London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jan 25, 2025

Liverpool knocked out of Champions League after lacklustre defeat at Real Madrid

Liverpool knocked out of Champions League after lacklustre defeat at Real Madrid

Liverpool have been knocked out of the Champions League after a lacklustre performance against Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

The Reds went to the Santiago Bernabeu 5-2 down on aggregate following the first-leg of their round of 16 tie and therefore in need of a miracle to progress to the quarter-finals.

Liverpool, known for their remarkable comebacks from three goals down in the Champions League, hoped to conjure some of the magic from the wins against AC Milan and Barcelona to defeat the club that beat them in last year’s final.

But Jurgen Klopp’s team looked far from their best and devoid of ideas in Spain, with a late goal from Karim Benzema consigning them to an early exit from the competition.

It was a lively first-half as both sides threw caution to the wind, with Darwin Nunez testing Thibaut Courtois after just seven minutes.

Real began to dominate proceedings, with Alisson making a miraculous save to deny Vinicius Jr. from close range before tipping Eduardo Camavinga’s deflected shot onto the crossbar.

Just minutes later Luka Modric came very close to putting the tie to bed but his powerful effort was just too high.


 Liverpool worked their way back into the game shortly after, with Courtois making two fine saves to deny Nunez and Cody Gakpo.

But after the break, the Reds failed to create anything of note as they failed to breakdown a well-organised Real side who continued to press for a goal with Benzema and Federico Valverde both missing from close range.

Eventually, with just over 10 minutes to go, the ball did find the back of the net through Benzema tapping home after Vinicius managed to flick the ball into his captain’s path.

It was the Ballon d’Or winner’s 89th Champions League goal, though it came at a cost with the striker injurying himself in the process – just days before Real are set to play arch-rivals Barcelona.

As for Liverpool, the Champions League was their final shot at winning a major trophy this season and now the best they can hope for is finishing in the Premier League top four.

In Wednesday’s other game, Napoli reached the quarter-final stage for the first time in their history after beating Frankfurt 3-0 (5-0 on aggregate).

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Key Takeaways from the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos
In the face of significant casualties against Israel, Hamas enlists 15,000 new combatants.
China's DeepSeek AI Innovation Threatens U.S. Supremacy in Artificial Intelligence
Storm Éowyn Brings 'Danger to Life' Warnings Across UK and Ireland
President Trump Orders Declassification of JFK, RFK, and MLK Assassination Records
President Trump Signs Executive Order to Bolster U.S. AI Leadership
Germany’s Democracy Under Strain: Political Labeling Sparks Free Speech Concerns
The Trump Era 2: A Time of Dramatic and Profound Change
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink Suggests Bitcoin Could Reach $700,000 with Increased Institutional Investment
Leaked Documents Reveal Google's Collaboration with Israeli Defense Forces During Gaza Conflict
Trump to Announce $500 Billion AI Infrastructure Investment
Dear President Donald Trump, I want to assure you that this fraud does NOT reflect the opinions of the majority of decent British citizens.
Olaf Scholz vs. Elon Musk: A Battle Over Common Sense, Which Scholz Appears to Be Missing
EU’s Overregulation Drives Innovation Collapse and Brain Drain
Five Billionaires on Track to Break One Trillion Dollar Wealth Barrier
TikTok Restored in the U.S. Following Trump inauguration
Bill Ackman Praises Social Media Platform X as 'The New Media'
Argentina Achieves Record Trade Surplus in 2024 Under President Milei
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Proposes Rome as European Union Capital
France Urges EU to Act on Musk's Political Influence as Tensions Rise
Former Special Forces Blast Defense Ministry for Revealing Sensitive Details
Celebrity Responses to California Wildfires: Charity, Criticism, and Controversy
The Wildfires of Los Angeles: A Devastating Impact on Celebrities and California's Leadership
Tragic Loss: Teenager's Death Sparks Community Reflection in Bedford and London
UK Government Proposes Cap on Resale Ticket Prices to Combat Touts
Greenland's Future Caught in Diplomatic Crossfire Between Trump and Europe
EU Prepared to Lead Support for Ukraine Amid US Uncertainty, Says Estonian Prime Minister
Brompton E-Bike Component Diverted to UK Military Drone Production, Causes Delays
Romanian Gang Convicted of Human Trafficking and Exploitation in Dundee
Persistent Cold Snap Grips the UK: Severe Frost and Snow Disrupt Daily Life
Germany Faces Alarming Rise in Homelessness, New Report Shows
China’s Appetite for Salmon: A Game Changer in Global Seafood Markets
Russian Bots Allegedly Amplified NATO Critic Prior to Croatian Election, Researchers Reveal
Armenia Considers EU Membership Referendum Amid Strained Ties with Russia
French Finance Minister Explores Pension Reform Compromise to Secure Budget Agreement
Armenia Considers EU Referendum Amid Growing Rift with Russia
New Wildfire Ignites in Los Angeles as Region Battles Devastating Blazes
The Espionage Unraveled: A Russian Spy Network's Intricacies in the UK
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Trump's Bid to Delay Sentencing in Hush Money Case
UK Financial Markets Remain Calm Amid Rising Government Borrowing Costs
Stellantis Achieves UK Electric Vehicle Sales Mandate Amid Factory Closure
TikTok Faces Potential Ban in the United States Amid Security Concerns
Pound Plummets to 14-Month Low Amid Concerns Over UK Borrowing Costs
Tensions Rise Over Planned Pro-Palestinian March in London
Bomb Scare in Central London: Abandoned Car Sparks Panic Near Regent Street
Police Seek Suspect in Antisemitic Incident at Liverpool Street Station
Regulatory Reprimand for London Charity Over Fundraising for Israeli Soldier
The Duchess of Sussex Mourns Devastating Loss of Beloved Rescue Dog
From Chairman to Controversial Politician: Rupert Lowe's Journeys in Business and Politics
Metropolitan Police Halts Pro-Palestine March Near BBC Due to Proximity to Synagogue
×