Real Madrid tames Liverpool with 'punch' and character

Real Madrid tames Liverpool with 'punch' and character

The whites return from Anfield with a powerful 2-5 in a new display of personality and with a recital that corrected their bad start

   MADRID, 21 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Real Madrid left their Champions League round of 16 tie on track on Tuesday, after beating (2-5) and knocking out Liverpool at Anfield, with a display of 'punch' and character, after an outstanding first half of Vinicius, who supported a white team that grew after the break to strengthen its status as champion and prolong its idyll with the highest continental competition.

The whites survived a few heart-stopping first minutes and a lot of power from Liverpool, supported by their people and in which they left Real Madrid up to their necks in water, going 2-0 in just 14 minutes and including an error by Thibaut Courtois in the second so much But Vinicius, who completed a brilliant performance and celebrated a brace in the first half, ruffled his team and left his team alive, equalizing the break.

At the restart, the meringues showed their best face, more plugged in in a 'hot' match in football. Luka Modric was the guide that was not seen in the first half, giving more meaning to everything that the whites did. Militao and Benzema, with a double, catapulted a Real Madrid team that once again showed personality on another great European night.

Ancelotti's men came out somewhat blurred and less connected than the 'reds', also boosted by the usual initial push at Anfield. Stage fright played a trick on the meringues, who saw how, at a dizzying start, Liverpool took the lead with a stellar heel shot from Darwin Núñez, after a measured pass from Mohamed Salah from the right.

The premature goal gave the locals solidity, comfortable in the dizzying rhythm that they proposed from the beginning. And in another mistake in Eduardo Camavinga's midfield, the 'reds' came out in a rush and Carvajal served a complicated ball to Courtois, who, after controlling with his chest, failed with Salah so close that he picked up the ball to send the ball to the bottom of the meshes without opposition. Real Madrid was left almost knocked out, against the ropes.

And in that state of uncertainty, Vinicius appeared when his team needed him the most, to get a lash out of his sleeve, already inside the area on the left, to beat an Alisson who could not do anything. The whites did not go 'crazy' to get closer on the scoreboard, guided by a Brazilian striker who was pulling the car. But after a failed counter by the carioca, Liverpool had another clear one with an attack on the right, where Ancelotti's men suffered the most, which Salah could not finish off squarely, almost on the goal line.

That play left the bad news for the madridistas of the injury of David Alaba, replaced by Nacho Fernández halfway through the first half. After this break, the whites enjoyed two good chances. The first in another isolated corner, after a rebound, with another quick shot that Alisson stopped with a strong hand. And later, Fede Valverde did not connect the ball well after a good drop from Rodrygo's heel on the front.

And if a mistake by Courtois gave a thrown Liverpool a lot of advantage, Alisson also failed to get the ball out, hitting with Vinicius so close that the ball bounced off the carioca and went straight to the 'net' goal. The Brazilian's double matched the attractive and dizzying stake at Anfield, who could have gone 2-3 at half-time if the whites had completed another 'scare' from Valverde to enable Vinicius. This yielded without opposition to Rodrygo, whose shot was saved over the Alisson line, in the clearest of the madridistas.

Contrary to the initial whistle, Real Madrid started more in tune and was able to celebrate the momentary comeback with a lateral free kick that served powerfully from the left and that Militao finished off without marking, to silence Anfield. And a Benzema without much presence was yet to appear until minute 55, when he connected with Rodrygo on the front line to shoot something forced, but luck led the ball to hit Gomez and went straight to the goal and give a two-goal advantage to The whites.

The French '9' was growing, together with a Luka Modric who gave his best version in the second half, and went back to being the protagonist in the umpteenth example of 'hitting' of the whites. The Croatian launched the umpteenth counter so that Vinicius headed into the 'net' area, serving Benzema, who had temperance to cut Alisson and beat him to an empty goal, completing the white 'hand'.

The powerful advantage allowed Real Madrid to put the game in formaldehyde and defend their important victory at Anfield, also with the changes to distribute minutes, taking into account that this Saturday they will receive Atlético de Madrid. This historic 2-5 draw extends the positive dynamics of the madridistas against Liverpool, who have not beaten the meringues since 2009. Ancelotti's men leave a tie on track that will live the second leg on March 15 at the Santiago Bernabéu.

-RESULT: LIVERPOOL, 2 - REAL MADRID, 5 (2-2, at halftime).

LIVERPOOL: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Joe Gomez (Matip, min. 73), Robertson; Henderson (Milner, min. 73), Fabinho, Bajcetic (Elliot, min. 85); Salah, Gakpo (Firmino, min. 64) y Núñez (Jota, min. 64).

REAL MADRID: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rüdiger, Alaba (Nacho, min.27); Camavinga, Modric (Kroos, min.87), Valverde; Rodrygo (Ceballos, min.81), Benzema (Asensio, min.87) and Vinicius.

1-0, minute 4. Darwin Núñez.

2-0, minuto 14. Wrong.

2-1, minute 21. Vinicius.

2-2, minute 36. Vinicius.

2-3, minute 47. Militao.

2-4, minute 55. Benzema.

2-5, minute 67. Benzema.

--REFEREE: Istvan Kovacs (RUM). He admonished Elliot (min.93) for Liverpool, and Vinicius (min.60), for Real Madrid.

   --ESTADIO: Anfield.