Liverpool vs Real Madrid has become something of a modern UEFA Champions League rivalry to look forward to.
Real Madrid have always seemed to have Liverpool’s number, inflicting some famous and painful losses.
The animosity stems from the infamous 2018 Champions League Final, in which Mohamed Salah was injured by Sergio Ramos, and Real Madrid went on to win the Champions League, completing an unprecedented three-peat.
Further fuel to the fire was added when Real Madrid once again usurped Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League Final and pinched one of Liverpool’s best academy talents in Trent-Alexander Arnold this past summer.
Lately, though, Liverpool have got the better of Los Blancos as they overpowered them last season in a gloriously chaotic match, winning 2-0 with Anfield roaring behind them.
Ahead of this week’s clash, Arne Slot was under huge pressure after a string of losses, but he successfully outsmarted Xabi Alonso as the Reds overwhelmed and thoroughly beat the La Liga giants.
Be it through their pressing, the restoration of the Dominic Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, and Ryan Gravenberch midfield trifecta, or Real Madrid’s lack of penetration, Liverpool were the better team, earning a decisive win and lifting the pressure off Slot.
In this tactical analysis, we will examine the key factors that led to Liverpool being the deserved winners.
Liverpool High Press On The Wings
The manner in which Liverpool’s press smothered Real Madrid and forced turnovers for Liverpool is a lot more complex than just pressing high on the flanks.
Real Madrid’s options to progress the ball were severely limited.
This is largely because when Real Madrid had the ball wide or broke down a Liverpool attack deep in their own half, Liverpool were encouraged to press them high up the pitch.
It’s something they are more inclined to do at Anfield, but the danger and effectiveness come from specifically smothering Madrid into one corner of the pitch.
Normally, if teams press high, they press teams when they have the ball in defence, but squeezing a team in one corner gives them next to no options to get the ball out.
Take this example, early on in the ninth minute, where Dean Huijsen tackled Florian Wirtz.
However, the Germans’ persistence in winning the ball back, backed up by three Liverpool players in one zone of the pitch, gives Huijsen two options: kick the ball down the byline or out of play.
Neither ends up happening.
Wirtz steals the ball from him and cuts the ball back to Mac Allister, who blasts his shot over.
Below is another pertinent example.
There are nine players near the corner flag, separated by around 15 yards, which is utterly remarkable.
There is almost no out ball here, even for the elite level of ability the Real Madrid players possess.
As they hunt in packs, Liverpool force Real Madrid into one zone of the pitch again.
Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga are trying to support, but frankly, there isn’t a way out.
As it so happens, Arda Güler ends up flicking the ball up and over-head kicking it away rather shockingly, so they do get out of the press.
But when the ball falls to Éder Militão, he hoofs it long to clear his lines.
This is what happens when you create periods of sustained pressure.
Militao was not composed enough because he just wanted to get rid of the ball and prevent another Liverpool attack.
Shortly after the Brazilian clears the ball, Madrid break and have a counterattacking opportunity.
The problem with this is that if you receive so few of these amidst regular pressure from the opposition, you have to take the chance given.
The counterattack quickly broke down, and Szoboszlai had a shot saved by Thibaut Courtois.
The pressing was one aspect that Real Madrid struggled with, as it brought saves out of Courtois.
It’s wonderful to have a keeper in your ranks as good as him, but if a goalkeeper is making lots of saves in a match, it means you are under pressure.
Restoring The Liverpool Midfield
A significant reason why Liverpool were as terrific as they were last season was the underrated midfield trio of Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, and Mac Allister.
It’s a midfield that provides ingenuity, runs, and is absolutely terrific out of possession, which seems lost on many people.
The number of duels all three win or compete in is something analysts or fans rarely touch upon.
They routinely pick up yellow cards, but the trifecta have an underrated aggression and tenacity when all three play together.
Duels are crucial in the modern game, and when Liverpool plays their most physical matches, it’s no coincidence that the ones they win are when they play the midfield that served them successfully last season.
It also means Wirtz doesn’t have to occupy central zones, pick it up from deep, or do more work out of possession.
For instance, a lot of the positions Mac Allister and Szoboszlai took up were to mark Jude Bellingham.
Whilst Wirtz is good out of possession, the Argentinian and Hungarian are better suited to this.
It allows Wirtz to operate higher on the pitch and wide if needed, whilst still having space for Hugo Ekitike up front and Salah in his best position.
Look at the positioning of Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, and Gravenberch here.
One is following a striker trying to pin Liverpool’s defence, the other is following Güler, who has tried to move outside and find space in the half-space, whilst Szoboszlai is blocking the passing lane to Tchouaméni.
There are no central options for Real Madrid to pass to.
Liverpool have forced Güler to move away from the centre and look to go wide, even Andy Robertson can push up and close down the on-ball player in Valverde.
There are normally large gaps in the centre circle when Liverpool have been beaten this season, but using the midfield from last season makes them a much more compact and aggressive team that is tough to play against.
Lack Of Penetration For Real Madrid
It’s notable that Real Madrid came to Anfield with Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, Arda Güler, and Kylian Mbappé, yet failed to muster a shot on target in the second half.
They were dangerous in fleeting spells and barely mustered clear-cut chances in response to Liverpool peppering Courtois.
The image above summarises their attack, with almost everyone in front of Liverpool’s 4-4-2 shape.
There are three players in the centre, with Mbappé, Güler, and Bellingham all in the same spot, none making a run beyond or into the box.
The option here could be to stretch Liverpool wide, look for Valverde and Vinícius to stretch the full-backs, and find Güler or Mbappé in the box to try to get a cross on Bellingham’s head.
When Alonso brought Trent Alexander-Arnold on to a chorus of boos, Madrid started to cross the ball into the box more.
The tactic seemed more a matter of hope than expectation.
It was easy for Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk to head the ball out of the box.
Real Madrid don’t have a striker’s presence and have not had one since Joselu’s departure.
Mbappé is thriving in La Liga as the centre-forward because when Real Madrid are faced with a deep, low block, Alonso can find solutions from the bench or wait for one of his central attacking midfielders to pick the lock and find a ball in behind.
However, against astute teams in the Champions League, featuring some of the best defenders in the world, he may need a Plan B.
Conclusion
What does this game reveal to us, then?
It is worth noting that Liverpool struggle significantly against long balls, which is a key reason for their poor run of form.
Arne Slot highlighted this issue in a press conference, yet Real Madrid failed to deploy the tactic.
You could say Real Madrid don’t have a forward to get on the end of long balls, but Bellingham’s height and ability in the air beg to differ.
Also, in the game against Manchester United, the Red Devils utilised long balls not by winning aerial duels, but by capitalising on second balls whenever the first header was won.
Liverpool remain a force at Anfield, having secured two huge wins with the crowd behind them, playing against teams that opted to attack, rather than relying on long balls.
With the innovative way in which Pep Guardiola sets up and uses a range of different tactics, particularly this season, it will be interesting to see whether these two results are anything for the Reds to build on this weekend against Manchester City.
Though they aren’t entirely out of the woods yet, two wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid may get Liverpool’s season back on track.
