Liverpool Back to Their Best in Champions League Victory Over Real Madrid

Liverpool defeated Real Madrid 1-0 in Tuesday’s Champions League clash through a determined team effort for 90 minutes.

Though Alexis Mac Alliser scored the match-winning goal, it was difficult to pick out the player of the match given how well the Reds performed as an 11-man unit. Ultimately, Mac Allister was awarded the Player of the Match.

Liverpool didn’t control the possession. Nor did they connect more passes than the Spanish giants. Real Madrid owned 57 percent of possession, and the visitors completed 482 passes compared to the Reds’ 310.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk saluted the collective effort to secure a clean sheet against the 15-time Champions League winners.

"I think there was a lot of energy and a lot of hard work,” van Dijk told Amazon Prime. “Obviously, they have won 14 in the last 15 - they have a lot of quality. We know their strengths. So, we had to be spot-on in everything we do. I think we performed our game plan perfectly. It is easy to say now because we won twice in a row. In a world of chaos, you have to stay calm and see the perspective of things."

Liverpool tested Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois with several long-driven efforts in the first half. If not for Courtois’ crucial interventions, Los Merengues would have been behind early. Dominik Szoboszlai and Hugo Ekitike each came close to scoring the game’s opening goal.

There was a moment of debate in the 30th minute when Aurelien Tchouameni’s arm blocked Szoboszlai’s shot. After a prolonged VAR review, no free kick or penalty was given.

Mac Allister Nets Match-Winner, Anfield Boos Alexander-Arnold