LIVERPOOL, England (AFP) — Liverpool continued their impressive run with a 2-0 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday, condemning the reigning Champions League holders to their third defeat in five matches. The result sees Liverpool maintain their flawless record under manager Arne Slot, as they return to the top of the table.
The Reds came alive in the second half, with Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo finding the net to secure all three points. Mohamed Salah also had a chance to put Liverpool ahead from the penalty spot but fired wide, although it had little bearing on the outcome.
In a match that carried added significance for Liverpool, the win marked a historic triumph over Madrid, who had previously been unbeaten in their last eight encounters with the Merseyside club, including two Champions League final victories in 2018 and 2022.
Arne Slot, who has enjoyed a strong start to his tenure at Anfield, expressed the importance of the victory. “To face a club like Madrid, who’ve dominated European football for so long and been a thorn in Liverpool’s side, makes this win even sweeter,” said Slot after the match.
Madrid were missing several key players due to injury, including Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Aurelien Tchouameni, leaving manager Carlo Ancelotti to patch together a makeshift lineup. Despite these challenges, Madrid almost took the lead early when young defender Raul Asencio cleared off the line after a fine save from Courtois denied Darwin Núñez.
The Belgian goalkeeper, who was instrumental in Madrid’s 1-0 win over Liverpool in the 2022 final, was again in top form, making multiple crucial saves to keep his side in the game. However, it was Liverpool’s pressure that eventually broke the deadlock in the second half.
Conor Bradley’s header was superbly kept out by Courtois, but Mac Allister was quick to react, finding space and firing a shot into the far corner on 52 minutes to give Liverpool the lead.
With Madrid relying on Kylian Mbappé to inspire a response in the absence of their other stars, the French forward struggled to make an impact, largely kept in check by Liverpool’s defensive duo of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté.
Mbappé’s chance to equalize came in the form of a penalty, awarded for a foul by Andy Robertson on Lucas Vázquez inside the box. The French striker, however, saw his spot-kick saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who has stepped up admirably in the absence of the injured Alisson Becker.
“It’s a difficult time for Kylian,” said Ancelotti post-match. “We know the quality he has, but we have to be patient with him.”
The game seemed destined to end with just a one-goal margin, but Gakpo ensured Liverpool’s win with a header in the 67th minute from Robertson’s pinpoint cross, putting the game beyond Madrid’s reach.
Despite Salah’s earlier penalty miss, Liverpool’s dominance was never in doubt. Slot’s side, who are also leading the Premier League by eight points, sent a strong message to their rivals, proving their credentials both domestically and in Europe.
With the win, Liverpool remain firmly on track to progress to the Champions League knockout stages, while Madrid, now languishing in 24th place, face an uphill battle to turn around their European campaign. Only the top 24 teams in the group stage progress, with the top eight advancing directly to the round of 16.
For Liverpool, however, the future looks bright as they continue to build momentum under Slot’s stewardship.
