Liverpool vs Real Madrid summary: score, goals, highlights | UEFA Champions League

That's all, folks!

Thanks for following the coverage of what was an amazing game.

Two missed penalties and a host of brilliant saves, tackles, chances and songs from the fans gave us a great spectacle upon which to debate, critique and analyse in the coming days.

Joe

Full-time thoughts:

Liverpool are a better team than Real Madrid this season. That's the conclusion from this game.

While it might seem flippant and simplistic, it's true. Liverpool are a unit that work together to play out a plan to the best of their abilities. Every player knows their job and the form they have shown so far this season allowed them to play with the confidence that they would be able to finish off the chances when they came.

Real Madrid, while the message from the club will be that they have improved recently, are not in good form. They do not have all of their top players and do not have the confidence - Mbappé being the case in point - to finish off games when the have the chance.

The missed penalty will be the talking point and rightly so, but it cannot be the excuse for Real Madrid to allow the 'what if' scenarios to take over. Things have not been going well this season and falsely clinging onto the fact that the match would have been different are no good when the situation is what it is in the Spanish capital. 

FT:

Asencio goes to ground well on Gakpo to stop another enticing attack from Liverpool down the wing. A solid game from the youngster, despite the result.

CHANCE. Liverpool counter and Luis Díaz sees his shot from the right side well saved by Courtois.

4 added minutes.

Endrick goes into Letexier's book for a late foul on Konaté.

CHANCE. Remember Kylian Mbappé? The guy who plays for Madrid.

Yeah, him. He just cut in from the left and sent a bullet effort that was deflected just wide.

What a fantastic game from Bradley, perhaps Liverpool's best player on the night. Against the 15-time European champions, he didn't shy away and played a key role in both attack and defence.

OFF: Bradley

ON: Gomez

Bradley is down with what looks like cramp.

Tap, tap, tap goes the ball between the feet of the Liverpool back line and goalkeeper. Madrid try to press but it's a futile attempt at salvaging anything from a game they know has slipped away from them.

OFF: Jones

ON: Szoboszlai

Madrid come forward and Bradley, who has been excellent, goes up against Endrick and wins out: goal kick to Liverpool.

Ceballos goes into the book for an angry reaction to a foul from Fran García.

Presumably he shouted at the referee in a north London accent.

OFF: Modric

ON: Endrick

Back underway.

VAR check...

Liverpool's corner is played short before being sent high into the box. Gakpo rises highest and nods a delightful header back across the goal that drops into the far corner.

Rüdiger sends the ball towards Venus after a simply mesmerising spell of passing from Liverpool on the edge of the Madrid box. The away side are leaving dangerous spaces in key areas, allowing the home side to play through them with relative ease.

Mbappé wins Madrid a corner after slamming a shot into the tangled mangrove forest of legs in the box.

Nice work from Fran who scrambles back to do just enough to stop Salah.

Salah sliced the ball strangely with the top/outside of his boot, sending it well wide and giving Madrid another chance.

OFF: Mendy

ON: Fran García

Mo Salah broke away on the counter and he squirmed past Mendy, who left a leg hanging. Anfield erupts.

Brahim's one-vs-one shot is saved by Kelleher but the offside flag is raised.

OFF: Darwin

ON: Gakpo

Liverpool are enjoying themselves here, as they pop the ball around Madrid's increasingly resigned defensive unit.

The intensity is at boiling point in here, the fans are loving it as Madrid push and push for another opening. Nothing's working out for Ancelotti's side, who are hitting brick walls all over the pitch.

As if we needed anything else to bump up the noise levels in here.

The Irishman dived well and Mbappé cannot believe it as the crowd go crazy around him.

It was a poor penalty that gave Kelleher a great chance of getting to it.

Mbappé to step up...

It was a lovely move from Madrid, who moved the ball from side to side and sent the Liverpool into their defensive third. No doubt about the decision as the Scot sticks a lazy leg in.

Lucas was tripped by Robertson!

Again, Mbappé's touch is off and it slows down the Madrid attack...

Back underway. Valverde moves into midfield as Mbappé moves into the middle of the attack. 

OFF: Arda, Camavinga

ON: Ceballos, Lucas

Camavinga is down and looks to have injured himself. His night is over.

CHANCE. Liverpool are turning the screw. Mac Allister whips a shot wide of the far post from the left side of the box.

Hard to say it's undeserved. A wonderful one-two on the edge of the box between Bradley and Mac Allister ends with the World Cup winner sending a low effort towards the far post that Courtois can't reach as it sneaks in on his right side. 

ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER

AMAZING SAVE!!! Pure magic from Thibaut Coiurtois, who collapses his 7ft frame to the ground in a millisecond to stop the low header from Darwin.

Another penalty shout, this time for Jones after a challenge from Güler. No sweat on the brow of Letexier, who waves it away.

Penalty shout for the home side as Salah goesdown under a challenge from Mendy. Perhaps the bigger point is the terrible loss of possession from Madrid in their own half - they can't cope right now.

It's all Liverpool since the restart. They've got Madrid pinned back in their defensive third...

BIG CHANCE. The clearance lands with Jones who smashes a shot that hits a defender and whizzes wide. 

Corner to Liverpool: it's Bradley with the ball in that's sent behind by Bellingham.

Liverpool race out of the blocks and attack down the right, where the ball is fired in and eventually cleared after some confusion as to its location.

Second half underway!

No changes from either side.

Here come the players...

We're just waiting for the Madrid XI to emerge from the tunnel.

Courtois has been on form...

The Belgian always makes himself known against Liverpool and today is no different: he's been, along with Camavinga, Madrid's best player so far.

Sum up the first 45 in an image: Real Madrid edition

Mbappé has found space on the left and not taken advantage of it, slipping and sliding and working his way into impossibly tight gaps time after time. 

Things aren't working out for him so far at Anfield...

Half-time thoughts:

Madrid have defended and suffered for long periods of the game, with Liverpool's counter attack causing all sorts of problems from minute 1 to minute 46. 

They have looked loose at the back, open in midfield and as blunt as a wombat's wombat in attack, with Liverpool finding overloads in all areas of the pitch.

Normally at this point we'd say 'yes, but this is Real Madrid, and this is what they do'.

But is that really what this Real Madrid do?

HT:

1 added minute.

We're into the final minute of normal time.

Valverde gets the ball high up the right wing but there are 7 Liverpool players in the box, all with the lone figure of Mbappé in their sights. Impossible.

Liverpoolcounter and Madrid scream back, filling their area well with white shirts as the red terror races forward.

A couple of failed clearances drop for Madrid and they win a corner and a breather.

That's the first yellow card of the game, and it does to Mac Allister, who slid in late on Güler.

Camavinga applies his Inspector Gadget extendo-legs and slides in fantastically well on Gravenberch, who had wormed his way down the left wing. Sublime from the Frenchman as Madrid wobble once again.

OVER THE BAR. Passing lanes and options are cut out as Madrid attack and Liverpool show them how it's done, with Curtis Jones eventually seeing his shot swiped well over the goal.

Madrid are on the ropes here, but they have the uppercut of a counter attack always as an option. Ancelotti screams for the long ball option: Plan Get-It-Out-Of-There.

CHANCE. Another one for the home side. Jones gets past Modric on the left of the box and plays a cross that nobody is there to finish. Hearts in mouths from the Spanish fans.

SAVE. Courtois again as Liverpool turn the revs up. Another looping header, this time from the left, ends with Díaz's effort being punched into orbit by the Belgian beast.

HUGE CHANCE. Mac Allister clips a delicious ball over Madrid's back line and Darwin connects with his head. The ball loops up and drops past Courtois' outstretched hand, bouncing just past the far post!

HUGE CHALLENGE. Bradley goes in on Mbappé as the Frenchman looks to have broken away on the counter. It's a sensational tackle and he wins the ball fairly on the edge of the box. What a perfect intervention that has rightly won him an ovation from all four sides of the stadium.

The ball is cleared to Güler who slices a weak effort wide of the goal.

Corner to Madrid after a serious showing of their talent from front to back allowed them to advance through the thirds and into Liverpool's box.

Madrid are sitting off their opponents in the middle third of the pitch and this new-look Liverpool get to work doing their best impression of a curious alien. The probing has begun.

Liverpool are having a good spell here and have Madrid on tostada going down both wings.

HUGE SAVE. Courtois giving Liverpool nightmares again.

The home side attack down the left and the awkward bounce sees the ball lands at the feet of Darwin, who only has to stab it past the goalkeeper from a few yards out.

He sends the ball into the palms of the Belgian, who once again has done the impossible.

Camavinga is taken down by Darwin. Güler will whip it towards goal from the right...

And it flies over. A chance missed.

Madrid's front three attack with pace but by the time they're in the box, an army of one hundred thousand red shirts are there to greet them with smiles.

Twenty gone and the game already feels like a dropped jelly.

Nice work from Brahim on the right sees him squirm past various defenders before laying off down the right to Valverde. He burns down the wing and sends in a cross that's too heavy.

Liverpool counter and Asencio is equal to Darwin's run on the right. Fine defending from the youngster.

There's not been much structure to this game so far, with Madrid seeing slightly more of the ball but failing to do anything with it.

A big header from Valverde calms the nerves as Liverpool make it into the Madrid box from the right with Mac Allister lurking around like a shark with some nighttime business to do. 

Madrid win their first corner of the game, which is well defended by Liverpool's huge back line.

Bellingham is being shadowed by Gravenberch, who is not giving him an inch to breathe in the middle of the pitch. It's forcing Madrid out wide where the full-backs and wingers are doubling up.

Darwin is on his feet and has made a miraculous recovery. We're back underway.

Darwin is down in the box after a tussle with Asencio.

It's all Liverpool here, and Madrid are being surgically operated on, their insides are open and the home side are fiddling away.

Díaz finds space inside the box on the left side after Robertson pops the ball through Valverde's legs. The winger brings his right foot back and smacks a low effort into the side netting.

Robertson does well to shield Güler who advances after intercepting a poor pass out from the back by Van Dijk.

Valverde slides in to stop Luis Díaz getting on the end of a low through ball that slicesthrough the Madrid defence like a Japanese sushi knife. The away side are rattled in the opening stages.

Liverpool's low corner is driven low to Díaz who hoofs his effort over Courtois' goal.

It's a 4-2-3-1 off the ball from Madrid, who have Mbappé up top with Bellingham and Arda tucked in just behind, either side of Brahim.

Madrid start brightly and Brahim worms his way past a few challenges and tries to squeeze the ball into Mbappé, who loses it in the box.

The Chaaaaaampions!

All 22 players are on the pitch and now it's time for the UEFA Champions League anthem, which is getting a lot of whistles from the crowd.

The clock is ticking!

Right, YNWA is over with, the players are on their way!

What an atmosphere!

On nights like these, Anfield never disappoints. We've got a fantastic crowd and a sensational noise coming from them!

A reminder of the XIs:

LIVERPOOL:

Alisson; Bradley, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones; Díaz, Darwin, Salah

REAL MADRID:

Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rüdiger, Mendy; Modric, Camavinga, Bellingham, Arda Güler; Brahim, Mbappé

The teams are in the dressing rooms

The stadium is filling up now as we head into the final 15 minutes before kick-off. It's time now for the pre-match talks and any late tactics tweaks ahead of the game!

Did you know?

Carlo Ancelotti, after today's game, will overtake Alex Ferguson as the manager with the most games ever managed in the Champions League (215).

Vini Jr sends message of support

¡HALAMADRID! he has just tweeted ahead of the game, which he's presumably watching.

Ancelotti to Spanish TV:

It'll be a good game, a good atmosphere. It's a good game for us to see how well we've done recently. 

It's a tough opponent but we have enough to have a good game.

I only had a doubt over Luvas or Valverde, it'll be a tough game and I didn't want to rush Lucas back into things.

Warmups underway!

We've got around 20 minutes to go until kick-off, with both sides on the pitch for their pre-game warmup routines with the physical coaches.

UEFA Champions League

When is Liverpool - Real Madrid? How to watch on TV, stream online | UEFA Champions League

In case you missed the first one, here's your reminder of how to get the game on your screen today.

Sofascore say 4-3-3 for Carlo

The lad-coat-wearing boffins over at Sofascore Towers have Ancelotti's side in a 4-3-3 formation, with Brahim on the left and Arda Güler on the right wing, where we speculated earlier that he might play. 

However, having stared for long enough at the players, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Turkish midfielder sit at the top of something akin to a diamond, or even a 4-1-3-2, with two more midfielders pressing high and wide (although playing with Modric at 39 makes me cautious with this idea). Let's see.

Here's the full fixture list for today:

Apart from the obvious, Liverpool vs Real Madrid, which game are you most excited about?

Pressure on two attackers

There is a lot of pressure on both Brahim and Arda to perform tonight. Both have seen limited minutes for one reason or another and tonight is a huge chance to get themselves wedged into Carlo Ancelotti's plans for the rest of the season.

The talent is there but becoming a fixture in the Real Madrid XI is tough at the best of times, and with this current squad, things have arguably never been more difficult for a young attacking midfielder to wiggle their way into the eleven.

Champions League

Who is François Letexier, referee for Liverpool vs Real Madrid in Champions League?

The Frenchman who whistled as Spain beat England in the Euro 2024 final has been selected for the game tonight.

Francois Letexier is a seasoned pro at this level and a known face at elite games across the continent. 

He began his Ligue 1 career in 2016 and has worked various times on games that include both Liverpool and Real Madrid, including being given the job as fourth official in the Champions League final between Madrid and BVB.

Andy Robertson pre-game:

Champions League

How Real Madrid’s Mbappé stood up Champions League rivals Liverpool

Sliding doors moments are great, and here's a top one. Kylian Mbappé could've played for Liverpool. In fact he does, in a parallel universe that we can't access.

Years later, Mbappé was seriously tempted to join one of the Premier League’s giants, even saying “I spoke with Liverpool because it was my mother’s favourite club,” in 2022.

“It’s a good club, and we met them five years ago. When I was in Monaco, I met them. It’s a great club. My mother loves Liverpool. I don’t know why, you’ll have to ask her!”

Anfield looking pretty pre-game

Here's AS USA's view from the stamnds. It's about to get a lot noisier in here as the fans stream in from all sides.

Arne Slot pre-game quotes:

The best of the rest...

Here's what happened yesterday in another fascinating day in the UEFA Champions League.

We saw wins for Barcelona, Arsenal and Bayern, as well as a sensational turnaround from Feyenoord against, ahem, Manchester City.

Champions League

The day Real Madrid fans sang You'll Never Walk Alone

Back in early 2023, Liverpool and Real Madrid met at Anfield for the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. 

Ahead of the game, the Reds had placed a bouquet of flowers in the area where Madrid fans were seated as a tribute to Amancio Amaro, a former star of the Spanish club who had recently passed away. The game then proceeded, with the visitors stunning the home team coming from two goals down to win 2-5.

Attention then turned to the second leg in Madrid and at the end of the contest at the Santiago Bernabéu, the famous song ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ was pumped out over the public address system.

The answer to why was quickly revealed...

LIVERPOOL XI REVEALED:

No thanks to an incredibly unhelpful graphic, we can see that it's a full-strength XI from Liverpool, who go with Salah, Darwin and Díaz up top.

Real Madrid's Champions League games (2 of 2)

Real Madrid 5-2 BVB: The same story as against Stuttgart, Real Madrid’s numbers after 90 minutes will tell the story of a relaxed win, but until Dortmund fell apart in the second half, they had Madrid on the ropes and should have continued to press them after the break. They didn’t, and Vini Jr put them to the sword with an inspired second-half showing.

Real Madrid 1-3 AC Milan: The worst game for Real Madrid in European competition for a long time. They were dismantled from back to front against the Italians, who deserved more than 3 points for the astonishing performance and result that told the world Real Madrid might be in more trouble than we realised.

Salah in super form

The Egyptian has won Liverpool a sensational 17 points this season, meaning that with just his contributions he would put his side well into mid-table in the current Premier League.

UPDATE: Real Madrid arrive at Anfield

It's serious faces all round as the away side make their way into the stadium.

Real Madrid's Champions League games (1 of 2)

Real Madrid 3-1 Stuttgart: While the scoreline suggests comfort, it was far from easy for Madrid, who scored two late goals to seal their first 3 points of the season. While at the time many saw this as ‘typical’ Real Madrid, it now looks like a win that planted the seeds for their European blips later on.

Lille 1-0 Real Madrid: If the doubts were raised against Stuttgart in an unconvincing win, they were brought to life against Lille, where Real Madrid huffed and puffed against a solid defence while simply looking weak in attack. Lille deserved the three points on the night and it was another poor showing in Europe.

Special guests at Anfield

Gareth Bale and Rio 'Ballon d'Or' Ferdinand are present at the game tonight. 

Remember these games, Madridistas?

Liverpool fans, look away, but Madrid have a fine record against Liverpool in the European competition, having beaten them twice in recent finals. 

Courtois is still in Mo Salah's dreams while Gareth Bale regularly haunts the nightmares of Karius.

UEFA Champions League

Why isn’t Vinicius Jr playing for Real Madrid against Liverpool today in the Champions League?

Given the fact that the Brazilian is set to miss out on the huge Champions League clash at Anfield, it is now Mbappé's turn to show the Madrid fans that he means business in white and can indeed perform at the highest level for the 15-time European champions. 

So far, things haven't gone very smoothly for the Frenchman as he finds his way into the side and the system, with lots of chances going off target that we'd otherwise expect him to slap into the back of the net.

At times his confidence has even looked like it's lulling, but the talent is still there and there is no time like the present to take the bull by the horns and announce himself as Madrid's most valuable player.

UPDATE: Madrid make their way to Anfield

Carlo Ancelotti's side are currently travelling from the team hotel to the stadium and should be arriving any minute now.

Look away Madrid fans!

Opta have bad news: Los Blancos come into the game under serious pressure as they've never lost 3 matches in the first round of the Champions League.

Feeling a Slot like Christmas

Losing Jürgen Klopp was always going to leave huge shoes to fill but it seems that Arne Slot has found the formula already, and we're only in November. 

The Dutchman has Liverpool playing a lot less wildly than they did at times under the German, but that's not to say they're not deadly and clinical when they turn the taps on.

The Reds are top of the Premier League and Manchester City's stumble has only propelled them on even more, with Mo Salah leading from the front as always and looking fitter than we've ever seen him.

Carlo Ancelotti pre-game:

Madrid's other injuries...

The list of other injured players at Madrid is huge, with Militão, Rodrygo, Carvajal, Tchouaméni and Alaba all making up a fabulous five-a-side team. Ancelotti has improvised a lot this season and he will have to do so once again.

Brahim, Asencio and Güler are all pushing for a start in what will be a much-changed Madrid side.

The pristine pitch awaits...

No fans are in the ground just yet but that'll soon change once the gates open and we get to hear the famous 'YNWA' chant before kick-off.

Vini Jr injury a huge worry for Ancelotti

The huge news was broken at the start of the week: Vini Jr had suffered a hamstring injury against Leganés andwill miss almost 4 weeks of action.

The Brazilian has not had a fantastic season but is still a key element of Madrid’s attack and his presence on the pitch, on nights like tonight, will be a huge loss for Ancelotti and his staff, not to mention the players.

How things are going for Real Madrid...

As for Los Blancos, they’re wallowing in mid-table, and sit 21st ahead of kick-off having had some disappointing results this year in the UEFA Champions League.

They’ve won 50% of their 4 games and lost the rest, with their Lille worries being confirmed against AC Milan, where they were well and truly taken apart. More on that later.

REAL MADRID XI OUT:

Here's Ancelotti's starting lineup for the game.

We've got a potential 4-3-3 with Brahim as a false 9 (?) and Güler on the right, like against Leganés. We'll have to wait and see how they line up on the pitch.

Anfield pre-game is stunning

Given how early the sun sets in the north of England, this photo was probably taken at about midday. 

That's a joke, Liverpool fans. Don't @ me.

Jokes aside, the stadium underwent a recent renovation to increase the capacity and it's safe to say the club deserves credit for not going for the spaceship look. Clunky and awkward all day for me.

UEFA Champions League

When is Liverpool - Real Madrid? How to watch on TV, stream online | UEFA Champions League

Here’s how you can get the game on your TVor whatever screen you’ve got connected to the internet. 

How things are going for Liverpool...

Liverpool are flying high in the Champions League’s mahoosive table, sitting second with a game in hand on the two ahead of them (Inter & Barça), meaning a win would put them top of the pops in the division. 

They’ve won 4 from 4 and are the only team to do so in the competition, which is a huge result from Slot, who only arrived this summer after taking over from Jürgen Klopp.

Who's the ref?

It’s Francois Letexier with the whistle tonight and he’s an homme that you’ve probably got ticked off your Spotter’s Guide if you’ve been going since the start of the season. 

The Frenchman is an experienced pro and keeps his cards close to his chest. By that I mean he’s not likely to be trigger-happy, not that he’s a particularly mysterious person.

Liverpool team news:

The Scousers go into tonight’s game without Alisson, Jota, Chiesa and Tsimikas, which will give Real Madrid some hope ahead of the tie, although the Reds have been performing pretty well without these names so far.

Real Madrid team news:

Liverpool fans jumped for joy so hard earlier in the week that it was (probably) enough to make the ducks bob up and down on the Mersey. Vinicius Jr was ruled out for 3 weeks to a month with a hamstring injury picked up against Leganés, meaning that he’s set to watch from home tonight.

He’s alongside Carvajal, Militão, Tchouaméni, Rodrygo and Alaba on the injury list at the Bernabéu.

Hello!

Hello and welcome to the AS USA live coverage of the UEFA Champions League on what is set to be a special night in this fascinating season so far. 

Real Madrid make the trip to England’s northwest to take on Liverpool in the first round of Europe’s elite competition. The two teams have had contrasting fortunes so far in the tournament but the talent on show tonight has us on the edge of our seats already!

It’s Joe here to guide you through the action as it happens.