Liverpool were sensationally beaten 5-2 by Real Madrid despite being two goals up early in their Champions League round-of-16 first leg at Anfield.
Vinicius Junior scored twice before the interval to cancel out Liverpool’s early advantage and three unanswered goals in the second half – two of them scored by Karim Benzema – condemned Jurgen Klopp’s side to their heaviest home defeat in Champions League history.
The Reds had threatened to overwhelm the world champions, their conquerors in the Champions League final in May, during a blistering opening period.
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Darwin Nunez’s flick put them in front inside four minutes before Mohamed Salah seized on a Thibaut Courtois error.
With Real Madrid rocking, they instead showed that characteristic quality and calm, Vinicius rifling the ball low into the far corner of Alisson’s net to pull one back, before the goalkeeper replicated the mistake by Courtois by gifting the Brazilian his second of the night.
Eder Militao’s header from Luka Modric’s free-kick gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side the lead early in the second half before Benzema’s shot deflected off Joe Gomez and beyond Alisson to silence Anfield.
When Benzema later added a brilliant second, Liverpool were broken.
The result leaves Klopp and his players needing a miracle at the Bernabeu next month.
The more immediate concern is that after a couple of confidence-boosting Premier League victories, the fragility that has marred Liverpool’s season has been exposed once more.
