Liverpool vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League result and final score from Anfield blockbuster
Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid: Alexis Mac Alliser and Cody Gakpo scored as Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappe missed penalties in a thriller
Liverpool made it five wins from five in the Champions League as they defeated Real Madrid 2-0 in the Champions League in a match that saw both Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah miss penalties.
Alexis Mac Allister’s goal shortly after half time gave Liverpool a deserved lead but Real Madrid had the chance to level moments later when Andy Robertson tripped Lucas Vazquez.
But Mbappe’s penalty was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher and Anfield was just as stunned shortly afterwards when Salah blazed wide from the penalty spot, after he was fouled by Ferland Mendy.
Cody Gakpo stepped off the bench to double Liverpool’s lead and wrap up the points, as the Dutchman thumped in a header from Robertson’s cross under the bar.
It means Liverpool extend their perfect start in the Champions League, while holders Madrid suffered their third defeat in five games and now face a battle to qualify.
Liverpool are the best in Europe right now — and two understudies are key
A few weeks ago, it was possible to look at Arne Slot’s seemingly impressive start at Liverpool, adopt a sceptical tone and ask who they had really beaten. And now an eloquent answer can be provided in two words: Real Madrid. The kings of Europe, to borrow Pep Guardiola’s phrase, the Champions League holders, the side even Jurgen Klopp never beat.
Some 19 games into his reign, Slot has 17 wins. He already has two great Anfield European nights, the champions of first Germany and now Spain defeated, and Liverpool top the Champions League, their claim to be the best team in the continent right now reinforced not merely by victory but by the manner of it. More energetic and more ambitious than Real, they overcame them for the first time in 15 years.
They did so with starring roles from two of Slot’s understudies.
Liverpool are the best in Europe right now — and two understudies are key
Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid: The Reds maintained their perfect start in the Champions League with a first victory over the holders in 15 years
Why Real Madrid might still crash out of a Champions League designed so they can’t fail
After beating the team 20th in the Premier League, Liverpool defeated the side 24th in the Champions League. The similarities may end there: it is scarcely a surprise Southampton occupy that station in England. But Real Madrid, the reigning champions of Europe, find themselves 24th after five rounds.
The position has a certain significance in a new format; they are hovering about the second dotted line. A side who began the competition as favourites, along with Manchester City, now instead risk the embarrassment of failing to even get the safety net of a play-off place. If Real initially thought their fixture list would not include a European double header in February, now they must hope it does. The alternative is the embarrassment of crashing out of continental competition altogether.
Why Real Madrid may crash out of a Champions League designed so they can’t fail
Defeat to Liverpool leaves the reigning champions in serious danger of missing the knockout stage even though the new format was meant to prevent this from ever happening
Jude Bellingham reflects on first Anfield outing
Jude Bellingham has insisted Kylian Mbappe’s missed penalty was not the decisive factor in Real Madrid’s loss to Liverpool tonight.
“I think to be fair, from the first minute they took control of the game,” he told TNT Sports. “We never took advantage of our spells in the game, we tried to force it and turned the ball over too many times. I thought they were more up for it, which was disappointing.
“It’s a bad result against probably the best-performing team in Europe. There is no disgrace in losing here but we are not happy with it.
“The penalty is a big moment in the game, but he’s wonderful player and the pressure he holds his huge. The penalty is not the reason he lost the game, they were better than us. Kylian can hold his head high, he is going to produce many moments that are huge for this club.”
Liverpool ‘deserved’ to win, admits Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti admitted defeat to Liverpool was a “fair result” as Real Madrid were humbled at Anfield.
“Liverpool deserved to win,” he said. “They have a real good dynamic they are in great form, connected playing with a high intensity.
“We did okay in the first half, we held them, set up well as a unit and tried to create our own opportunities but made the wrong decisions when going forward.
“We fought up until the point of the penalty. We competed well until that point but we have to keep going be competitive fight for everything there are things we have to improve of course, we will and nothing more.”
Up next for Liverpool in the Premier League? Manchester City.
Less than a third of the campaign gone: season over? Some would have you believe so, on the back of Liverpool going eight points clear at the top of the Premier League and Manchester City managing to make it five straight defeats, for the first time in Pep Guardiola’s career, after a home thrashing by Tottenham.
The contrasting form guide of both teams at the top means Liverpool look uncatchable to some - but with so many matches to play there’s still plenty of scope for them to have their own bad spell.
More poignantly perhaps, Liverpool face Manchester City in their very next league game; City can change the narrative considerably if they win that match of course, while the Reds going 11 clear of their biggest rivals with a win themselves will only add to the feeling the trophy will be heading back to Merseyside.
Liverpool in control but 8-point gap isn’t even Man City’s biggest problem
The Reds face Man City next with Pep’s team losing their last three in the Premier League
Could Real Madrid actually fail to qualify for Champions League knockouts?
Real Madrid are in a battle to make the top-24 of the Champions League and reach the knockout stages after falling to a third defeat in five this season.
The holders have six points from five games, putting them right on the cusp in 24th, and with difficult fixtures still to come.
Madrid must go to Atalanta next, followed by RB Salzburg and Brest. Certainly, the top-eight looks beyond them.
”This game today wasn’t a decisive game in terms of our league position, it was always going to be tough to finish in the top eight,” Ancelotti said.
“We have to make sure we are in the next 24 as high as we can and we will be there.”
Kylian Mbappe in ‘difficult moment’ for Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti said Real Madrid would support Kylian Mbappe, who he said was having a “difficult moment” after missing a penalty in the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.
Mbappe’s struggles since signing for Madrid in the summer continued as he was marked out of the game by Conor Bradley before Caoimhin Kelleher saved his spot-kick.
“This has happened before in my career many times, forwards when you are a striker you want to score and get a bit of confidence,” Ancelotti said.
“There is a medicine which is a difficult moment for him, I think Mbappe it is a difficult moment we have to support him and give him our love, he will soon be fine.
“It could be a lack of confidence maybe, sometimes maybe when you have moments when things aren’t working out, the idea is to keep things simple, don’t complicate life.
“You don’t need to blame him for missing penalties, people miss penalties, it happens a lot.”
Are Liverpool the best team in Europe right now?
Arne Slot said his Liverpool team “want more” after being asked if the Reds are currently the best team in Europe.
“The ones (players) here for a long time are almost used to playing a final, this team has always been there,” Slot said after the win over Real Madrid.
“The last two years have maybe been different but it was only a few adjustments and we are only five games in in a new format.
“We are happy where we are but not getting carried away by winning a group-stage game. This club wants more.”
Beating Real Madrid again in last 16 would mean more, says Arne Slot
Liverpool top the Champions League with five wins from five and are on the verge of securing a place in the last 16 but Arne Slot said the win would mean much more if it came in the knockout stages.
“I think it is always good to win a game and especially a big game like this, you know you face so many quality players,” Slot said.
“This is such a strange and different setup in the Champions League it is difficult to judge how important these wins are.
“If we meet them in the last 16 and then we are able to beat them it would be a bigger statement.”
Arne Slot delighted as Liverpool finally beat ‘pain in the ass’ Real Madrid
Arne Slot was pleased to beat a Real Madrid team who have been a “pain in the ass” for Liverpool for several years but played down the significance of the 2-0 victory.
After seven defeats and a draw – including losses in the 2018 and 2022 finals – the Reds gained their first success over their European nemesis since 2009 with goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.
“I wouldn’t say it is the same as any other one because you know how special it is to play against a club that won this Champions League so many times and are the reigning champions as well, dominated Europe for the last few years and were a pain in the ass for Liverpool many times as well,” he told TNT Sports.
Arne Slot delighted as Liverpool finally beat ‘pain in the ass’ Real Madrid
A stirring Anfield victory over the holders was Liverpool’s first win over Real Madrid since 2009
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