Real Madrid players have not taken losing to Liverpool on Wednesday night especially well.
The Reds finally managed to get one over on the Spanish giants after years of suffering at their hands.
Madrid felt the full force of Anfield and, surprisingly, folded a fair bit under the strain.
Had Kylian Mbappe buried his penalty to make the score 1-1 on the night, then maybe things would have been different. But in the end Liverpool were comfortable winners.
This is a new experience for the Madrid squad, who perhaps felt they had mastered the art of winning against the Reds.
Luka Modric’s surprised reaction to the defeat was interesting while Jude Bellingham claimed Liverpool wanted it more. Fellow midfielder Dani Ceballos has taken things a different way, wishing a second chance for he and his teammates to beat the Reds this season.
Dani Ceballos of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Anfield o...
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Dani Ceballos hoping for Liverpool reunion
In some ways it is a surprise that Ceballos can still call himself a Real Madrid player.
The 28-year-old has never commanded a regular starting spot for the European champions and English fans will remember his underwhelming two-year stint in the Premier League on-loan at Arsenal.
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Nevertheless, Ceballos did still get 34 minutes off the bench at Anfield on Wednesday, coming on for the injured Eduardo Camavinga.
During that time he did little of note aside from picking up a booking for mouthing off at the referee.
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Nevertheless, Ceballos still found it within himself to throw down the gauntlet to Liverpool in an interview with TNT Sports Brazil after the game.
“It’s a very complicated stadium but I think we competed for a large part of the match,” said the Spain international.
“The best version of Real Madrid is yet to come. Hopefully we will meet in February or March and it will be a different match for sure.”
Liverpool should not fear Real Madrid rematch
You have to admire the confidence of Ceballos here. Maybe that’s just what playing for a 15-time European champion does for you.
But the fact of the matter is that Real should focus on qualifying for the knockout stages of this year’s Champions League before predicting who they will or will not beat there.
Los Blancos currently sit in 24th spot in the League Phase table, occupying the final position before the relegation zone.
An away match-up against Atalanta next time around looks like a tricky prospect and it is not a given that Real will get themselves through.
Still, even in the likely event that they do turn it around, they have shown that they are nothing to be afraid of. It will be a different match, Dani, Liverpool will stick four past you next time. See you there.
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