Real Madrid suffered a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League, highlighting ongoing challenges under manager Xabi Alonso. Alexis Mac Allister scored the winner just past the hour mark, despite strong efforts from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The loss comes after Madrid's recent strong form in La Liga.
Real Madrid's Champions League campaign hit a snag with a narrow 1-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield, marking their second defeat at the venue in consecutive seasons. Under new head coach Xabi Alonso, who previously played for Liverpool from 2004 to 2009, Madrid entered the match on a high, having won three of three in the competition this season and 10 of 11 in La Liga, including a 2-1 victory over Barcelona in El Clasico.
However, the game exposed familiar issues. Madrid managed only two shots on target—one from Federico Valverde and one from Jude Bellingham—while Liverpool dominated with nine shots on target and an expected goals total of 2.51 to Madrid's 0.45. Kylian Mbappé, fresh off receiving the Golden Boot for last season's top European league scorer and with 18 goals in 14 club matches this term, struggled against Liverpool's center-backs Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk. Vinícius Júnior was similarly contained by Conor Bradley, registering no shots on goal, no successful crosses, and failing five of six dribbles.
Alonso's asymmetric 4-4-2 formation, effective against Barcelona, faltered as Madrid found it hard to break down Liverpool's deep defense. "We struggled to get to the final line," Alonso said post-match. "They were sitting deep, and we found it very difficult to cause them any damage in that area." Madrid made 50 ball recoveries compared to Liverpool's 48 and showed commitment, with Vinícius earning a yellow card for halting a counter-attack.
Substitutions came late and had limited impact. Eduardo Camavinga was replaced by Rodrygo in the 68th minute, but the Brazilian lost prominence this season with just 348 minutes played and no goals since March. Trent Alexander-Arnold, making his first appearance since a September hamstring injury, entered in the 81st for Arda Güler but appeared inhibited by the hostile crowd. Gonzalo García and Endrick received no minutes.
Courtois was standout, making three saves against Dominik Szoboszlai alone and preventing what could have been four goals. "Courtois was exceptional," said Van Dijk. Alonso acknowledged the need for growth: "The worrying thing is that we have to learn." The defeat follows heavier losses like 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in July's Club World Cup and 5-2 to Atlético Madrid in September, underscoring a lack of experience after departures of veterans like Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos.