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Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema makes understrength Liverpool pay Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema makes understrength Liverpool pay
(about 2 hours later)
By the end, at least Brendan Rodgers could make a credible argument that he could have started with his best men and there was still no guarantee they would have done any better. The team he chose had resembled a White Flag XI and although Real Madrid restricted themselves to Karim Benzema’s first-half winner, Liverpool’s fans could probably have been forgiven for thinking it would be a lot worse when they saw the side that the manager had put out. By the end, at least, Brendan Rodgers could make the basis of an argument that even if he had started with his best men there was no guarantee they would have done a great deal better. His selection resembled a White Flag XI but Real Madrid restricted themselves to Karim Benzema’s first-half goal and the Liverpool supporters peering down from the Bernabéu’s most vertiginous stands could probably have been forgiven for thinking it could be a lot worse when they saw the side that the manager had put out.
There was some sense, perhaps, in keeping back a couple of players for Saturday’s game against Chelsea. Yet this strayed dangerously close to being a surrender. What a strange set of events that Liverpool made it back into the Champions League and removed their best players from the showpiece game because they were already thinking ahead to next season’s competition. Yet this was the first time in 13 Champions League games at the Bernabéu that Madrid have managed only one goal, even though Liverpool did not have a single shot until 10 minutes into the second half. There was some sense, perhaps, in Rodgers keeping back a couple of players for Saturday’s game against Chelsea. Yet this strayed dangerously close to looking like pre-meditated surrender and Liverpool were undoubtedly fortunate that Madrid were not in the mood to punish them more heavily for their impertinence.
In total, Rodgers had made eight changes, with Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Glen Johnson, Mario Balotelli and Philippe Coutinho on the bench. Dejan Lovren was given the night off and Kolo Touré was brought in for only his second Champions League start in five and a half years. Rodgers will be accused of lacking courage and not having enough trust in his strongest XI. In another way, what he did here was exceedingly brave when Madrid were at full strength and Cristiano Ronaldo was gunning for Raúl ’s record as the Champions League’s all-time record scorer. It is certainly a strange set of events that Liverpool make it back into the Champions League, then remove their best players from the showpiece fixture of Group B because they are already thinking ahead to next season’s competition. It was also a strange match to comprehend.
In the circumstances it was a surprise, perhaps, that Madrid did not inflict more damage, and certainly that they took their time in making it clear to Liverpool that the Bernabéu is not the sort of place where opposition teams get away with fielding the understudies. On the one hand, this was the first time in 13 Champions League games at the Bernabéu that Madrid have managed only one goal. On the other hand, what Rodgers did here will always leave that sense that Liverpool arrived at the home of the competition’s champions and effectively forfeited their chance to add this to their list of memorable European nights.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men pinned them back for long spells of the first half and Liverpool might have been in for a messy evening if the goalkeeper, Simon Mignolet, had let in one of the early attempts from James Rodríguez and Ronaldo. Mignolet had a busy and sometimes outstanding night. Yet Madrid also gave the impression they were holding something back and Liverpool, in flashes, did at least show they were not here merely to spend the entire night in their own penalty area. Rodgers was certainly pushing it as far as he possibly could when he talked of his team being “very, very unfortunate not to get something out of the match,” lavishing praise on them in a way that made it feel as though he wanted to change the direction of the headlines.
Emre Can certainly gave the impression that he wanted to show he could flourish at this level. Alberto Moreno also stood out and Liverpool were visibly growing in confidence when they reached the midway point of the opening half without any score. Fabio Borini will have enjoyed his nutmeg on Luca Modric. The truth is Liverpool did not have a single shot until 10 minutes into the second half and, all the time, there was the clear sense Madrid were holding something back.
Lazar Markovic went on one run that acted as a warning to Madrid, and who would have thought at the start of the night that Touré would dribble past Benzema and Rodríguez during one break-out from the back four? Liverpool can count it as a victory of sorts that they avoided the thrashing that might have been anticipated bearing in mind what happened when the two sides encountered one another at Anfield two weeks ago. But it is a strange kind of success.
Yet there was something devastating about the way Madrid decided they had had enough impertinence, quickened their own pace and firmly put Liverpool in their place with the opening goal. A clever exchange of passes between Ronaldo and Isco opened up the visiting defence. Marcelo was free, overlapping on the left, and the full-back’s cross was measured perfectly for Benzema to turn the ball in at the far post. In total, Rodgers had made seven changes to the starting XI that lost to Newcastle, with Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Glen Johnson, Mario Balotelli and Philippe Coutinho on the bench. Dejan Lovren was given the night off and Kolo Touré was brought in for only his second Champions League start in five and a half years.
Ronaldo was desperate for his record and there was the sense sometimes that he was maybe placing too much importance on it, judging by the number of times he took aim from the kind of positions that seemed implausible even for him. He was not at his most formidable, in keeping with the entire Madrid team, but it was still not easy to keep count of the number of times it needed Mignolet’s goalkeeping or a last-ditch challenge to keep him out. Rodgers will be accused of lacking courage and not having enough trust in his strongest XI. In another way, what he did here was exceedingly brave when Madrid were at full strength and Cristiano Ronaldo was gunning for Raúl’s record as the Champions League’s all-time record scorer. It could easily have blown up in the Liverpool manager’s face.
Iker Casillas, in stark contrast, might have been grateful for the chance to keep warm when Moreno, from 25 yards, put in Liverpool’s first shot of any description. Carlo Ancelotti’s men pinned them back for long spells and Liverpool might have been in for a messy evening if Simon Mignolet had let in one of the early attempts from James Rodríguez and Ronaldo. Mignolet had a busy and sometimes outstanding night and was the main reason why Ronaldo will have to wait before he takes over from Raúl.
By that stage, the Liverpool fans in the two most vertiginous stands had started to chant Gerrard’s name as if they wanted him out on the pitch. Yet the team were not doing too badly without him. A couple of minutes after Moreno’s effort, Adam Lallana had another go from a similar position and the ball went only a yard or so wide. Shortly afterwards, Sergio Ramos was penalised for a challenge on Can and Borini’s deflected off the wall to go for a corner. For the first time, Liverpool had some real momentum and in those moments Madrid’s defence did not look completely impenetrable. The away end sensed something remarkable might be on the cards. “Attack, attack, attack,” they implored. Ronaldo looked desperate for the record and he might also have been placing too much importance on it judging by the number of times he took aim from the kind of positions that seemed implausible even for him.
When Gerrard did come on, after 69 minutes, there was a wonderful show of appreciation from the Bernabéu crowd. Sterling came on, too, but it was another substitute, Gareth Bale, who came closest to adding another goal, with a shot that came back off the crossbar. Liverpool’s selection made it clear that Rodgers was not only prioritising Saturday’s game but also their last two Champions League ties against Ludogorets and Basel. They did, however, show at times they were not here merely to spend the night in their own penalty area.
Emre Can certainly gave the impression that he wanted to show he could flourish at this level. Alberto Moreno also stood out and Liverpool were visibly growing in confidence when they reached the midway point of the opening half without any score.
Fabio Borini will have enjoyed his nutmeg on Luka Modric. Lazar Markovic went on one run that acted as a warning to Madrid – a false alarm, it turned out – and there was another period midway through the second half when Liverpool, for a few minutes at least, had some real momentum. Touré’s appearances rarely spread confidence but, in fairness, he was excellent in the heart of defence.
There was, however, something devastating about the way, 27 minutes in, Madrid decided it was time to put them in their place. It was a clever exchange of passes between Ronaldo and Isco that opened up the visiting defence. Marcelo was free, overlapping on the left, and the full-back’s cross was measured perfectly for Benzema to turn the ball in at the far post.
When Gerrard did come on, after 69 minutes, there was a wonderful show of appreciation from the Bernabéu crowd. Sterling was brought on, too, but it was Gareth Bale, replacing Rodríguez to make his comeback from injury, who was closest to adding another goal with a shot that came back off the crossbar and, ultimately, it was not an occasion a club with Liverpool’s ambitions should cherish, for a variety of reasons.