Actual Madrid Shocks Liverpool And Advances To The Quarterfinals Of The Champions League

MADRID: Karim Benzema’s 1-0 triumph over Liverpool gave Real Madrid a 6-2 overall victory and guaranteed them a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.

When Madrid held a three-goal lead in the previous tense match at Anfield in February, Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp acknowledged that his team had only a one percent chance of turning the tide.

According to Ancelotti, Real Madrid has a lot of faith in the Champions League.

They stopped the bleeding at the Santiago Bernabeu, but they never seemed like they were going to create a thrilling comeback like they did against Barcelona in 2019 or AC Milan in the championship game in 2005.

Madrid has eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League three times in a row, including in last year’s championship game.

We proved from the beginning that we wanted to advance, and as a result, we are in the quarterfinals, according to Benzema, who spoke to Movistar.

Today’s football includes suffering. 

Everyone wants more, but sometimes playing a game requires suffering; the most crucial thing is to succeed.

Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois were all out to stop the visitors, and the 14-time record holders showed the smarts to keep Liverpool at bay.

A sequence of outstanding saves by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker and some unusually careless finishing prevented reigning champions Madrid from significantly extending their lead.

Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema each scored twice for Madrid in the first leg, but neither goal was as significant.

However, they eventually worked together to score Madrid’s winning goal after 78 minutes. 

Vinicius slipped while attempting to shoot but instead hooked the ball into Benzema’s path for a straightforward tap-in.

The main concern for Madrid was watching their captain walk off after scoring amid an injury-plagued season. 

However, Benzema claimed it was a shin injury, and Carlo Ancelotti assured them he would be OK for Sunday’s Clasico against Barcelona.

According to Klopp, Ali had to make two incredible saves to keep us in the game because Madrid had complete control of the proceedings.

Madrid was superb, and as a result, the special team advanced to the next round.

No Magic Exists

Liverpool, who has been incredibly inconsistent this season, found encouragement in their 7-0 demolition of Manchester United in the Premier League. Still, they were unable to duplicate that brilliance under the Bernabeu lights.

To mount a comeback, Klopp started with Diogo Jota with his usual attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo.

Nunez had the game’s opening opportunity, but Courtois denied the Uruguayan, who Salah had set up.

Alisson produced an incredible save to save Vinicius from close range at the opposite end as Madrid again split apart Liverpool.

Alisson stopped Eduardo Camavinga’s long-range shot after it hit the crossbar.

When Madrid had the upper hand, the Brazilian goalie continued to make stops from Vinicius, Fede Valverde, and Benzema.

With a driving pass in the buildup, Camavinga demonstrated his mettle in the middle of the field and finally contributed to Benzema’s goal.

Benzema continued, “I told him a little information, like how I know the two Liverpool center-backs play open. There’s space in the middle, and that’s how we got the goal.

More than any other player, the striker has already scored seven goals in the Champions League against Liverpool.

Benzema will be crucial to Madrid’s effort to win the trophy for the sixth time in ten years if he can stay healthy.

Madrid plays Liverpool’s anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ after the game, showing no hard feelings.

After the game, Madrid played the traditional Liverpool anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone, which was both a classy touch and evidence that Liverpool never really bothered them.

After their incredible run to the final the previous season, Ancelotti claimed Madrid was full of confidence.

The Italian remarked, “We have a lot more confidence now that what happened last year has given us a lot of confidence.

“We observed that we performed admirably in the two games of this tie against a powerful team.

“But later, relying only on our confidence, we cannot advance to the semifinals.

We must play unexpected football because, as always, the Champions League is complicated, and we must fight until the last finish.”

Jota gives Liverpool’s offense more punch against Real Madrid.

MADRID: To turn around a 5-2 first-leg deficit against Real Madrid in the Champions League, Jürgen Klopp has placed Diogo Jota in Liverpool’s offensive lineup.

Klopp disregards caution and adds Jota to his forward line of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo due to the injuries and illnesses suffered by midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Jordan Henderson, respectively.

Real Madrid restored captain Karim Benzema to the lineup after he missed their La Liga win on Saturday over Espanyol with an ankle ailment.

For the record 14-time winners, who defeated Liverpool in the season’s final, he joins Vinicius Junior and Fede Valverde in attack, while Rodrygo must make do with a bench spot.

Carlo Ancelotti chooses Eduardo Camavinga to start at the base of the midfield instead of Aurelien Tchouameni.

Barcelona shocks Real Madrid in the First leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final.

MADRID: In a turbulent first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday, Eder Militao’s own goal gave a depleted Barcelona a 1-0 away triumph against Real Madrid.

The Catalans arrived having suffered two straight losses and needing a crucial trio of players. 

Including top scorer Robert Lewandowski, pivotal midfielder Pedri, and explosive winger Ousmane Dembele, who were all out injured.

Madrid fans sensed blood after being eliminated from the Europa League by Manchester United last week and suffering their first-ever loss to La Liga underdog Almeria, but they left severely disappointed.

After 26 minutes, Militao diverted a rebound into his own goal to break the tie and give Barcelona the advantage in the return match on April 5 at Camp Nou.

Barcelona played strong defense as the hosts controlled more of the ball but could not generate a shot on goal.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters, This was the game we wanted to play — not with this outcome, but it gives us confidence for the second leg.

We should replicate that at Camp Nou since we prevented Barcelona from doing what they pleased.

Ancelotti responded that it was apparent his team deserved more when asked if Barcelona deserved to win.

No, that is clear; we had opportunities. Madrid played one of their most significant games in pressing hard, continued Ancelotti.

When Andreas Christensen only deemed fit enough to start on the bench, Barcelona lined up with Marcos Alonso playing center-back instead of his natural position.

Sergio Busquets beat out former Real Madrid and Barcelona greats Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi to create a new record with his 46th Clasico participation.

Madrid Annoyances

Despite Barcelona’s seven-point lead over champions Madrid in La Liga, many. Including Barca coach Xavi Hernandez, they viewed Madrid as favorites.

Barca initially pushed back by Los Blancos, who haven’t won the Cup since 2014 after Benzema’s goal disallows for offside.

Many Madrid supporters had demonstrated outside the Santiago Bernabeu in opposition to Barcelona’s role in the “Negreira case,” which had the Catalan club paying an ex-refereeing chief for guidance until 2018.

Midway through the first half, Vinicius Junior’s book for pinning Frenkie de Jong to the ground caused the temperature to spike significantly.

Vinicius argued angrily with the referee, and Madrid might have been preoccupied with the conflict when Barcelona took the lead.

Ferran Torres’ goal against the flow of play makes it possible by his ability to sneak by Franck Kessie while just before him.

Thibaut Courtois saved the Ivorian midfielder’s low drive, but Militao’s rebound sent the ball into his net despite Nacho’s best efforts to chop it clear.

Although struggling to create opportunities. Madrid players and fans reacted angrily when Barcelona midfielder Gabi got away with slamming into Militao.

Barcelona comfortably maintained its lead until halftime as fans whistled at the referees as they made their way to the tunnel.

Keep Reading :

How Real Madrid beat Liverpool to advance to Champions League quarter-finals