Real Madrid, the reigning European champion, signed a historic victory at Anfield (2-5), the first time that Liverpool receives five goals at home in the Champions League, overcoming two goals of disadvantage conceded in a bad start, with a reaction full of authority and doubles of Vinícius Junior and Karim Benzema plus a goal of Eder Militao.
The exit of Liverpool generated defensive doubts in Real Madrid, which four minutes later was already losing, after a heel by Darwin Núñez and an error by Thibaut Courtois that gave the 2-0 to Salah. The Real Madrid reaction was initiated by the Brazilian Vinícius Junior, with a double in fifteen minutes, to give the tie at halftime.
And in a football exhibition in the second half, Real Madrid left the knockout round of the Champions League practically sentenced, with a header from Militao and the first goals in the tournament of Karim Benzema to close the thrashing.
Ancelotti: “Vinícius is the most decisive player in the world”
According to Agencia EFE, the Italian Carlo Ancelotti, coach of Real Madrid, said that the Brazilian Vinícius Júnior, author on Tuesday of two goals in the victory of his team, 2-5, in his visit to Liverpool – in the first leg of the knockout round of the Champions League – “is the most decisive player in world football.”
“Vinícius today, in my personal opinion, is the most decisive player in world football. There is no player with this continuation, with goals and assists. Hopefully I can continue,” said Ancelotti, who explained at Anfield how he saw the game from his perspective.
“It reminded me of Manchester City’s night in the semi-finals. I’m not saying it was foreseeable to concede two goals, but it was foreseeable to suffer. What has happened is that we suffered a lot at the beginning. Fortunately as always happens to this team, we had a cool head and we won the game with the quality we have,” he said.
“The forward line today was very effective, every time we came out of the pressure we created problems. We have gradually improved in defence, especially on the left. In the second half we made the difference,” added Ancelotti, who explained that he tried to put “a more offensive lineup” to play a different game than the one that ended up.
“Scoring here could be important, I’ve opted for a dangerous forward line. Rodrygo has done a fantastic job defensively and that has helped us a lot. We have bet to play an open game, “said the Italian, who did not want to talk about a close tie.
“I only know that we have taken advantage in these first 90 minutes and we have to manage the second 90 in Madrid well. I still think Liverpool are very competitive that today did not create problems at the beginning of the game. We have to suffer also in the second leg.”
Of course, winning here is not easy, in a forceful way even more complicated. We are very satisfied with this. The team has shown that it is improving, that it has arrived after a January at a good level in February, where one needs to be at its best, because the season does not stop. We are satisfied for today and we are confident that we can do well.” EFE
Osimhen and Di Lorenzo leave Napoli near quarterfinals
The result is more than fair and the goals could have been more and, except for a good phase of Eintracht Frankfurt at the beginning, the Italian team imposed its will on the field almost permanently.
Napoli started trying to control the game through possession of the ball and very soon gave a first warning with a long ball to the area for Kvaratskhelia that in the end he failed to control.
After five minutes began a good phase of Eintracht that seemed to be announced with a good overflow on the right of Lindströn, whose center, after being cut by Meret, gave rise to two shots. One of Kamada, blocked by a defender; and another from Kolo-Muani, which was deflected near the second post.
It was a phase in which Eintracht managed to put the game on the ground of Napoli at the point of ball recoveries in the center of the field and launching quick attacks that however did not create new dangerous situations.
Then, after the quarter of an hour, Napoli returned and began to command the field. The occasions also began to come. First a counterattack in the 14th in which in the end Viktor Osimeh did not reach the shot.
Then, in the 18th, on a corner kick, there was almost an own goal when Kamada trhe tied to clear his head and ended up demanding Kevin Trapp; that in the 19 saved again to shot of Kvaratskhelia , In the 34 Hiiving Lozano finished to the post and almost immediately there was a penalty, for lack of Aurelio Buta against Osimeh, in which Trapp won the duel to Kvaratskhelia.
Napoli commanded and had clear advantages in terms of ball possession but the goal came in an atypical way, after a ball recovery in the own half after an inaccurate pass from Mario Götze in the 40th minute. Lobotkas put a long pass to Lozano, who released a cross into the small area where Osimhen appeared to push the ball into the back of the net.
The formula -center of Lozano and goal of Osimhen- was repeated a few seconds later but the goal was annulled for offside of the latter.
If in the first half Napoli had been dominant in the second it was abrasive. Eintracht almost could not get out of their own half and one of the few times they managed ended up staying with ten men for Kolo Muani’s foul on Anguissa, near the opposing area.
Trapp had managed to avoid the second in the 56th minute by winning incredibly a hand to hand to Kvaratskhelia but in the 65th he could not do anything before a shot from Di Lorenzo to the heel pass of the Georgian player.
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