Liverpool Maintain Perfect Record, Hand Real Madrid Shocking Defeat in Champions League
PARIS: Liverpool are the only team with a perfect record in this season’s Champions League after defeating Real Madrid 2-0 in a high-stakes match on Wednesday. The win saw the reigning champions drop to a stunning 24th place in the 36-team standings, leaving them on the brink of elimination.
The defeat was particularly painful for Real’s new signing Kylian Mbappé, who had a penalty saved in the second half and was also embarrassed by a brilliant tackle from Conor Bradley. The moment went viral as Mbappé was left on the ground by Bradley’s perfectly timed challenge.
Liverpool, with a flawless 15 points from five matches, are now clear favorites in their group and remain the Premier League leaders. Their next challenge comes Sunday when they face struggling Manchester City at Anfield.
Under the guidance of first-year coach Arne Slot, Liverpool sit two points ahead of Inter Milan. Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund both have 12 points each, while Real’s loss leaves them shockingly near elimination with three rounds still to play. The top eight teams at the end of the group stage automatically advance to the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th will enter two-leg playoffs in February.
Real Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti downplayed the significance of the loss, saying, “Even with a win, it was going to be tough to secure a top-eight finish. It was a fair result.”
Dortmund and Monaco Push for Top Spots
Dortmund moved into fourth place with a dominant 3-0 win at Dinamo Zagreb, where Jamie Gittens, Ramy Bensebaini, and Serhou Guirassy were all on the scoresheet. Monaco, however, missed the chance to move up to second place after a 3-2 defeat at home to Benfica. Despite taking an early lead, Monaco were reduced to 10 men and couldn’t hold off Benfica’s late rally.
Aston Villa’s Playoff Hopes Dented
Aston Villa, who had won their opening three Champions League matches, were held to a 0-0 draw by Juventus, leaving them outside the top eight on goal difference. The match saw Villa denied in stoppage time when a Morgan Rogers goal was ruled out for a foul on Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.
PSV’s Dramatic Comeback
PSV Eindhoven staged an incredible late comeback, overcoming 10-man Shakhtar Donetsk 3-2 at home. Trailing 2-0 with just minutes left, PSV scored three goals in quick succession to claim the victory. Malik Tillman’s late free-kick and a long-range strike in the 90th minute leveled the score before Ricardo Pepi’s goal in added time secured the win.
Struggles for Other Teams
Celtic managed a 1-1 draw with Club Brugge, with Daizen Maeda’s stunning strike earning a point after an own goal by Cameron Carter-Vickers gifted Brugge the lead. Red Star Belgrade also earned their first win of the group stage, crushing VfB Stuttgart 5-1 at home.
The Anfield Clash
At Anfield, Liverpool continued their impressive form, with Conor Bradley playing a pivotal role in defense and Alexis Mac Allister scoring the opening goal after a clever one-two with Bradley. Real had the chance to equalize after a penalty was awarded, but Mbappé’s shot was denied by Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. Mohamed Salah missed a penalty shortly after, but Cody Gakpo sealed the win with a header from Andy Robertson’s cross in the 76th minute.
Ancelotti offered support to Mbappé, saying, “This is a difficult moment for him. We will support him and give him love.”
Looking Ahead
Real Madrid, who have now lost three of their last five matches, will face another tough challenge against Atalanta on December 10. In the same round, Liverpool will visit Girona, where they look set to continue their dominant form and push for a place in the round of 16.
Other Results:
- Dortmund: 3-0 win at Dinamo Zagreb.
- Monaco: 2-3 loss to Benfica after being reduced to 10 men.
- Lille: 2-1 win at Bologna.
- PSV Eindhoven: 3-2 comeback win over Shakhtar Donetsk.
- Red Star Belgrade: 5-1 win against VfB Stuttgart.
- Sturm Graz: 1-0 win against Girona.
