Real Madrid vs Liverpool
27 November 2024
Champions League
Score: 0 – 2
Anfield Stadium
1st Half Game Analysis
This game was crucial for Real Madrid as they had lost previous Champions League matches with other European giants. Real Madrid must qualify for the next round of the matches, and for this, they had to keep winning the rest of the games. On this day, they were facing another super team and needed to work hard to beat the super team, Liverpool.
Modric was the captain of the team. Unfortunately, in this game, Vini was missing because of his hamstring injury and would be out of the game for 3 to 4 weeks. Vini being the superstar player of the team, I was sure, the boost that the team gets would be lacking in his absence. Mbappe was accompanied by Brahim and Guler in the front. Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy and also, Valverde were in the defence team.
In the 4th minute of the game, Liverpool led an attack on the right wing and had a good shot at the post from inside the box. Courtois bravely blocked the ball, but the blocked ball was touched by Asencio’s right foot, and the ball was sliding into the goal line. Fortunately, Asencio kicked away the ball just in time, as it was just on the goal line. Asencio did a great job by avoiding this fatal situation, avoiding his own goal.
Liverpool got an opportunity in the 8th minute from the right side of the post and inside the box, but the ball was weak and hit the outside of the net. Liverpool certainly looked dangerous so far and had good ball control in the midfield.
In the 12th minute, Liverpool had a corner kick. There was a pushing and shoving between the two players, Raul Ascencio and Nunez of Liverpool. Asencio pushed Nunez to the ground and both of them were given yellow card for unnecessary tussle.
Real Madrid got its first corner ball in the 15th minute of the game. Guler threw the ball into the box from the right wing for Bellingham, but the ball was thrown out by a defender for a corner for Madrid. Modric took the kick, but Madrid could not utilize the corner ball at all.
By the 15th minute of the game, ball possession was 43% by Real Madrid and 57% by Liverpool. The passes completed just 53 by Madrid while Liverpool completed 89. So Liverpool had been dominating the game so far and led one or two serious attacks at the post.
Mbappe was knocked out unnecessarily by a Liverpool defender when he was on a counterattack and was awarded a yellow card. Madrid got a free kick on the left of midfield. Modric took the free kick but it could not be of much use.
In the 19th minute, Madrid built up a good pressure in the box, the cross pass of Valverde was too high, so the attempt was wasted. Immediately, Liverpool was on counter-attack, Asencio defended well and foiled the attack. I thought Asencio could be next Nacho of Real Madrid if he can keep on playing this well for the team.
In the 22nd minute, as Madrid was building up an attack, Camavinga was fouled by Nunez about 3 meter of the 18-yard line on the right. Guler took the shot, the shot flew over the right side of the bar and for an out ball without any danger to Liverpool post.
A minute later, Liverpool led a dangerous attack, and there was at one time 3 Liverpool players to one defender inside the box fighting for the ball. In the crowd, the ball was nudged by the foot of Nunez, a Liverpool forward, and Courtois very bravely blocked the shot and avoided a very likely situation for a goal. This was a massive save by Courtois, and he kept proving how good he is as a goalkeepr of Real Madrid team.
By the 25th minute, Madrid had just 2 shots and they were both off target. Liverpool had 3 shots and 2 of them were on target. Liverpool had slight edge in the game and they were creating more chances and had more possession of the ball.
Madrid got a corner kick in 29th minute, the headed away ball was received by Guler and he took a goal shot that flew away from the post and thus the corner was not much of a use at all.
Liverpool got a free kick on the right as there was a foul on Salah. The free kick was well blocked by Courtois and the ball was thrown out for a counter-attack. Brahim threw the ball for Mbappe, and he ran with the ball toward the Liverpool box, but he was tackled by a defender just outside the box. It could have been a good opportunity for Madrid to score a goal had Mbappe not fallen down.
In the 32nd minute, Liverpool had a superb opportunity for a goal. A Liverpool player, Nunez, received a lovely lobbed ball inside the box and he headed the ball across for a goal for a teammate, the passed ball was wide open for the post but an attacking player could not reach the ball in time, and thus, missed the tremendous opportunity for a goal for Liverpool. This was a superb build up by Liverpool.
Liverpool again created a goal scoring chance in the 34th minute with ease as we watched the game. A Liverpool player threw the high ball into the box and the two players followed inside the box, and a player, Dias headed the ball into the far side of the box, luckily, Courtois was able to punch away the ball, and thus avoided the danger for Madrid. Liverpool had been devising such attack after attack at the box of the Madrid. I was not sure how long Courtois could last guarding his post if it kept on going this way for a long.
In the last 10 minutes, Liverpool players had been constantly building up attacks around the Madrid post, while Madrid players had been only chasing the ball to regain it. The game did not look good from the perspective of Real Madrid fans so far.
In the 37th minute, when Madrid was on attack and just outside of the Liverpool box, Mbappe gave away a wrong pass and spoiled which could have been a good attack. A mistake or a good judgement at the crucial times make difference in the games.
A minute later, Liverpool attacked the Madrid box from the right wing. An attacking player shot a cross pass toward the center, Rudiger well blocked the shot with his right foot and sent the ball out for a corner kick. If he was not there, the other Liverpool attacking player was right behind him waiting for the ball.
In the 41st minute, Madrid built attack and Modric had the ball into the box of Liverpool. There were 4 Madrid players waiting for the ball, but Modric’s pass ball was blocked and the chance was ruined. Had Modric’s pass reached Madrid’s attacking player, they had players advantage 2 to 3 and might had a good chance for scoring a goal. Like I said earlier too, it is such minor mistakes made the team pay for heavy price of defeat in games. So it is of utmost importance that the players must give good passes while in the attacking mode around the box, and that make the difference in scoring goals or get defeated because of such lost opportunities at the crucial times.
Real Madrid defense team was working pretty well and such an organized attacks from Liverpool had been so far foiled by this strong team of defenders. Asencio, though young and new, was doing a very good job and replacing quite well experienced players in the team. I think the forwards were lacking the precision and right decision at the crucial moments. Madrid forwards kept mis-passing the ball, and kept losing, lacking creativity, and fumbling at the box area and hence missing to shoot precisely at the right moment at the goal post. For example, Mbappe kept losing the ball in the box area and so unable to create any threat to the opposition keeper at all.
2nd Half Game Analysis
Right from the starting time, Liverpool kept attacking the Madrid box. They got a corner kick just in the 46th minute. The ball was headed away by Bellingham, but it landed at a Liverpool player and he shot the ball toward the post, it got deflected by the body of Camavinga. If it had not deflected, it could have been a goal, as the shot was from a close range and Courtois might not have been able to judge the ball in that crowd.
Liverpool got another corner kick for that deflected ball. The second time, Courtois could grab the ball for safety and posed no danger. Such an intense was the game after the interval between these two giant teams.
Liverpool kept pressing Madrid hard and they were creating chances from nowhere at times. In the 51st minute, such a dangerous moment was created.
The ball was thrown into the Madrid box from the left wing and a Liverpool forward got to head the ball just ahead of the two Madrid defenders and the ball was luckily blocked by Courtois. It was a chance created by Liverpool players as if from nowhere. A superb chance for a goal for Liverpool. Poor Courtois had to work hard all these times, and do not know for how long if the situation persists like this.
A minute later, in the 51st minute of the game, with the persistent pressure in the box by Liverpool players, finally they scored a goal beating Courtois, at last. Mac Allister played a superb role in scoring this goal. Just outside the box, he passed the ball to Bradley, and he immediately returned the ball to him inside the box. In the box, he was able to take a precise shot avoiding some defenders, and was able to beat Courtois finally this time. Though it was a tight situation, he was able to carve out a super goal for his team after such consistent pressure in the box of Real Madrid. Finally, Courtois was beaten, and how long a player could hold such a high pressure. This was bound to happen with the kind of game that Liverpool was displaying.
Just 3 minutes later too, Liverpool led another attack and they took a shot at the post. This time, though it was an open target, the ball was sent away from the far post for an out ball. It seemed as if Liverpool could lead attacks at their whims.
Camavinga seemed to have a hamstring problem and he was replaced by Ceballos. Also, Vazquez substituded Guler in the 57th minute.
In the 59th minute, Madrid built up an attack in the Liverpool box. Ceballos passed the ball to Vazquez on the right side of the box, and as he closed toward the center, a defender nudged his right foot and he fell down. The referee gave a penalty to Madrid. The VAR too was positive about the decision and after checking the penalty was given.
The penalty was taken by Mbappe. Unfortunately, his shot was well judged by the keeper, Davies, and his shot was outrightly stopped. The opportunity for a goal by penalty shot of Madrid was thus wasted. This goal was so much needed by Madrid and massively important for the team in such a big game, but this was wasted away.
By the 63rd minute of the game, Liverpool’s possession was 61% to that of only 39% of Real Madrid. Liverpool had completed 392 passes and Madrid a way less to 221 passes only. This statistics do reflect the game scenario between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Liverpool got a free kick a couple of yards away from the 18-yard line in the 66th minute, but it was not utilized that well though.
In the 68th minute, Brahim got the ball from Mbappe on the left side of the box and Brahim had one to one with the keeper. He took his right foot shot, again the shot was well blocked by the keeper. The deflected ball was somehow found by Bellingham, but his shot too was stopped by the keeper. Anyways, even if Brahim had scored a goal, it would not have been counted as he was declared well offside.
So far in the 2nd half of all these time, Real Madrid had not been able to pose any serious threat to Liverpool goalkeeper. That showed why Madrid was unable to score, if they were not creating chances and serious threats inside the box.
In the 69th minute, Liverpool earned a penalty shot against the foul of Mendy to Salah. Salah got the ball on the right wing and he rushed toward the post followed by Mendy. Inside the box, Mendy obstructed Salah and he fell down and the referee pointed at the penalty spot straight away. It was a bit silly of Mendy to tackle Salah inside the box which earned a penalty against the team.
Salah took the penalty, but guess what, he threw the ball out of the right post, and he too missed to score a goal like Mbappe. Perhaps, it was a tremendous pressure of the game that they were going through made them miss such obvious scoring chances in the game.
Mendy was quickly taken off the ground after that incident and substituted by Fran Garcia.
Madrid earned a corner kick in the 73rd minute, and they played a short kick, but it could not be utilized as they should have.
In the 76th minute, Liverpool earned a corner kick on the right side of the ground. They too played a short ball this time, but gave a beautiful ball into the box, and their player, Gakpo headed the ball home and scored the 2nd goal of the game. Gakpo was open and none was there to block him, and so he found easy to slot the ball into the open net and beat the keeper.
Endrick substituted Modrick in the 79th minute of the game.
Ceballos got a yellow card for an argument with the referee and also gave away a free kick. Liverpool immediately got a corner ball too in the 81st minute.
The 83rd minute of the game, statistics showed 61% possession by Liverpool to 39 % of Real Madrid. Liverpool completed 510 passes in comparison to the meager 278 of Madrid. Liverpool had 15 shot attempts and Madrid had only 7.
Liverpool earned a corner kick in the 86th minute on the left of the post.
The ball was good and at the right place, but as Courtois was fouled the whistle blew for a goal kick.
In the 87th minute, Madrid built an attack inside the box. Garcia passed the ball to Mbappe on the left, and Mbappe dribbled around a of couple players and took a goal shot. As always his shot was blocked by a defender and the ball went for an out ball and a corner was earned.
The shot was taken by Ceballos, and the shot was headed away. The ball was received by Garcia and he threw the ball into the box, Bellingham headed toward the post and it was well grabbed by the keeper safely. Bellingham was offside anyway.
Endrick got a yellow card too for an unnecessary tackle at the dying minute.
In the 91st minute, Liverpool had a counterattack and a forward with a ball and faced Courtois one to one, luckily Courtois could block the ball with his right hand and avoided a 3rd goal. It was a seriously dangerous situation that was avoided by brave Courtois once again.
In the 93rd minute, Vazquez had a shot at the post, though the keeper had an easy grab at the ball. Liverpool keeper, except for the penalty shot, had not blocked any shot all through the game unlike Courtois who had saved and blocked so many dangerous shots so far in the game.
Seconds later Madrid led an attack in the Liverpool box on the right. Brahim got the ball and he was on the right of the post in a very tight corner and took a shot. But his shot was well blocked by the keeper and the attempt was wasted. Brahim, in my opinion, seeing the tight situation, he should have passed the ball to Mbappe who was well-positioned and could have got the ball into the post easily if he was given the ball. Right decision at the right moment is extremely important and changes the game completely.
I would agree that Liverpool played superior game and they deserved to win the game. Their players were physically agile, precise with the ball, good ball control, accurate passes, and so on. On the other hand, Madrid players looked sloppy in comparison to them. They kept losing balls, in crucial times also mis-passed the balls, lacked speed and agility in recovering the ball, coordination was lacking, no creativity around the box and so on. Mbappe kept losing the ball several times in the box area, that failed to build attacks.
Real Madrid needs to analyze their performance against such big teams and work onto to improve their weaknesses so that they can play better and stronger games against their adversary teams.
Statistics
Real Madrid Liverpool
37% ball possession 63%
8 Total shots 17
4 shots on target 7
5 Corners 8
3 offsides 1
10 fouls 11
4 yellow cards 3
366 passes 617
0 Goals 2