Real Madrid’s trip to Anfield was as challenging, if not significantly more difficult than initially hyped, and rightfully so, given the run of form the Merseyside club have been in recent times.
Los Blancos were dealt a significant blow in the run-up to the game in the form of Vinicius Jr’s injury and it is no surprise that they were simply not good enough for the Reds last night.
Liverpool dominated Carlo Ancelotti’s side through and through to record their first win over Real Madrid since 2009 and recorded a historic result that could not be more deserved.
Alexis MacAllister opened the scoring for Liverpool in the 52nd minute after a cagey first half before Cody Gakpo doubled the lead from a set-piece 24 minutes later.
Madrid Universal brings you the player ratings from Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid.
Thibaut Courtois: 7.5
The Belgian shot-stopper has made a habit of stepping up against Liverpool and once again raised his game at Anfield last night, outright denying the hosts any advantage to show for their possession.
Courtois made three saves from inside the box in the first half alone and was a big reason Los Blancos did not stare a deficit at half-time.
Ferland Mendy: 6
Up against Mohammed Salah, Mendy was forced deep into defensive duties on the night and struggled to control the Egyptian winger.
Did not involve much in the buildup and was relatively isolated on the left.
Conceded a penalty that Liverpool failed to convert.
Antonio Rudiger: 7
Rudiger was Real Madrid’s leader at the back at Anfield and celebrated every duel won like a goal scored.
The German was thoroughly alert and did not offer the Reds any space in the box, effectively marking out any presence in the box.
Did lose his focus at moments in the second period.
Raul Asencio: 6.5
The academy star made his UEFA Champions League debut last night and was solid at the back. His pace was a handy tool for the team to effectively put brakes on Liverpool’s counterattacks but an early yellow card forced him to err on the side of caution for most of the game.
Was poor in the opening goal conceded as he should have got to the ball first.
Federico Valverde: 7
The Uruguayan star started at right-back and did a fine job defensively, holding his ground and keeping Luis Diaz out of the equation.
Shifted to midfield after Camavinga’s injury and immediately sank into the role, asserting himself in the position.
Eduardo Camavinga: 7.5
The Frenchman was all over the field, winning balls in midfield and aiding in transitioning the play from defence to attack.
Was a solid cog operating in the defensive midfield but did not hesitate in pushing forward and finding the likes of Guler or Mbappe on the break.
Left the field injured before the hour mark in what is a worrying update for Los Blancos.
Luka Modric: 6.5
The Croatian was the only player in white looking to control the game and maintain possession and succeeding with the idea.
However, he too was far from his accurate best as he misplayed crosses and failed to play as creatively as the situation demanded.
Jude Bellingham: 5
(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
The Englishman was far from his best in his home country as he neither looked like a solid presence in midfield or the box in the opening 45 minutes.
Did not participate in the buildup as much as he would have liked and did not make attacking runs into the box.
Arda Guler: 7.5
The Turkish phenom looked to be the only Real Madrid player determined to make a push in attack as he regularly accelerated the pace of the buildup and looked for vertical passing options.
Guler showed why he deserves to be a starter as he regularly tried to open up the hosts’ backline but unfortunately received little support.
Kylian Mbappe: 3
Mbappe had one of his worst career games. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Gifted a golden chance to prove his worth with Vinicius Jr out injured, Kylian Mbappe started and had the left flank to himself last night.
Yet, the star signing was abysmal, uninspiring and never really looked up for the job.
Mbappe’s struggles for confidence only continued as he lacked any cutting edge on the ball and had nothing to offer off it.
Missed a penalty to cap off a horrific night and a lot of questions must be asked of his regular disappointments now.
Brahim Diaz: 4
Starting as a forward, Diaz did not offer much at Anfield as the ball was barely ever played into Real Madrid’s attacking half.
Did not get into many threatening positions and often found himself dropping deeper to try and control the midfield.
Lucas Vasquez: 6.5
Came on and immediately won a penalty for Real Madrid, but the team failed to convert it.