Liverpool are the best team in Europe — and two understudies hold the key
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A couple of weeks back, it was easy to question Arne Slot's strong beginning at Liverpool, wondering who they had genuinely triumphed over. Now, there's a clear and simple answer: Real Madrid. The reigning champions of Europe, as Pep Guardiola would say, the holders of the Champions League title, a team that even Jurgen Klopp has never managed to defeat.
After 19 matches in charge, Slot has secured 17 wins, with his latest triumph coming against a team that has won the title 15 times. He has already marked two unforgettable European nights at Anfield, successfully taking down top teams from both Germany and Spain. Liverpool now leads the Champions League, strengthening their position as the best team in Europe, not just through their victories, but also in how they achieved them. They played with more energy and ambition than Real Madrid, claiming their first win against them since 2009.
“They were quite a challenge for Liverpool over the years,” Slot remarked. This match held significance, but the driven Dutch coach emphasized, “If we face them in the Round of 16 and manage to defeat them, that would send a stronger message.” Still, it was a noteworthy outcome, as a coach with five Champions League titles acknowledged the final score. “It's a reasonable outcome,” Carlo Ancelotti stated. “Liverpool earned this victory.”
They achieved victory thanks to standout performances from two of Slot's substitute players, and with Curtis Jones, three academy graduates played key roles in the success. "It’s a great honor to see three players from the academy performing so well," Slot remarked. While Jones had a strong game, he was somewhat overshadowed by Conor Bradley, who not only helped secure a goal but also ensured that the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson was hardly felt. Additionally, Caoimhin Kelleher made a crucial penalty save against Kylian Mbappé.
Even though Mohamed Salah matched Kylian Mbappe in a rather unfortunate way by missing his own penalty, he still outperformed him in effort. Salah set the tone for the night by chasing back to steal the ball from the French star just four minutes in and then helped create an attack that saw Darwin Nunez's shot cleared off the line by Raul Asencio.
Salah’s missed chance didn’t impact the game significantly. Liverpool found their scoring from other players, including substitute Cody Gakpo, and even more so from the standout performer of the match. A few years back, Klopp referred to Jude Bellingham as a "golden calf," likening him to a legendary midfielder. However, the young English talent chose to move to Madrid instead of Liverpool. When he finally arrived at Anfield, he was overshadowed by a player who may have been brought in simply due to Liverpool missing out on Bellingham.
Alexis Mac Allister was outstanding, showcasing his skill, creativity, and a calm finish for the opening goal. The goal arrived as Liverpool ramped up the intensity, and Real Madrid finally buckled under the pressure when Mac Allister exchanged passes with Bradley. He cleverly made his way into the penalty box and managed to place a shot past Thibaut Courtois, who had seemed invincible until that point. Just a minute earlier, a partnership between Mac Allister and the right-back almost resulted in a goal, but Courtois pulled off a stunning save to keep out Bradley’s header following Mac Allister’s cross.
Bradley missed his chance initially, but it came just moments later. During the first half, when Mbappe was charging forward, he was brought down by a powerful tackle from the Northern Irish player. The crowd at Anfield chanted, “One Conor Bradley,” both then and multiple times later. If this was his standout performance, Slot remarked, “Conor played exceptionally well, but I’m not at all surprised.” Unfortunately, Bradley's night concluded on a sour note; after pushing himself in one too many sprints, he appeared to injure his hamstring and was substituted for Joe Gomez.
The absence of Alexander-Arnold, who didn’t get any game time, as well as Alisson and Diogo Jota, should help us understand the situation with Real Madrid's injuries. They were missing key players like Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Dani Carvajal. However, Liverpool wasn’t at full capacity either, yet they still managed to defeat Real.
They still had enough strength in their squad for a substitute to make an impact, as Gakpo outjumped Luka Modric to score with a header from Andy Robertson’s cross. It highlighted a flaw in Real Madrid’s defense during set pieces, particularly when a 39-year-old, who isn’t very tall, was attempting to compete with Gakpo.
Throughout the evening, Real struggled with their performance. While they might have seen themselves as composed, they actually came across as ineffective. In contrast, Darwin Nunez stood out for Liverpool, exhibiting his unique style and energy. He came very close to scoring a hat-trick in the first half, but Courtois—supported by Asencio—made two crucial saves. The goalkeeper, who had been Liverpool's bane in the 2022 final, seemed poised to play that part again.
If there was anyone who had a reason to seek revenge, it might have been Salah, especially after his injury in the 2018 final. He played energetically but didn’t manage to score the goal he deserved. The Egyptian earned a penalty after making a powerful run of 30 yards and getting fouled by Ferland Mendy, but his attempt went horribly wrong, hitting the advertising boards instead of the net. As he put it, his penalty was more off target than on.
He completely outshone Mbappe. “I believe Mbappe is going through a challenging phase right now,” Ancelotti remarked. “We need to rally around him and show him our support.” On the other hand, Liverpool made things difficult for him. Their defenders each took turns in blocking his advances: first it was Bradley, then Virgil van Dijk, followed by Ibrahima Konate, who all made impressive clearances. Then, Kelleher stepped up with a remarkable save during a penalty. For the second consecutive match, Robertson gave away a penalty, appearing awkward as he tripped Lucas Vazquez. “When you see Mbappe lining up for the kick, I thought what everyone else was thinking, ‘This is likely going to score,’” Slot recalled, but Kelleher managed to stop it.
The fact that it took an hour for him to arrive and that it was his first target highlighted Real's shortcomings. The Irish player, who is currently in great form, went on to create three more chances, while Liverpool has only let in a single goal in the Champions League—just three minutes into their campaign. Since then, they've maintained a clean sheet for an impressive 447 minutes. They can now add Real to their list of notable victories, which already includes Milan, Bologna, RB Leipzig, and Bayer Leverkusen. This list has become increasingly impressive in recent weeks. However, beating Real is a significant achievement, as they are considered the top team.
