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Real Madrid produced a five-star performance to secure a 5-2 victory over Liverpool in the round of 16 first leg of the UEFA Champions League. The result left Liverpool with a mountain to climb if they hope to progress to the next level, with the second leg set to take place at Santiago Bernabeu.
The encounter was the seventh time the two sides have met in a competitive match, with Real Madrid boasting a superior head-to-head record, having won four of the previous six games. The most recent encounter between the two teams was in the 2022 Champions League final, where Real Madrid triumphed 1-0.
Liverpool started the game brightly, with Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez linking up well to create the opening goal in the 4th minute. Nunez was set up by Salah and finished expertly to give Liverpool the early lead.
Real Madrid responded almost immediately, with Vinicius Junior equalizing in the 36th minute. The Brazilian forward was played through by Karim Benzema and made no mistake with his finish. Real Madrid took the lead just five minutes later, with Vinicius Junior once again finding the back of the net, this time assisted by Benzema.
Liverpool fought back and managed to level the score before halftime, with Mohamed Salah scoring in the 14th minute. The Egyptian forward was put through by Nunez and made no mistake with his finish.
The second half was a completely different story, with Real Madrid dominating the proceedings. Eder Militao put Real Madrid ahead in the 47th minute, with a powerful header from a Luka Modric cross. Karim Benzema then got on the scoresheet, first in the 55th minute, assisted by Rodrygo, and again in the 67th minute, assisted by Vinicius Junior.
Liverpool made several substitutions, with Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino, Joel Matip, and James Milner all coming on, but they were unable to make an impact on the game. Real Madrid also made a number of substitutions, with Toni Kroos, Marco Asensio, and Dani Ceballos all coming on to see out the game.
Harvey Elliott was shown a yellow card in injury time, as the game ended in a resounding 5-2 victory for Real Madrid.
The defeat means that Liverpool has it all to do in the second leg, which will be played at Santiago Bernabeu in a week's time. Despite their recent form at home, Liverpool will need to produce a monumental performance if they hope to overturn the three-goal deficit.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, will be delighted with their performance and will be confident of progressing to the semifinals. The Spanish side has now gone six consecutive matches without a draw and will be looking to continue their impressive run of form in the second leg.
It was such a disappointing night for Liverpool, who were outclassed by Real Madrid. While they will take some solace in their two away goals, they will need to put in an exceptional performance in the second leg if they hope to keep their Champions League dreams alive. With the likes of Salah, Nunez, and Jota in their ranks, Liverpool certainly has the firepower to cause Real Madrid problems. However, they will need to shore up their defense if they hope to progress to the next level
It is worth noting that Liverpool has played Real Madrid seven times in competitive matches, with Real Madrid winning four, drawing two, and losing just one. Liverpool has also not lost in their previous five home matches, while Real Madrid has gone six consecutive matches without a draw. Liverpool has also not played a draw in their previous
