Real Madrid players have faced harsh criticism from the Spanish press following their Champions League loss to Liverpool. A late goal from Alexis Mac Allister gave the hosts a 1-0 win, but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made some great saves to prevent a crushing defeat. The Spanish team arrived at Anfield in great form, boasting a perfect record in Europe and winning 10 of their 11 La Liga games.
Liverpool, in contrast, had been struggling for several weeks and were vulnerable as they suffered six defeats in all competitions within a month. But Arn Slott’s side thoroughly deserved the victory, with Conor Bradley neutralizing Vinicius Jr. and Ryan Gravenbirch effectively containing Jude Bellingham. Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo was particularly critical of Kylian Mbappé, claiming that the French forward “disappeared”, particularly in the opening 45 minutes.
“The mystical and spectacular quality that the game had displayed minutes before the ball started rolling began to disappear as time went on, and the game between both teams became more physical than anything else,” they wrote. “Especially (Real Madrid) had a lot of the ball, but they lacked decisiveness.
“Players like Vinicius and Bellingham were able to play well with this, but a lethal player like Mbappe wasn’t so much because he was absent in the first half.”
The paper also gave a one-star rating to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who came on as a substitute in the second half amid jeers. Spanish media outlet Cadena SER targeted Bellingham in its analysis, criticizing the England player for failing to contribute defensively along with Mbappé, saying, “Real Madrid have a problem with aerial balls.
“Despite having players like Eder Militao, Aurélien Choameny and Dean Huyssen, they struggle to defend the ball in the air because other players like Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe don’t track back to cover them.”
Meanwhile, Sport put the blame squarely on manager Xabi Alonso, claiming the former Liverpool midfielder’s tactical approach was flawed. “Real Madrid suffered from complacency and forgot to press after the 20th minute, becoming swayed by Arne Slott’s tactics,” the paper said.
“And yes, the ultimate responsibility lies with the players on the pitch, but the mistakes made in the mixed marking of corners (Vinicius marking Van Dijk) and substitutions are and will always be the fault of the manager, or of the coaching staff, who have so far not been able to find the right formula for defending set-pieces, etc.”
The newspaper also highlighted Bradley’s impressive performance in neutralizing Vinicius throughout the match, stating, “In La Liga, he will benefit because Vinicius always leaves his marker a foot behind him. But if he encounters a player like Bradley who can keep up with him, his advantage will be minimized.”
This performance was probably Liverpool’s best of the season so far, but one of Real Madrid’s poorest. As a result, both teams have nine points in the group stage, falling behind only Arsenal and Bayern Munich, who have maintained perfect records with four wins from four games.
This could be a turning point for Slott’s team. Following a convincing win against Aston Villa at the weekend and a solid win against Frankfurt last month, the Reds have secured three wins in their last five games, suggesting their difficult period may finally be over.
For Real Madrid, it’s a regrouping and a stark wake-up call that even the most in-form teams can be beaten by teams with intensity, discipline and a point to prove.
