Trent Alexander-Arnold edged closer to a possible Liverpool reunion later this campaign following a contentious evening in the Champions League. The Reds have already secured their place in the last-16 in Europe after claiming a top-eight finish in the league phase, allowing Arne Slot's squad to observe this month's play-off fixtures before continuing their pursuit of a seventh European title in March.
The opening round of play-off matches commenced on Tuesday, with Liverpool moving nearer to discovering their last-16 adversary after Galatasaray thrashed Juventus 5-2 in the first leg of their tie, and the pathway deeper into the competition has become somewhat clearer. Real Madrid faced a rematch of their dramatic final league-phase fixture against Benfica, with the Spanish heavyweights prevailing over their Portuguese rivals, though the match ended amid controversy.
Vinicius Jr scored the only goal of the encounter in Lisbon, ensuring Real will carry a 1-0 advantage back to the Bernabeu for next week's second leg.
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Pandemonium broke out when a member of one of the teams' support staff was dismissed, whilst Jose Mourinho tried to converse with an evidently irate Vinicius.
Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni was caught on camera concealing his mouth with his shirt as he engaged in conversation with Vinicius prior to the referee being informed.
The match eventually continued, with Real maintaining their lead and Mourinho subsequently receiving his marching orders. The outcome brings Alvaro Arbeloa's team one step closer to securing a spot in the last-16, and potentially another return to Liverpool for Alexander-Arnold later in the tournament.
The two teams have already faced off this season, with the Reds clinching a 1-0 victory at Anfield during the league stage. They could potentially meet again in the semi-finals if both progress that far.
Liverpool will discover which side of the draw they fall into on February 27, when they will be matched with either Galatasaray or Juventus, or Club Brugge or Atletico Madrid. The former option could set them on course for a potential clash with Real and Alexander-Arnold.
In other competition news, Paris Saint-Germain staged a comeback from 2-0 down to defeat fellow French team Monaco 3-2, with the reigning European champions set to enjoy home advantage in the second leg next week. PSG could face Liverpool in the quarter-finals, a repeat of last season's last-16 showdown.
Borussia Dortmund also triumphed, defeating Atalanta 2-0 in the first leg of their tie in Germany, with both teams potentially facing the Reds in the semi-finals.