Liverpool escape Madrid battering with a chance

With both Liverpool and Real Madrid missing their first-choice centre back pairings tonight, the opening 90 minutes of their Champions League semi-final was expected to be chaotic, but for Jurgen Klopp’s side things didn’t exactly go to plan.

The Action: Without Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, Real Madrid might have been worried about an end to their excellent form which has seen nine wins and two draws in their last eleven games, but it didn’t take long before any nerves were quashed.

Madrid completely took the game to Liverpool from the first minute with the Reds barely leaving their own half, but it took 26 minutes and some luck until the deadlock was broken, with Nat Phillips massively misjudging a sublime Toni Kroos pass that Vinicius latched onto and fired home.

And less than 10 minutes later, it was looking like Liverpool were set to be on the end of a rout, with another simple pass from midfield met with another error, this time seeing Trent Alexander-Arnold clear the ball straight into Marco Asensio’s path to make it 2-0.

Jurgen Klopp made a perhaps career-ending substitution with three minutes to play of the first half, taking off the injury-plagued Naby Keita for Thiago Alcantara, and at the start of the second 45, the difference was quickly noticed.

Mohamed Salah scrambled home as Liverpool upped their intensity massively, and his side grew into the game and looked likely to find a second, but as things settled, Vinicius swept home Madrid's third, with the Reds unable to reply.

The Big Picture: Liverpool would have been delighted to take a 2-1 deficit to Anfield after a first-half collapse, but the third goal was a killer, and it’s hard to see them finding the energy at an empty Anfield, particularly with such a small chance of a clean sheet.

Man of the Match: Any of Real Madrid’s historically incredible midfield three could have rivalled two-goal Vinicius for the award, but Casemiro squeaks it with another big game display where he was completely unplayable.

xG: Real Madrid (1.93) 3-1 (0.79) Liverpool

Quote of the Day: Jurgen Klopp, "The one goal in the second half was absolutely ok, and it gives us a lifeline."

Stat of the Day: As Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp has only been knocked out of European competition by Spanish opposition.

It's gone from bad to worse for the Reds 😳

Real Madrid lead Liverpool 2-0 before half-time...

Major work to do in the second half! pic.twitter.com/YRHou8El2v

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 6, 2021