Liverpool 1 – 0 Real Madrid: the culprits behind the defeat are named | OneFootball

Liverpool – Real Madrid: scapegoats singled out after the defeat

Liverpool 1 – 0 Real Madrid: the culprits behind the defeat are named

Real Madrid suffered their first defeat of the season in the Champions League, falling 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield. And if the scoreline flatters the Madrid side, they owe it almost entirely to Thibaut Courtois, whose heroic performance kept them in the game. Without the Belgian goalkeeper, the damage could have been far worse.

Courtois saves face as others collapse

The verdict is unanimous in the Spanish press: Courtois was the backbone, standing almost alone. With several decisive saves, he held off the inevitable for as long as possible before conceding to a strike from Alexis Mac Allister.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid showed worrying fragility against a Liverpool side that dominated in every area. The defence, particularly the Militão – Huijsen partnership, struggled in aerial duels, while Madrid's midfield was overwhelmed by the Reds' relentless intensity.

Senior players under fire

While Mbappé and Bellingham were described as "willing but powerless," others did not escape criticism. Camavinga, unrecognisable, lost more duels than he won and was particularly sloppy in distribution. Vinicius Jr tried in vain to make a difference, often neutralised by Conor Bradley.The dailies AS and Marca denounce a Real team that's “strong against the weak, but weak against the strong,” a worrying trend as the next European fixtures approach. Xabi Alonso is now in the spotlight: he must quickly find answers for a side that, without Courtois, would have crumbled at Anfield.