and he is very cynically blocked. Incredibly lucky to have avoided a yellow card. 7′: Fabinho pushes into the penalty area, Camavinga slides in and the Brazilian goes down… the calls are rejected. It would have been a free kick, the contact was outside the penalty area, but the referee does not consider it a violation anyway.
This was a brilliant start from Liverpool, so sharp. The true will not leave. 6 minutes: Well then! Anfield was already in full swing, but now the atmosphere has been taken to the next level.
Real doesn’t panic and Vinicius arrives immediately after on the left. Cut back for Modric, who seems to be dancing in the penalty area, but there are too many red shirts on the road, even for him.
OBJECTIVE! Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid | Darwin Nunez 4′
WHAT A BEGINNING FOR LIVERPOOL!
They attack down the right, Salah cuts inside and plays a low cross into the box, where Nunez shoots a stunning finish past Courtois! Incredible.