As it happened: Real Madrid 3-1 LFC

Champions League Quarter Final 1st Leg
Tuesday 06 April 2021 - 8:00 pm
Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium, Madrid
Real Madrid3
1Liverpool
Show Match Events
⚽️ Vinícius Jr27'
⚽️ Asensio36'
39' Mane
42'↔️ Keïta off, Alcantara on
Vázquez49'
50'Salah ⚽️
56' Alcantara
⚽️ Vinícius Jr65'
Asensio off, Valverde on ↔️70'
82'↔️ Jota off, Shaqiri on
82'↔️ Kabak off, Firmino on
83' Alexander-Arnold
Júnior off, Rodrygo on ↔️85'
Hide Match Events

The reds are in Madrid for the first leg of the Champions League Quarter Final.

The game is being played at Real Madrid's training stadium, the Alfredo di Stefano stadium which forms part of Madrid's training complex, whilst improvements continue to be carried out on the Bernabeu.

The last match between the two sides was that 2018 final which saw Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos, Mo Salah and Loris Karius all making the headlines for various reasons.

Real Madrid reached this stage after beating Atalanta in the previous round.  They won their group, however, they did suffer two defeats along the way against Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan who were both eliminated from the competition.

However their form has improved of late and they are heavily involved in a title race in La Liga alongside Barcelona and leaders Atletico Madrid.  Their domestic performance has been much better than the reds, although Liverpool have looked much better over the course of the last few games.

Follow the game with us here.

As it happened...

18:07 UK
Klopp not interested in 'revenge' debates

It appears Klopp isn't a particularly vengeful person. 

Makes sense that he doesn't linger too much anger about 2018 when the reds went on to capture the Champions League the following year in Madrid, before ending the 30 year wait for English title.

Here's what the boss had to say ahead of tonight's game:

"My motivation is at the highest level because it's the Champions League.

"This has nothing to do with 2018 but when I heard the draw - because it's the first time we played Real Madrid since then - of course I remembered the game.

"I said after that game that if somebody asked me a week later or a month later if I would invite Sergio Ramos to my 60th birthday, then I would say no. I would think about it again.

"He's a great footballer but I didn't like what happened that night. It was a strange night for us but it's long ago and I cannot get that feeling back, that anger or whatever, so I don't even try.

"We are not on a revenge tour here. I don't believe too much in revenge, but it would be nice to get through, because it would mean we are in the next round."

18:24 UK
Altered central defences

We all know about Liverpool's issues at centre-back.  All three senior centre-backs, van Dijk, Gomez and Matip all out with long term injuries.

However, Nat Phillips and Ozan Kabak have just posted three consecutive clean sheets - the first time the reds have done this since last Autumn.

Real Madrid too will be out their first choice centre-halves.  Sergio Ramos picked up an injury whilst on international duty, while Raphael Varane tested positive for C-19.

They have solid replacements though - Spain's Nacho Fernandez and Brazilian Eder Militao are likely to start.

Team news shortly.

18:43 UK
TEAM NEWS: 3 changes for LFC

Three changes for the reds.  Jota, Wijnaldum and Keita all start - Firmino, Thiago and James Milner move onto the bench.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita, Mane, Salah, Jota.

Subs: Adrian, H. Davies, Thiago, Milner, Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Tsimikas, Shaqiri, B. Davies, R. Williams, Cain.

18:54 UK
Madrid line up

As expected Nacho Fernandez and Eder Militao at the back. 

Real Madrid: Courtois, Mendy, Fernández, Militão, Vázquez, Modrić, Casemiro, Kroos, Benzema (c),  Asensio, Júnior

Subs: Lunin, Altube, Odriozola, Chust, Marcelo, Isco, Arribas, Valverde, Rodrygo, Díaz

19:08 UK
Team arrive at Real Madrid's B stadium

19:45 UK
Klopp on selecting Naby Keita

The Liverpool manager appears to have been impressed with Keita's workrate in training in recent weeks.

'I couldn't ignore Naby anymore after his performances in training.'

19:55 UK

Five minutes to kick off....!

19:58 UK

Gini Wijnaldum leads the Liverpool team out.  Closely followed by the moustachioed Alisson Becker.

Real Madrid v Liverpool at Real Madrid's training ground.  A Champions League Quarter Final.

All very strange.

Let's do this.

20:00 UK
KICK OFF

We are underway!!

Come on redmen!

20:06 UK
Strong start from Madrid

5' Looking comfortable on their training ground, unsurprisingly.

Early shot from Benzema.  Liverpool have been caught in possession a couple of times.

Nat Phillips with a big header to clear.

20:12 UK

11' Salah with a powerful break away but Mendy just about gets that back.

At the other end, Fabinho with an important interception to clear for a Madrid corner which is then defended by Andy Robertson.

20:15 UK

13' Luka Modric goes looking for a penalty from Wijnaldum.

Referee waves it away.

Spot on decision.  Wijnaldum didn't touch him and he tumbled outside the area.

God knows what that decision would have been in the Premier League.

20:26 UK
Midway

23' Real Madrid have had the most danger so far, but only one chance on target.

Kabak has twice made important tackles on Karim Benzema.

20:28 UK
Goal!

27' Toni Kroos pings a long one from defence, perfectly timed on to the chest of Vinicius Junior who beats Phillips and puts it straight past Alisson.

Madrid 1-0.

20:30 UK

29' Quick turn of pace by Mane, he gets the cross in but it's straight down Courtois' throat.

20:38 UK
Goal!

36' Liverpool have just not started here well enough.

Asensio makes it 2-0.

Toni Kroos with another long ball, Trent heads it in the direction of the pouncing Asensio and he makes it 2-0.

20:44 UK
LFC Sub

42' Naby Keita replaced by Thiago Alcantara.

He's done very little and looks absolutely shattered.

20:49 UK
HALF TIME

HT: Real Madrid 2-0 Liverpool

Pretty much one way traffic. Naby Keita didn't even make it to half time.

Two balls from Toni Kroos exposed the reds.

Real Madrid enjoying this game at their training ground.  Liverpool not so much.

21:03 UK
SECOND HALF

Back underway.

Much to do. Much to improve.  A goal would help.

21:09 UK
Booking

49' Yellow card for Madrid defender Vasquez.

21:10 UK
GOAL!!!

Liverpool score with their first attempt on goal.

Wijnaldum with an excellent run with the ball, Jota managed to land it in the path of Salah who fires in to make it 2-1.

21:21 UK
Chance

61' Kroos lifts a ball over the crossbar there.

Madrid sensing they might have weathered Liverpool's post half-time storm.

Liverpool look like they have responded to their half time instructions and taking much more care of the ball in this second half.

21:24 UK
Goal

65' Real Madrid get a third.  Vinicius Jr squeezes a shot past Alisson.

Should the Liverpool keeper have done better there.  Modric spins past Fabinho to supply the pass.

21:29 UK
Madrid sub

70' Valverde replaces Asensio.

21:41 UK
LFC Sub

82' Jota and Kabak replaced by Shaqiri and Firmino.

21:42 UK
Yellow

83' Vinicius Jr goes down like he's been punched.  Alexander-Arnold stroked him.

Ridiculous.

Yellow card more for his reaction to the whistle.

21:43 UK
Madrid sub

85' Vinicius Jr replaced by Rodrygo.

21:49 UK
Four minutes

of injury time to play.

21:53 UK
FULL TIME

Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool

How pivotal will that away goal be?

Better second half from the reds, but an awful first half gives Real Madrid the edge in this tie.

Anfield in eight days time for the decider.



Leave a Reply

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.