Liverpool vs Real Madrid result, highlights and analysis as holders thrash Reds to take control of Champions League tie

David Lynch

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Liverpool vs Real Madrid result, highlights and analysis as holders thrash Reds to take control of Champions League tie image

ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL — Real Madrid took complete control of their Champions League last-16 tie against Liverpool as they produced a remarkable comeback to hand out a 5-2 thrashing at Anfield.

The hosts had raced into a two-goal lead by the 14th minute, Darwin Nunez finishing off a fine team move before Mohamed Salah capitalised on a Thibaut Courtois mistake.

However, Real once again showed their European staying power to draw level by the break, Vinicius Junior scoring in brilliant fashion before equalising via an error from Alisson Becker.

And the attending fans were left in no doubt as to the pedigree of the two sides by the end of a second half that effectively saw Madrid book their place in the quarterfinals.

Eder Militao got the ball rolling two minutes after the restart before Karim Benzema added two more goals to all but kill any Liverpool hopes of a comeback in Madrid next month.

MORE: Every star to play for both Liverpool and Real Madrid: Owen, Alonso and more

Liverpool vs Real Madrid final score

  1H 2H Final
Liverpool 2 2 2
Real Madrid 2 5 5

Goals:
LIV — Nunez — 4th min
LIV — Salah — 14th min
RMA — Vinicius Jr — 21st min
RMA — Vinicius Jr — 36th min
RMA — Militao — 47th min
RMA — Benzema — 55th min
RMA — Benzema — 67th min

Liverpool foiled by Real magic — again

After a Courtois masterclass denied them Champions League glory when these sides met last May, Liverpool might well have hoped the finishing gods would smile on them this time around.

But, after again 'winning the xG' by most measures across this 90 minutes, the Reds somehow found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-2 defeat.

That owed much to the brilliance of Benzema and Vinicius Jr, who are among that rare set of players whose talents can't always be measured using traditional statistics.

Five goals from just six shots on target is a fair reflection of just how good Madrid are when they get anywhere near the opposition goal and why they are so inevitable in this competition.

Real Madrid give lesson in staying on top

Liverpool have now gone seven games without beating Real Madrid, their last success coming when Rafael Benitez managed the club.

Tonight's defeat was perhaps excusable for a Reds side that is clearly in transition and will require a large amount of tweaking when the summer comes around.

However, in dominating here, Real showed that they will not tolerate a fallow period such as that their opponents are going through, and have worked incredibly smartly to avoid them.

Yes, Luka Modric and Benzema were also part of the team that won at Anfield back in 2014, but they produced another fine showing this time with help from fresh blood in the likes of Vinicius and Eduardo Camavinga.

The Spanish giants deserve credit for managing to stay on top for so long by smoothly managing their squad through eras and Liverpool could learn plenty from their approach.

All focus on top four for Reds

If there is one upside to cling to for Liverpool on this most disappointing of nights, it is perhaps that they can now turn their full attentions to qualifying for this competition again next year.

Jurgen Klopp's side have given themselves a chance of a late run on the Premier League top four with recent wins over Everton and Newcastle United, but it is utterly vital they continue in that vein for two good reasons.

Firstly, that they have reached three Champions League finals under Klopp and so are generally a good bet to do well if they are in it; secondly, because they need the money and pull associated with being in Europe's premier competition to undertake a much-needed summer rebuild.

Liverpool vs Real Madrid as it happened, highlights

FINAL: Liverpool 2-5 Real Madrid

FULLTIME: All over at Anfield and so, too, is this last-16 tie.

What an incredible comeback and utterly dominant second half from Real Madrid, who are going to take some beating in this competition once again.

89th min: Firmino meets a cross into the box but he can't control the ball and Real Madrid clear.

You have the feeling that if that was Benzema, the ball would have ended up in the back of the net, which has been the difference tonight.

81st min: This Anfield crowd still trying to give their team something but this has been a demolition job from Real Madrid at a supposedly tough ground to go to.

Who's going to stop them winning a 15th Champions League this season?

73rd min: More changes for Liverpool, who replace Gomez and Henderson with Matip and Milner.

67th min: GOAL! Real Madrid are absolutely dominating at Anfield!!!

It's pure class from Benzema, whose quick exchange with Vinicius Jnr gets him on a goal, where he shimmies to deceive Alisson before calmly passing the ball into the top corner with his left foot.

That is surely the tie decided.

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63rd min: Two changes for Liverpool, with Nunez and Gakpo making way for Firmino and Jota.

Can those subs lift the hosts?

61st min: Nunez gets a chance to play Gakpo in behind but passes it up before being crowded out by the Real Madrid defence.

That's been the difference tonight - the visitors would have created a chance from there.

55th min: GOAL! Having trailed by two after 14 minutes, Real Madrid are now running away with this tie.

A quick exchange of passes on the edge of the Liverpool box ends with Benzema poking a left-footed effort goalwards, and it takes a huge deflection off Gomez before finding the back of the net.

The holders are just relentless in this competition - wow.

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47th min: GOAL! Real Madrid have turned this game completely on its head!!!

The visitors win a free-kick on the left-hand side of the box that Joe Gomez will surely argue was a clean challenge.

However, they make the most of that stroke of fortune, Modric smashing a low cross into the box that Militao stoops to head powerfully home.

46th min: Liverpool get the game restarted and are attacking the Kop end this half.

HALFTIME: The referee's whistle sounds to mark the end of a chaotic, brilliant half of football. 

45th min: Alexander-Arnold stands over a free-kick at the edge of the box but he can only direct it straight into Courtois' gloves.

In a perfect summary of this half, Real Madrid are straight up the other end, where only a desperate Robertson lunge denies Rodrygo at the back stick. 

41st min: Both sides still absolutely going at each other after that fourth goal of a remarkable half.

This is a slightly less cagey affair than the two teams' meeting in last season's final, you have to say.

36th min: GOAL! Another goalkeeper mistake, another goal!

This time it's Alisson, who takes a second too long in clearing from a Gomez backpass and Vinicius Jnr is on him like a flash to block the ball and force it goalward. 

Real Madrid are just inevitable in this competition.

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31st min: Vinicius Jnr so close to repeating the trick but this time his effort is met by a brilliant Alisson save.

The Brazilian did well to get down to that one. 

27th min: Real Madrid forced into a change, with an injury to Alaba meaning he has to make way for Nacho.

25th min: Liverpool so nearly restore their two-goal cushion as Henderson gets in behind the Real Madrid backline to prompt a goalmouth scramble that sees the visitors just about get it away.

What a game this is.

21st min: GOAL! Real Madrid respond in brilliant fashion!

Vinicius Jnr looks completely boxed in on the left-hand side of the area but he somehow works the space to crack an unstoppable shot into the far corner beyond Alisson's despairing dive.

Game on!

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18th min: Mohamed Salah now has eight goals in this season's Champions League, making him the competition's leading goalscorer.

14th min: GOAL! Liverpool lead by two!

Players from both teams have been slipping on their backsides since this game kicked off, but this time it's a decisive one.

Courtois has the ball under his control and is about to punt it upfield before he loses his footing at the worst possible moment to allow Salah to score the easiest goal he'll ever get.

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14th min: Nunez wins the ball in his own half before feeding Gakpo, who does brilliantly to drive through the Real Madrid midfield and slip in Salah.

The Egyptian then finds a tiny gap in the visitors' defence to get a shot away, but it's just wide of the upright.

10th min: Liverpool looking bang on it in these opening moments, forcing mistake after mistake from the visitors through their aggressive press.

Of course, if there's any side who can weather an early storm to win a European game it's this experienced Real Madrid side.

4th min: GOAL! Liverpool lead early through Nunez!!!

It's a lovely finish by the Uruguayan, who flicks it home through his legs from close range after Salah picks out a perfectly timed run from the right of the box.

The roof has just come off Anfield.

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1st min: Real Madrid get the game under way.

5 mins from kickoff: Boos from the home supporters as the Champions League anthem plays.

There's real anger here about the way fans were treated prior to last season's final in Paris, which was spelled out by a damning report into events surrounding the game last week.

10 mins from kickoff: An electric atmosphere here at Anfield as we approach kickoff.

Real Madrid are, of course, not easily flustered, but can this home crowd play a role in turning the tide in Liverpool's favour tonight?

30 mins from kickoff: Carlo Ancelotti on the challenge facing Real Madrid this evening: "Liverpool are one of the most difficult teams to play against. I have a huge amount of respect for them."

50 mins from kickoff: Cody Gakpo has been speaking to BT Sport about ending his goalless start to life at Liverpool with two in his last two outings.

He said: "As an attacking player, you try and score and give assists - it's been frustrating but it's a relief to get off the mark."

75 mins from kickoff: What a night for the Spaniard.

1.5 hrs from kickoff: The team news is in and no real surprises from either side. With Darwin Nunez fit to start, Liverpool are unchanged from their vital victory at St James' Park on Saturday. Real Madrid, meanwhile, bring Fede Valverde back into midfield with Toni Kroos only fit enough for the bench. Check out the full squads below.

2 hrs from kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of Liverpool vs Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League. These two sides have faced each other remarkably regularly in this competition in recent years, and it is the Spaniards who have triumphed on every occasion. Can the Reds end that poor run and put on another special Anfield night to finally get one over on Carlo Ancelotti's men?

Liverpool vs Real Madrid lineups

The biggest worry for Liverpool ahead of this clash was whether Darwin Nunez would be fit after sustaining a shoulder injury in the weekend win over Newcastle.

However, the Uruguayan trained as normal on Monday afternoon, allowing Klopp to pick an unchanged team from Saturday's win at Newcastle.

Liverpool lineup (4-3-3): Alisson (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson — Henderson, Fabinho, Bajcetic — Salah, Gakpo, Newcastle

Subs: Adrian, Kelleher, Matip, Tsimikas, Milner, Keita, Elliott, Firmino, Jota, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Carvalho

  • Injured: Ramsay, Thiago, Diaz, Konate, Arthur
  • Suspended: None

Ancelotti had expected both Aurelien Tchouameni and Toni Kroos to miss out due to illness before the latter rallied to make himself available for a place in the squad.

However, the German only makes the bench, meaning Fede Valverde moves back into midfield, with Karim Benzema leading the attack flanked by Brazilian duo Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior.

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Courtois (GK) — Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Alaba — Valverde, Camavinga, Modric — Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius Jr

Subs: Lunin, Vallejo, Nacho, Hazard, Kroos, Asensio, Odriozola, Vazquez, Ceballos, Mario Martin, Arribas, Alvaro

  • Injured: Mendy, Tchouameni, Diaz
  • Suspended: None

MORE: Liverpool vs Real Madrid live stream: How to watch Champions League game online

What time is Liverpool vs Real Madrid kick off?

This Champions League clash kicks off at Anfield on Tuesday, February 21 at 8:00 p.m. local time.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

  Date Kickoff time
USA Tue, Feb. 21 15:00 ET
Canada Tue, Feb. 21 15:00 ET
UK Tue, Feb. 21 20:00 GMT
Australia Wed, Feb. 22 07:00 AEDT
India Wed, Feb. 22 01:30 IST
Hong Kong Wed, Feb. 22 04:00 HKT
Malaysia Wed, Feb. 22 04:00 MYT
Singapore Wed, Feb. 22 04:00 SGT
New Zealand Wed, Feb. 22 09:00 NZDT

MORE: Who is Stefan Bajcetic? Liverpool teenager taking the Premier League by storm

Liverpool vs Real Madrid live stream, TV channel

These two sides are amongst the most successful in European Cup/Champions League history, with 20 titles between them, and 27 final appearances since 1956.

However, a meeting at this stage means the end of the road for one of them. One of each side has featured in five of the past seven finals, but only one can reach that stage this season.

  TV channel Streaming
USA CBS, Univision, TUDN USA fuboTV, Paramount+,
ViX+
Canada — DAZN
UK BT Sport 1, BT Sport Ultimate BT Sport app/site
Australia — Stan Sport
New Zealand — Spark Sport
India — Sony LIV, Jio TV
Hong Kong beIN Sports 3 beIN Sports Connect
Malaysia —

beIN Sports Connect

Singapore — beIN Sports Connect

Australia: Fans can watch every match of the UEFA Champions League with all the action streaming ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.

Canada: Every Champions League match in Canada can be streamed exclusively on DAZN. 

UK: The UEFA Champions League is carried by BT Sport's TV and streaming platforms.

USA: Fans in the USA can watch the Champions League in English (CBS and Paramount+) and Spanish (Univision, TUDN, UniMas, ViX and ViX+).

When matches are televised on CBS or Univision channels, those same channels are streamed on fuboTV, which is available on a free trial for new users.

David Lynch

David Lynch Photo

David Lynch is a freelance football journalist primarily covering Liverpool FC. He has reported on the the Reds for over a decade for publications such as the Sunday Mirror and Evening Standard, carving out a reputation as a trusted voice on all things Anfield in the process. Having followed Liverpool across England and Europe over the course of his career, David has filed from illustrious venues such as Camp Nou, the Allianz Arena and the Estadio do Dragao, as well as from multiple Champions League finals.