'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It was a blockbuster night of UEFA Champions League action as Real Madrid destroyed English champions Liverpool in a 3-1 win at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
The two European heavyweights faced off for the first time since their dramatic affair at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, when Gareth Bale fired Los Blancos to a stunning win with a brace off the bench. Three years on, their clash on Tuesday night ended with an identical scoreline, and Liverpool now have a mountain to climb in the second leg.
Brazilian starlet Vinicius was the star of the show at the Alfredo Di Stefano as he smashed in two goals on the night either side of a smart finish from Marco Asensio.
Zinedine Zidane's men earned a thoroughly deserved win as they were undisputedly the better team over 90 minutes. This was with the exception of a ten-minute spell in the second half, where Liverpool forward Mo Salah pulled one back with a powerful finish from inside the box.
This away goal — considering Liverpool's storied comebacks in Europe — could still prove to be a crucial turning point in the tie as Liverpool host Real Madrid next Wednesday. It has given the Reds some hope heading into the second leg after a poor performance at the home of the 13-time UCL champions.
On that note, here is a look at the five major talking points from the game.
#5 A clash of Liverpool and Real Madrid's second-string defences
Real Madrid and Liverpool have both been hit with some of the worst injury crises faced by European sides this season. The visitors were without starting central defenders Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, who are out for the season, with Joel Matip also being sidelined.
Real Madrid were dealt a big blow last week when they were informed of Sergio Ramos' injury that will keep him out of the game. Raphael Varane tested positive for COVID a few hours before the game to make matters worse, ruling him out as well. This led to a clash between two pairs of second-string partnerships starting the game on Tuesday.
Liverpool's Nat Phillips and on-loan defender Ozan Kabak retained their places from their previous league outing, and their counterparts on the night were Nacho Fernandez and Eder Militao. The game's very complexion could have been different if Liverpool and, for that matter, even Real Madrid had their first-choice central defenders available despite winning 3-1.
Real Madrid exposed Kabak and Phillips' inexperience in at least two of their three goals. The first was down to a poor piece of judgement from Kabak, and not one Liverpool defender reacted in time to stop Luka Modric or block Vinicius for the third. Even the goal Real Madrid conceded was down to a lapse in concentration as Lucas Vazquez — Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Odriozola's deputy — played Mo Salah onside.
Ultimately, Real Madrid's backup centre-back pairing between Nacho and Militao emerged victorious on the night, with the latter having a stellar game.
#4 Jurgen Klopp's selection gamble backfired spectacularly
It is no secret that Liverpool are yet to witness what Thiago Alcantara is truly capable on a football pitch since his summer move. The seven-time Bundesliga champion and two-time UCL winner hasn't hit top gear for Liverpool after a handful of sub-par displays for Jurgen Klopp's side.
That being said, it came as a bit of a shock when fellow Bundesliga recruit Naby Keita was chosen to play alongside Fabinho Tavares and Gini Wijnaldum in the middle — and it was a decision that Jurgen Klopp lived to regret.
In his ill-fated 42-minute stay on the pitch, Keita registered a mere 26 touches of the ball, which was less than any of the six midfielders in the first half.
He added absolutely nothing to the Premier League champions in offence or in defence, be it a shot, key pass, through ball, or even a tackle. He was a mere passenger who was constantly run over by his rather brilliant Real Madrid counterparts.
Regardless of whether it was a ploy to take Blancos boss Zidane by surprise or due to what he saw in training, Klopp's decision backfired miserably. Keita was hooked just three minutes before half-time for Thiago, a move that perfectly summed up a very forgettable evening for the £55m man.
Also read: Real Madrid vs Liverpool — Combined XI | UEFA Champions League 2020-21
#3 A timeless performance from Luka Modric and Toni Kroos
Mere words cannot begin to describe the impact that Toni Kroos and Luka Modric have had at Real Madrid over the last few years. The German and the Croat are undeniably two of the best midfielders of the 21st century and their performance against Liverpool was another timely reminder of their credentials.
Everything that Real Madrid did on the night when in possession went through the the two midfield maestros. They decided when to push forward, slow things down, and create goals out of nothing — and nothing depicts these qualities better than the first goal. After a period of possession, Real Madrid passed the ball around as Liverpool regained their shape. The visitors made the mistake of offering Kroos his as much time on the ball as he pleased and the 31-year-old responded as one would expect him to.
After scanning his surroundings and spotting Vinicius darting in behind, Kroos delivered one of the passes of the season to find the Brazilian with the utmost precision. The Brazilian went on to slot the ball past Alisson Becker to break the deadlock for Real Madrid. Kroos completed all nine long balls he attempted on the night and supplied his side with four key passes to go with it.
The third goal came as a result of a clever pass from Modric after receiving the ball from Karim Benzema. Modric rolled it into Vinicius who, once again, found a way past Alisson to double the Blancos' advantage. The assist aside, Modric also had a fantastic night against Liverpool.
The pair were valiantly supported by the ever-reliable Casemiro, who tackled everything that moved in and around the middle of the park to win the ball back. His tireless shift helped Real Madrid recycle possession with ease. Casemiro completed a game-high eight tackles against the Reds.
At 31 and 35 respectively, Kroos and Modric have shown once again why they're regarded as one of the finest midfield pairings to grace the UEFA Champions League.
#2 A nightmare in Valdebebas for Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold has established himself as one of the best right-backs in the world over the last couple of years. The Premier League and Champions League winner offers Liverpool a dynamic attacking threat that very few full-backs in the world can.
That being said, Alexander-Arnold has faced a barrage of criticism this season for his defensive shortcomings. The criticism has been at the forefront over the last week or so amidst a belief that he could be dropped from the England squad by Gareth Southgate ahead of UEFA Euro 2020. This is on the back of his omission in favour of Chelsea's Reece James for the most recent England squad.
Unfortunately for the 22-year-old, his display against Real Madrid did nothing to make the Three Lions coach think twice.
Alexander-Arnold had a nightmare first 45 minutes in the Spanish capital as he was involved in both goals they conceded against Real Madrid. Neither him nor Kabak were able to stay with Vinicius for the first goal and prevent him from going through on goal to face Alisson. The second goal further compounded the Englishman's misery.
While attempting to clear a pass from Kroos, Alexander-Arnold decided to head the ball towards Alisson from within his area but ended up providing Marco Asensio with an opportunity to score on a silver platter. Asensio's effort was initially saved by Liverpool keeper Alisson, but the Spaniard eventually managed to bundle the ball into the net. Alexander-Arnold was visibly agitated and cut a frustrated figure in the second half, receiving a yellow card from Felix Brych for verbal dissent.
Real Madrid were evidently aware of his shortcomings as they exploited the spaces left behind by him time and again. 44% of all their attacks on the night came down their left side, with Mendy, Vinicius, and on occasion, even Benzema finding acres of space on Liverpool's right flank.
At 22, the Liverpool full-back still has a lot of time to bounce back from perhaps one of the most difficult spells of his professional career. However, this is not a game that Alexander-Arnold is likely to look back upon fondly, to say the least.
#1 Vinicius Jr's crowning moment for Real Madrid
There is no denying that Vinicius Jr is an exciting talent. This was made amply clear when Real Madrid opted to smash the Brazilian top flight's transfer record for an under-20 player and sign him for €45m three years ago. However, he is still a raw talent for all his electric pace and dribbling ability as Vinicius always came up short in the final third.
His goal returns since moving Real Madrid are a testament to his dire lack of end product. Across 105 appearances in his career at the club before today, the 20-year-old had a mere 12 goals and 22 assists to show for.
On Tuesday night, Vinicius gave the Blancos faithful a good look at his true potential as he was simply phenomenal against Liverpool.
Vinicius was their biggest attacking threat against Klopp's side. He constantly broke into the final third and caused them all sorts of problems. What made his display a truly special one from Vinicius was the composure and finishing ability that was lacking all this while.
His first touch to control Kroos' long ball was majestic and took both Kabak and Alexander-Arnold out of the picture. The Brazilian followed it up with a sublime finish to score his first of the night for Real Madrid. Vinicius then opted for a measured finish to meet Modric's pass and slotted the ball past his compatriot Alisson to score his second.
Even apart from his goals, Vinicius played with a sense of confidence on the ball and was simply a joy to watch. He scored the first brace of his Real Madrid career and the fact that he stepped up for the team during such a crucial encounter made it an even more memorable occasion for the 20-year-old.
Kroos was brilliant, but Vinicius was undoubtedly the best player on the pitch for the 13-time European champions against Liverpool.
Also read: 5 Best players in the UEFA Champions League so far
