REAL TOUGH FOR REDS NOW
Double by Vinicius makes it pain in Spain for Klopp
LIVERPOOL need another of their European escape acts at Anfield next Wednesday after two goals from Vinicius Junior put Real Madrid in charge of their Champions League quarter-final.
The livewire Brazilian exposed a flaky defence as the 13-time champions made light of their absentees to control the first leg at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
The ray of hope for Liverpool was the 51st-minute away goal scored by Mo Salah – his 27th of the season.
But after a harrowing night at Madrid’s training complex, where the tie was staged rather than at the cavernous Bernabeu, they know they now have it all to do against impressive opponents.
It was the first meeting of the two sides since the controversial 2018 Champions League final won by Gareth Bale’s brilliance for Los Blancos, and scarred by the dislocated shoulder suffered by Salah.
The villain of that particular piece, Sergio Ramos, was absent last night with a calf injury as Real, led by Zinedine Zidane, right, endured a taste of Liverpool’s season-long problems in the centre of defence, with Raphael Varane also out after testing positive for Covid-19.
But a hesitant Liverpool, with Diogo Jota promoted to start ahead of Roberto Firmino after his two goals against Arsenal at the weekend, were unable to exert any pressure in a nightmare opening half in which they failed to unleash a single shot. That had not happened in the Champions League since November 2014 – against the same opponents.
Liverpool’s defence was the one under the gun with Tony Kroos and Luca Modric conducting a passing masterclass and when Real went direct it splintered horribly.
Kroos twice split it asunder with simple balls over the top that brought goals forVinicius and Marco Asensio. The German midfielder’s 50-yard
pass between Nat Phillips and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 27th minute was brought down superbly by Vinicius.
One touch later the Brazilian had dispatched it into the Liverppol net.
Nine minutes later another pass by Kroos suckered a calamitous error out of Alexander-Arnold and Asensio was on hand to cash in to nudge the ball over Alisson and tap it home.
Liverpool complained – with justification – that Sadio Mane had been taken out by Lucas Vasquez at the other end half a minute earlier. But referee Felix Brych ignored their complaints and booked Mane for his protests. Some of the Real interplay had Liverpool’s midfield chasing shadows but when possession did come their way they did themselves no favours with their wastefulness.
Ozan Kabak almost gifted Asensio a third with another blunder that had Jurgen Klopp cradling his head in his hands but his shot passed across goal. Liverpool boss Klopp, sensing the tie was in danger, hauled off Naby Keita – a surprise selection ahead of Thiago – before half time. The second half saw a more purposeful Liverpool emerge from the changing rooms. Suddenly there was pressure on the ball and dynamism going forward.
And when captain Giji Wijnaldum drove deep into Real territory, and Jota’s shot was blocked, Salah was on hand to score.
Now it was a contest and after Real went close with a Kroos shot that went over, Mane was denied by a great tackle from Mendy.
Liverpool’s statue-like defence, though, was undone again with Vinicius on hand to sweep home his second in the 65th minute.
The Reds are unlikely to be as bad again in the return leg but they have left themselves a lot to do.