Liverpool may have had only two victories in their last eight encounters leading up to their game against Real Madrid, but they effectively rattled the visitors at Anfield with a dominant 1-0 performance. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai constantly pressured Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, with a perfectly executed freekick assisting Alexis Mac Allister’s goal in the second half. This match indicated that manager Arne Slot might have found solutions to the Reds’ tactical dilemmas, while also exposing the vulnerabilities in this new era for Los Blancos.
Xabi Alonso’s team had a nearly flawless start to the season, with this loss being just their second in all competitions. Despite their impressive form, Real Madrid struggled to convert their attacking talent, registering merely two shots on target with an expected goal tally of just 0.46. Stars like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham couldn’t find their rhythm, with Thierry Henry reflecting on Vinicius’s performance:
“I do not understand. You have to play what you have in front of you. You have to play the moment and even if there is no one in the box, at least the team went 30 yards back. Then you can give the ball to your midfielder that maybe will have a strike outside of the box but I don’t know when, sometimes, trying to be cute when they don’t need to be cute.”
Translation: “I don’t understand. Play what’s in front of you. Play the moment. Even if there’s no one in the box, at least try having your team move up.”
Vinicius has been in and out of the starting lineup, often overshadowed by Mbappe’s prominence. His decisions during the game against Liverpool appeared detrimental. Henry continued:
“Vinicius Junior received the ball in a 1-v-1 after a good exchange with Conor Bradley early on and then passed it back to his left-back only to receive it again surrounded by more defenders. I cannot fathom why he recycled the ball to face a 1-v-3 scenario after previously having a 1-v-1 advantage.” Translation: “Vinicius should have taken the chance while he had it instead of making it tougher by recycling the play.”
Whether this performance influences Vinicius’s position remains unfulfilled, but it signals that Manager Alonso has adjustments to make. Real Madrid’s loss in this match doesn’t define their Champions League journey; their earlier defeat against Atletico Madrid hasn’t hindered their LaLiga campaign thus far, indicating the club may soon face crucial decisions ahead.
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