Sid Lowe’s match report has landed, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company and emails. Goodnight!
I won’t tell you the score in the City-Dortmund game, in case you plan to watch it on delay. But if you do want to read all about it, click this.
The score is a fair reflection of an imperfect yet very entertaining game. Real were more composed, more controlled, more secure, and in Vinicius Junior they had the most electric player on the pitch. And though Liverpool were better in the second half, they paid a big price for some jittery defending. They’ve had too many glory nights at Anfield for anyone to write them off, but Real are in a helluva position.
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Full time: Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool
Peep peep! It finishes 3-1 to Madrid, just as it did in the 2018 final, but at least Liverpool get a second chance this time.
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90+4 min Real break three on two, but Rodrygo’s pass is poor and Liverpool get away with it.
90+3 min Real haven’t crossed the halfway line for about five minutes.
90+2 min Salah makes a little bit of space in the D and hits a shot that is blocked by Eder Militao (I think).
90+1 min Four minutes of added time.
90 min “Liverpool have been poor today despite having Fabinho back in midfield,” says Yash Gupta. “But the bigger picture is when they face a team of passing midfielders (unlike Arsenal who were beyond pathetic even by their recent standards) their pressing goes awry and the main reason is their nonsense high line. Yes they may win the second leg but their high line looks far too dangerous for their own good.”
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89 min Alexander-Arnold’s dangerous inswinging corner is bravely headed away by Eder Militao. He’d had an extremely good game.
88 min Wijnaldum’s long-range shot is blocked. It’s all Liverpool now, with even Benzema behind the ball some of the time.
87 min Felix Brych seems to be on a mission to remind the world that football is a contact sport. It’s been a fascinating refereeing performance. I suspect Liverpool fans will use a different adjective.
86 min A goal now for either side would mean so much. Mane goes over in the D after an excellent run. But for the umpteenth time tonight, Felix Brych isn’t interested.
84 min A change for Real: Rodrygo replaces the superb Vinicius Junior.
83 min Alexander-Arnold is booked for giving the assistant referee a mouthful.
81 min A double change for Liverpool: Roberto Firmino and Xherdan Shaqiri replace Jota and Kabak. Fabinho has moved back into defence.
80 min Real have their first extended spell of possession in the second half, a good way to easte a couple of minutes. Eventually Valverde’s lobbed cross skims the head of the stretching Phillips, a vital touch that takes it away from Benzema.
77 min Lots of possession for Liverpool, who are desperate for a second goal. Thiago wafts over the bar from the edge of the D.
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75 min Mind you, football has been so perverse this season that Liverpool will probably win the second leg 7-2.
74 min An injury-hit Liverpool came back from 3-0 down against Barcelona a couple of years ago, though that was with supporters at Anfield. Given their recent home form, they could do with at least one more goal tonight.
72 min Vinicius Junior will get the headlines, and quite right too, but Benzema’s movement and link play have been masterful. He is a quite brilliant allround No9.
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71 min Vinicius Junior goes on another dangerous run infield before finding Benzema, whose low shot is comfortably saved to his left by Alisson. At the other end, Jota heads wide from Salah’s cross.
70 min A Real Madrid change: Fede Valverde replace Marco Asensio.
69 min I can’t keep up with this. The second half has been wildly entertaining.
68 min “Any news on why Keita was subbed so early by Klopp?” says Oliver Driesen. “An injury, surely?”
I’m not certain but I don’t think he was injured. The tactical change made perfect sense, but to do it after 42 minutes – rather than 45, or even 35 – is unusual.
66 min Dear me, it was almost 4-1 a moment ago. Vinicius Junior charged down the right and played an inviting ball into the area for Asensio, who tried to turn away from Alexander-Arnold and Alisson but slightly mistimed his touch.
It’s another soft goal I’m afraid. Modric moved infield from the right and played a square pass to Vinicius Junior, 15 yards out. He screwed a first-time shot that went through the legs of Phillips and then through the hands of Alisson, diving to his left. He probably saw it late, but having got hands on it Alisson will be pretty disappointed that he didn’t keep it out.
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GOAL! Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool (Vinicus Junior 65)
Real score from the throw-in!
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64 min: Great defending by Alexander-Arnold! Real break two on one - two on one! - from the resulting corner. Asensio tries to put Vinicius Junior through on goal, but his pass is too close to Alexander-Arnold and he knocks it out for a throw-in. Alexander-Arnold’s positioning was perfect.
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63 min: Great defending from Mendy! Liverpool were so close to an equaliser. Jota, in the inside-left channel, played a smooth one-two with Robertson and surged into the area. He decided not to shoot and instead flicked the ball across the six-yard line towards Mane, who was about to shoot when Mendy appeared on his blind side to clear. That was vital.
61 min Kroos thrashes over from 18 yards. That was a fair chance for his player of his quality, even on his left foot. The opportunity came after a mistake from Thiago, who tried to chest a cross down in his own area. Instead he gave it to Asensio, who rolled it back towards Kroos on the edge of the area.
59 min Salah’s cross is taken off Mane’s head by Vazquez, a vital interception. The ball runs across the area to Robertson, whose cutback is blocked. There’s a desperation to Liverpool’s attacking play, which is making for great entertainment.
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58 min Benzema slithers infield from the left, away from a couple of defenders, and rifles a shot that is well blocked by Phillips. This is really open now.
56 min Liverpool have been so much sharper since half-time. Thiago is a bit too lively: he gets a yellow card for a foul on Asensio.
53 min A booming cross from Alexander-Arnold is headed wide by the stretching Jota beyond the far post. It was a half chance at best but a spectacular ball in from Alexander-Arnold.
GOAL GIVEN! Yep, Salah was onside and Liverpool are back in it.
Wijnaldum charged through midfield and found Jota just outside the area. He ran at the heart of the defence and hit a shot that was blocked by Modric. The ball ricocheted towards Salah, who got it out of his feet and forced it past Courtois from close range. Courtois got a touch on the shot, which bounced up onto the underside of the bar and into the net. They are still checking for offside but I think he’s okay.
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GOAL! Real Madrid 2-1 Liverpool (Salah 51)
Mo Salah gets a precious away goal!
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49 min Real are sitting a lot deeper, happy for Liverpool to have the ball. Lucas Vazquez is booked for a lunge at Jota.
47 min “Rationally, I’m telling myself that there is an awful long way to go in this tie (along with other assorted tired clichés),” says Matt Dony. “Plenty of time to take stock, change the dynamic, turn it around. Nothing to worry about yet. As ever, though, the irrational part of me is much, much louder. Football is awful. I hate everything. Happiness is a myth. I’ll probably die alone.”
46 min Peep peep! Liverpool begin the second half. On BT Sport, Michael Owen makes the excellent point that Anfield won’t be as big a factor as usual in the absence of fans. They really need a goal tonight.
Books etc “For Colin Eldridge,” says Steve Tayler. “He could travel the Whitbread Sports Books of the Year. One that didn’t win was The Miracle of Castel di Sangro, about an Italian team on an amazing season. One of those books about sport that is about life, like Friday Night Lights, or Beyond a Boundary. What do they know of football who only football know?”
Apparently there were 27 seconds between the challenge on Mane - which looks a foul when you see it again - and Asensio’s second goal.
Half-time reading
Half time: Real Madrid 2-0 Liverpool
Peep peep! That was a slow-burning horror movie for Liverpool. They were impotent in attack and, after a solid start, a bag of nerves in defence. Real Madrid were good without being exceptional, and unpicked Liverpool with a series of long passes from Toni Kroos. His quarterbackery led to both goals, scored by Vinicius Junior and Marco Asensio, and it would have been worse but for a very good save by Alisson just before the break.
Liverpool aren’t out of it - never give up and all that - but they need to play so much better for the rest of this tie.
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45 min One minute of added time.
43 min Asensio misses a great chance to make it 3-0. Kabak’s backpass was woefully short, putting Asensio through on goal on the right edge of the area. He slid a low shot with his right foot that was crucially saved with his legs by Alisson.
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42 min Blimey, Jurgen Klopp has made a very early substitution: Thiago Alcantara is on for Naby Keita. It makes sense, because Liverpool’s passing has been hopeless, but the the timing is interesting to say the least.
41 min Real have had eight attempts at goal to Liverpool’s none. I’m slightly shocked by the poverty of this performance.
40 min Real Madrid have really targetted Alexander-Arnold, a tactic that has worked perfectly so far. Vinicius Junior got between him and Phillips for the first goal, and the second came from a bad mistake.
39 min Mane is booked for dissent, presumably over the free-kick that never was.
38 min Wijnaldum and Klopp are very unhappy that a foul wasn’t given at the other end just before the goal. I’m not sure it was a foul, in truth. Even if it was, that second goal was so avoidable.
That was a terrible goal to give away. Kroos, near the halfway line, lofted a pass down the inside-left channel towards Vinicius Junior. Alexander-Arnold read it well but then headed the ball across the face of the penalty area, straight to Asensio. His insouciant lob was half stopped by Alisson, but the ball bounced kindly and Asensio was able to run the ball into the net with appreciable glee.
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GOAL! Real Madrid 2-0 Liverpool (Asensio 36)
Marco Asensio makes it two after a howler from Trent Alexander-Arnold!
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36 min Mane goes over on the edge of the area after a collision with the last man Lucas Vazquez. The referee Felix Brych waves him up.
34 min Liverpool have been so disappointing. Any team can play badly, it happens, but it’s hard to explain the sluggishness of Liverpool’s performance.
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33 min The resulting corner is headed away to the edge of the area, where the unmarked Asensio sprays a half-volley into orbit. It was on his right foot, hence the orbit bit.
32 min While that’s being checked, Vinicius Junior’s shot from the edge of the area takes a slight deflection off Phillips and whistles past the far post. It looks like Kabak has got away with that tackle on Benzema; I think he’s a bit lucky. Or, to put it another way, I think that would have been given in the Premier League.
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32 min Benzema appeals unsuccessfully for a penalty after a desperate challenge from Kabak. This will be checked by VAR.
It was made by Toni Kroos, who received possession halfway inside his own half, turned and assessed his options. He drove a fantastic long pass over the Liverpool defence towards Vinicius Jr, who got behind Phillips and controlled the ball superbly with his left shoulder. That touch took him across Phillips and into the area, and his second touch was a confident drive back across Alisson. Liverpool will be annoyed at the simplicity of the goal, but the pass and first touch were immaculate.
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GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool (Vinicius Jr 27)
Real take the lead with a majestic goal!
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25 min A dreadful pass from Alexander-Arnold goes straight to Asensio on the halfway line. He gives it to Kroos, who slides a through ball towards Benzema in the inside-left channel. Benzema moves into the area and hits a shot that goes behind off Kabak. That was good defending from Kabak, who tracked Benzema all the way.
23 min Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips have had a really solid start to the game. That’s the biggest positive for Liverpool at the moment.
21 min “I happen to be watching this match on a Spanish-language feed,” says Peter Oh. “I don’t speak the language but understand some bits and pieces. One of the commentators said ‘...Freddie Mercury!’, causing his colleague to break into a hearty chuckle. It was either a reference to Alisson Becker’s moustachioed look, or maybe Sergio Ramos got an edgy new Queen-themed tattoo?”
Are you sure you’re not watching repeats of the Fast Show?
20 min It’s still pretty cagey. Madrid’s passing has been better than Liverpool but neither side has created any clear chances.
18 min Fabinho has started strongly, with and without the ball. We’ll never know, but I wonder how the Premier League table would look had he not been seconded to the defence.
16 min A wicked cross from Alexander-Arnold is superbly headed away by Lucas Vazquez, who was facing his own goal and had Mane waiting behind him to score.
15 min Real Madrid have been the better team so far, though there isn’t a huge amount in it. Liverpool haven’t pressed as aggressively as most of us expected; most of the time they are sitting deep and playing for counter-attacks.
13 min Mendy beats Alexander-Arnold with ease, gets to the byline and stands up a cross towards Vinicus Junior. He flicks a header across goal that bounces a few yards wide of the far post. Alisson was scrambling a bit, but it never really looked like going in.
12 min Modric goes over in the D after a challenge from Gini Wijnaldum. Felix Brych waves play on, but VAR are checking in case it was a) a foul and b) in the area. No penalty: it was definitely outside the penalty area, and probably not a foul anyway.
10 min Salah gets away from Nacho, who slips in the centre circle, and would have been able to run through on goal but for some good covering by the left-back Mendy.
10 min “Hi Rob,” says Niall Mullen. “Liverpool’s fist job here, as with any European away, is to silence the crowd early doors.”
Arf, very good.
9 min Neither side has yet been able to expose the opposing central defenders. It’s been a fairly scruffy start to the game, in truth.
8 min “Ah, how boring, traditional kits,” says Mary Waltz. “What, no sherbet, tiger stripes, peach or chartreuse kits that have no connection to history and are only cynical cash grabs? What fun is that?”
6 min Both teams are pressing high, and it’s been a fairly frantic start to the game.
5 min ... and nothing comes of it.
5 min Asensio wins the first corner for Real Madrid. Kroos strolls over to take it...
2 min Benzema works Alisson with an low left-footed shot from 25 yards. It was a comfortable save for Alisson.
1 min Both teams are playing 4-3-3, as expected, but Liverpool have Diogo Jota rather than Sadio Mane at centre forward.
1 min Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep peeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Real Madrid kick off from left to right. I won’t insult your knowledge by telling you what colours each team are wearing.
Two players in the starting XIs are on a yellow card, Ferland Mendy and the Liverpool captain Gini Wijnaldum.
“There’s been so much turning of corners these days,” says Ian Copestake, “that I am quite shocked Klopp has decided to bench Thiago as soon as he seemed to have turned one.”
Maybe he wanted to protect him from turning another one.
The players are out on the field, all with their gamefaces carefully applied. It’s time for Real Madrid v Liverpool!
“The key for us tonight is not stylish football but menace,” says Andy Gracie. “The kind of menace we showed in the early stage of the 2018 final, and especially when Gerrard and Torres terrorised them back in 2009. If there is one thing that puts the frighteners up Real Madrid it’s menace. Failing that I’ll take a clumsy 0-1.”
“Prediction tonight, Rob?” says John Ryan. “I can see goals...”
I think Liverpool will win, maybe 3-1 or 3-2, but it’s a hard game to call for a few reasons: the missing centre-backs, the absent crowd, Liverpool’s inconsistency, the inherent unpredictability of football and life itself.
“Smyth,” writes Colin Eldridge. “I need to buy my brother-in-law a football book for his birthday. Any tips?”
Hmm, how old is he? If he’s of a certain age, I can heartily recommend When the Seagulls Follow the Trawler by Tom Whitworth, which is all about football in the 1990s. I wasn’t sure about the concept but it’s very cleverly done, a mix of travelogue and interviews with key characters like Roy Evans and David Dein. And you can feel the love – of football and the nineties – on every page. Not enough love around these days.
Failing that, the Pat Nevin book should be good.
If you’re looking for alternative entertainment, there’s a repeat of Yes Minister on BBC Four at 8pm. Oh, and this.
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Real Madrid v Liverpool: a YouTube history
If this doesn’t whet the appetite...
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Team news
The in-form Diogo Jota starts ahead of Roberto Firmino, while Naby Keita is surprisingly preferred to Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones and James Milner in midfield.
Real Madrid, who have been dabbling with a back three of late, look to have reverted to 4-3-3. Eder Militao and Nacho are covering for Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane at centre-back.
Real Madrid (4-3-3) Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Eder Militao, Nacho, Mendy; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Asensio, Benzema, Vinicius Jr.
Substitutes: Lunin, Altube, Marcelo, Valverde, Odriozola, Isco, Mariano Diaz, Rodrygo, Arribas, Chust.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson; Keita, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Jota, Mane.
Substitutes: Adrian, Davies, Thiago, Milner, Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Tsimikas, Shaqiri, Davies, R Williams, Cain.
Referee Felix Brych (Germany).
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Pre-match reading galore
“Hi Rob,” says Tony Barr. “I was reading a poll earlier in which a surprising number of readers put Nat Phillips in a combined LFC/Real ‘available’ combined XI. I think he’s exceeded expectations for Liverpool, but surely it’s all about Fabinho back in midfield isn’t it? What’s your take on the Bolton Baresi? Is it too early for beer? I usually wait until the team are up, but hey...”
Blame the beer on lockdown while you still can. As for Phillips, he has done pretty well, and it’s a charming story, but I agree that Fabinho moving back is the bigger deal. I thought it was daft to move both Fabinho and Henderson into defence earlier in the year, and I think subsequent events have confirmed that I am a better football manager than Jurgen Klopp.
The first email of the night!
“Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “So Liverpool face the mighty Real Madrid for the first time since Kiev 2018. Boy oh boy have I been looking forward to this! You do know what dish is best served cold, right? Gazpacho.”
I’ve been watching Champions League football too long: I honestly read that as Gazprom.
Preamble
Good evening. Real Madrid and Liverpool know all about the healing power of the European Cup. Between them they have been champions of Europe 19 times - yet in 14 of those seasons, they weren’t champions of their own country. On a few occasions, they finished as low as fifth in their domestic league, but nobody cared about nine months of domestic misery when they were lifting the big one.
I doubt we’ll forget Liverpool’s surreal 2020-21 title defence in a hurry, but we’ll see it through very different eyes if they end the season by lifting a seventh European Cup. Real could still win La Liga - they are third, three points off the leaders Atletico Madrid, but it’s unlikely, especially with Barcelona in such rampant form. Real could live with being third in Spain and first on the continent. They, more than any other club in Europe - arguably the world - are defined by European competition.
We all know what happened when these teams met in the 2018 final: Sergio Ramos nobbled Mo Salah, Loris Karius’s career fell apart in the cruellest circumstances and Gareth Bale scored an astonishing goal that wasn’t quite as good as we giddily thought at the time. Salah is the only one of that quartet who will play tonight and, though the core of each squad remains pretty similar, a number of those who started in 2018 will be missing through injury or illness: Ramos, Raphael Varane, who has tested positive for Covid-19, Dani Carvajal, Virgil van Dijk and Jordan Henderson.
It’s hard to know what to expect, mainly because Liverpool have been so unpredictable this season. They were in the vicinity of their best in trouncing Arsenal at the weekend, but then we thought they’d turned a corner at Crystal Palace, Tottenham and West Ham earlier in the season. Real can’t reach the same heights as Liverpool, but nor do they fall to the same lows. They have gone under the radar for most of the season, an ageing, ersatz version of the team that won all those European Cups in the 2010s.
The Geriatricos are still a pretty good Galacticos tribute band, but Liverpool are slight favourites to go through and face Chelsea or Porto in the semi-finals. Still, all results are feasible tonight and at Anfield next week. So put the second screen down* and focus your attention on one of the great heavyweight contests of European football: Real Madrid versus Liverpool.
Kick off 8pm.
* Unless this is your second screen, in which case we need all the hits we can get, so good evening and well done you on being so tech-savvy, especially at your age.
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