Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0 to go to the quarterfinals of the Champions League thanks to a goal from Karim Benzema in the second half.
With the victory at the Santiago Bernabeu, Carlo Ancelotti’s team advanced to the round of 16 with a 6-2 overall triumph. Manager Jurgen Klopp stated before Wednesday’s game that Liverpool only had a “1% chance” of moving on, needing to win by three goals to square the tie and force extra time.
After Benzema scored from close range after being set up by Vinicius Junior, Liverpool’s elimination was assured despite their best efforts to keep the game close for more than an hour.
Before Benzema’s goal, Liverpool owed a debt of gratitude to Alisson, who made a series of great stops as Carlo Ancelotti’s team once more shown the defensive frailty that has become a defining characteristic of their performances.
Although Liverpool had four forwards on the field in the second half, their lackluster performance in the first half, which saw Courtois called upon numerous times, felt more indicative of their overall effort.
If it wasn’t evident already, Real Madrid should be the team to beat in the Champions League.
When playing Liverpool, the knockout experts were successful. Since Real made sure it wasn’t, a 5-2 lead shouldn’t have been cause for concern. For every question, the holders have an answer.
Visitors made an effort to outgun them, but all of their shots missed. In contrast, had Karim Benzema worn his shooting boots, Real might have won by a bigger margin. Despite their absence, he nevertheless found the net.
Bayern Munich and Manchester City will also be challenging opponents, but Real has defeated them in the past and can do so again. Without a doubt, you wouldn’t oppose it.