Liverpool beat Real Madrid 1-0 at Anfield in the Champions League thanks to a header from Alexis Mac Allister in the 61st minute. The Reds dominated most phases, while Madrid were limited to few clear chances and relied on Thibaut Courtois.
Real Madrid manager, Xabi Alonso, admitted it was a “tough game” for his side at Anfield.
He said: “We competed well, but we lacked a bit of a threat in the final third,” Xabi Alonso admitted after Real Madrid’s 1–0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. The coach’s tone was calm, but his message was clear, Madrid had control in moments but little cutting edge to show for it.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe went further, pointing at the moments that shifted momentum. “We have to learn that when they put pressure on you, you can’t give away fouls or corners. Those small details decide games.” Alonso’s frustration was clear to what happened, a solid defense was undone by lapses of concentration and a failure to take chances when they came.
Wayne Rooney, analysing on TNT Sports, was far more blunt. “Real Madrid were poor tonight. They lacked ideas and intensity. You expect more from a side of that quality.” His verdict echoed across fan discussions as Madrid looked unusually subdued for a team known for thriving under European floodlights.
Embed from Getty ImagesLiverpool manager Arne Slot, meanwhile, was quick to praise the opponents his side had just beaten. “To win against them, given their quality and form, means we did a lot right tonight.”
For Madrid, this was a reminder that possession and pedigree don’t always equal results. The rhythm that has defined their season so far seemed to fade at Anfield. Xabi Alonso’s men will return to Spain knowing that the standard they hold themselves to, wasn’t met.
And there’s a question: was this just an off night, or is the European giant showing cracks early?
Embed from Getty ImagesWritten by Pejuola Ransome
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