Real Madrid were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday night, with the Spanish giants taking a battering in the media after the game
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid embraces Mohamed Salah
Trent Alexander-Arnold was targeted by both Liverpool fans and the Spanish press on Tuesday night
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Real Madrid have been slated in the Spanish press following their defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League. Alexis Mac Allister's second half strike earned the hosts a 1-0 victory, which, without Thibaut Courtois' heroics in goal, would have been an even bigger scoreline.
Los Blancos club entered the tie in dominant shape, boasting not only a flawless record in Europe but also 10 victories from 11 La Liga matches. Liverpool, meanwhile, had been struggling for consistency - losing six games in all competitions and looking vulnerable in the weeks leading up to the clash.
Yet Arne Slot's men fully deserved their win, with Conor Bradley silencing Vinicius Jr and Ryan Gravenberch keeping Jude Bellingham under control. Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, however, singled out Kylian Mbappe, accusing the French forward of "going missing," especially in the first 45.
"All the mystique and epic nature that the match showed minutes before the ball started rolling, began to fade as the minutes passed and the game of the two teams became more physical than anything else," they wrote. "Especially [Real Madrid], who had a lot of the ball but without decisiveness.
"Although players like Vinicius or Bellingham got into the game a lot with it, not so other more lethal ones like Mbappe who was missing during the first half." The outlet also handed Trent Alexander-Arnold - introduced in the second half to vicious boos - a poor one-star rating.
Cadena SER went after Bellingham as well, criticising the England midfielder and Mbappe for failing to contribute defensively: "Real Madrid has a problem with aerial balls. Despite having players like Eder Militao, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Dean Huijsen, they struggle to defend aerial balls because other players like Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe don't track back to cover them."
Jude Bellingham
It was a bad day at the office for Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid
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Sport placed the responsibility firmly on manager Xabi Alonso, claiming the ex-Liverpool midfielder misjudged his tactical plan. "Real Madrid suffered from complacency, forgetting to press after the 20-minute mark and letting themselves be dictated by Arne Slot's tactics," they noted.
"And yes, the ultimate responsibility lies with those on the pitch, but the mistakes made in the mixed marking of a corner (Vinicius marking Van Dijk) or in the substitutions are and will be the responsibility of the coach - or his coaching staff, who, for the moment, have been unable to find the right formula for, for example, defending set pieces."
The publication also praised Bradley, who neutralised Vinicius throughout the match: "In La Liga, with Vinicius consistently leaving his markers a foot behind, he'll benefit. However, if he encounters players like Bradley who can keep up with him, his advantage is minimised."
Alexis Mac Allister netted the winner for Liverpool
Alexis Mac Allister netted the winner for Liverpool
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It was arguably Liverpool's strongest display of the campaign - and one of Real Madrid's weakest. The result leaves both teams tied on nine points in the group stage, just behind Arsenal and Bayern Munich, who continue to hold perfect records with four wins from four.
The win could prove a pivotal moment for Slot's squad. Following a commanding victory over Aston Villa at the weekend and a solid result against Frankfurt last month, the Reds have now recorded three wins in their past five fixtures - a promising sign that their rough patch may be ending.
For Real Madrid, it is now about regrouping - and a clear warning that even the most confident teams can be undone by energy, structure and opponents with something to prove.