One thing that Real Madrid know is how to win – and win they did in comfortable fashion when the Spanish giants welcomed Liverpool to the Spanish capital in the Champions League in the kind of game the club’s image is built on.
Vinicius Junior’s excellent brace, coupled with teammate Marco Asensio’s superb strike fueled them to a 3-1 victory, effectively rendering Liverpool hitman Mo Salah’s solitary goal for the Reds a mere consolation.
Madrid got off to a great start with control and confidence and were promptly rewarded in the 27th minute when they surged into the lead with Toni Kroos instrumental in the build-up play. It was Vinicius who finished off the move with style.
Things exacerbated for Liverpool less than ten minutes later, when Asensio endorsed his presence and doubled Madrid’s lead to make it an uphill task for the men from Anfield.
With the game far from done, Liverpool pulled a goal back shortly after the second half restarted with Mo Salah delivering the goal, finishing from close range after equally excellent work by Gini Wijnaldum. However, the comeback was short-lived with Vinicius delivering another death blow to end the Liverpool struggle, and secure a crucial first-leg victory for Zinedine Zidane’s men.
Sergio Ramos, an integral part of Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Liverpool in their last meeting, the 2018 Champions League final in Kyiv, was not on the pitch on this occasion after picking up an injury while on duty with La Roja. However he was at the game and tweeted post-match that he was feeling “rage at not being on the pitch, but pride in seeing [his team-mates] do it.”