Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool are the supposed mentality monsters who have allowed Real Madrid to roam freely and with destructive intent in their heads.
If Jurgen Klopp deemed a rerun of the 2022 Champions League final to be “pure torture” then the latest instalment in an increasingly painful series of games between Liverpool and their unconquerable antagonist might forever go unwatched.
There is a moment in every inconceivable Real Madrid comeback which sums up their irresistible, unstoppable, ludicrous brilliance. The Luka Modric burst from midfield is their calling card, one last insult left imprinted on the psyche of the stricken. The Croatian, having spent most of the game reorganising every player like a Subbuteo set with his inimitable technique and control, suddenly finds the energy and impetus to drive past an opponent and into space to create a cherry-applying, exclamation mark-affixing denouement.
The only surprise is how soon the 37-year-old Modric temporarily traded his cigar and slippers for rocket-powered ballet shoes to tackle Fabinho in his own half and glance past a teenaged Stefan Bajcetic before releasing Vinicius Junior. The forward’s square pass and Karim Benzema’s footwork and finish was yet more routine magnificence as Liverpool conceded their fifth unanswered goal in 46 minutes, with just under a demoralising half-hour still to play. Los Blancos usually leave their escape acts until the closing stages but there was no need for late drama here.
This was a crushing defeat. Liverpool had never conceded four goals in a European game at Anfield. Liverpool had only once conceded five goals in a European game in any stadium, and that was in 1966. Vinicius Junior became the first player to score five goals against Liverpool in European Cup and Champions League history, then set Benzema up to become the first to reach the half dozen. Liverpool beat Real Madrid in their first three meetings but have now lost six of their last seven by an aggregate score of 4-16, drawing the other.
From the Sergio Ramos-fuelled collapse of 2018, to Naby Keita and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s nightmare of 2021, then the failure to launch in 2022 and now this: Joe Gomez’s public career examination. There is enough evidence to suggest that Real Madrid haunt the minds of the mentality monsters. The revenge dish will be practically frozen by the time Liverpool actually get around to serving it.
At least there was ample time to pay homage to the great…
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