Arne Slot brutally exposes Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid – ‘They did what we expected’ | OneFootball

There is no denying the fact that it could have been a long and painful night for Real Madrid at Anfield if not for Thibaut Courtois. 

Despite his heroics, though, Alexis Mac Allister eventually found a way through, scoring the decisive goal that sealed victory for Liverpool.

The contrast between the two sides coming into the clash could not have been sharper, as Real Madrid arrived in England on the back of a strong domestic run. 

They were sitting comfortably at the top of La Liga, having suffered only one defeat all season. 

Liverpool, however, were in the middle of a crisis. Six defeats in their last eight games had thrown Arne Slot’s ambitious million project into question. 

The pressure was mounting, and the Dutch coach desperately needed a spark to turn things around. 

That spark came against Aston Villa, and it seems to have carried over into the clash with Madrid.

How did they beat Real Madrid?

Speaking recently, Slot offered a revealing explanation for Liverpool’s resurgence and, in doing so, cast doubt over Alonso’s tactical flexibility.

“We have achieved that level of performance in other games when the opponent’s style of play was comparable to that. 

“We always knew we could do it; I have shown them many times that when the styles of play were similar to ours, we could do the same against Madrid. 

“I was not surprised by how the two games went; it was helpful for us that the other team (Real Madrid) did what we expected them to do. 

“Madrid and Aston Villa did what we could expect, and I think that’s always useful,” said the defending Premier League manager.

Slot’s remarks were not just a reflection on his team’s performance, they also carried a subtle jab at Xabi Alonso. 

By suggesting Madrid were predictable, the Liverpool boss implied that his side had prepared specifically for Alonso’s tactical setup and exploited it with precision.