Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, right, celebrates with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)Liverpool vs Real Madrid Highlights: There was no historic comeback for Liverpool. Real Madrid’s title defense in the Champions League rolls into the quarterfinals. Liverpool never really came close to overcoming its three-goal deficit from the first leg against the titleholders at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Wednesday, losing 1-0 to end its hopes of another run to the final.
Karim Benzema scored late and Madrid advanced to the last eight for the third straight season with a 6-2 aggregate score following a 5-2 win from the first leg in England, when it rallied from two goals down early in the first half.
Benzema scored from close range after a pass by Vinícius Júnior in the 79th minute. The France striker, who had missed Madrid’s Spanish league win against Espanyol last weekend because of an injury, has scored 13 goals in his last eight Champions League knockout stage matches.
Follow RMA vs LIV highlights from Santiago Bernabeu below
Liverpool take on Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. (Twitter)
Lovely ball from Lucas Vasquez as Rodrygo's shot is blocked. Checking for a potential hand ball now. Tsimikas does not look too pleased and the referee will check the monitor. It had a deflection on his leg and hit his hand. And no penalty. Fair decision. Late drama to end this tie. And peep peep. The final whistle. Real are through. Liverpool are out
90 mins are up and there probably won't be too much added time. And yes, just 2 mins added. Liverpool are looking at elimination as Real is surely through to the next round
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Alexander Arnold with a late corner and that has looped over behind the goal and out. Just the kind of day it has been for Liverpool.
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Two more subs for Real as Vinicius Junior and Toni Kroos is off and replaced by Marco Asensio and Aurelien Tchouameni. Ancelotti probably keeping his players fresh for Sunday's Clasico.
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Changes for Real Madrid now as Luka Modric is off and Dani Ceballos is on. Benzema is also taken off as Rodrygo comes in to see off these last 10 mins.
And finally a goal. Real Madrid score and the tie is beyond Liverpool. Nice ball by Camavinga to Benzema whose pass gets to Vinicius. He throws his feet to it but misses but picks out Benzema who finishes it off.
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Free kick for Liverpool after Militao fouls Gakpo. Robertson floats it in the box and it's safely gathered by Courtoius. Another chance gone.
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20 mins to go and Liverpool still trail by 3 goals. The tie looks done and dusted except if Liverpool can pull off the mother of all comebacks,. But looks very unlikely at the moment.
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Real with all the ball at the moment as Liverpool struggle to get it off them. A sense of urgency from the Reds as Real are content to just keep position and catch Liverpool out on a break. Benzem, eanwhile, shoots over the bar again.
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Modric with the ball near the flanks, plays a delightful lob towards Valverde. He humps well but it's just over the bar. Close for Real.
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Salah gets the ball and plays a wayward cross, miles over the head of an on rishing Firmino. Not a good game tonight for Liverpool's Egyptian king.
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Changes for Liverpool as Harvey Elliot and Roberto Firmino is on for Diogo Jotqa and Darwin Nunez.
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Here comes Vinicius again and he feeds it to Benzema who shoots and the ball is blocked. Gets to Vinicius and it has hit his ar. Free kick for Liverpool.
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And Valverde is in through. Just Alisson to beat and he has hit it straight at the keeper. Gets the ball back and feeds Benzema who shoots it at Alisson.
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Tackles a flying all around as players in red and white tumble all over the ground. The referee, meanwhile, is keeping the cards in his pocket. Nothing looked malicious though.
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Early corner for Liverpool as Jota forces the Real defender to concede the set piece. Nothing off the corner as Real defend.
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The players are back out with Liverpool having a mountain to climb. The Reds will get the ball rolling for the second half.
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2 mins have been added on and Liverpool haven't scored a goal. Does not really bode well for the Merseysiders. They have one foot out of the door. Just 45 left. Remember, they had pulled back a 0-3 deficit in the 2005 UCL final in the 2nd half at Istanbul. Can they pull another miracle off tonight?
A bit of pushing, shoving and pulling going on in the Liverpool ,box as Valverde pulls atr Konate's jersy and takes him down. Liverpool get a foul.
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Both teams are jockeying for position but Real are the ones getting free kicks as Liverpool's press is too strong as Real players tumble to the ground in every part of the field.
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Here comes Vinicius Junior again, flies down the left flank, cuts inside and gets his shot away. A very tame effort which is saved by Alisson. In the other end, Gakpo gets the ball in the Real penalty box, shoots and Coutois saves.
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Nunez with a terrific effort. Gets the ball in the left flank, cuts inside and shoots. Coutois needed to stretch all the way to keep that one out.
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Fabinho gets the ball in the midfield and lobs it towards Nunez who gets a head to it but it's cake walk for a goalie of Coutois' calibre.
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Half an hour played and we are still goalless. Real Madrid have had the better of the chances but both teams could have scored. Liverpool wish they had because time is running out.
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Foul on Valverde as Milner came in late. Taken quickly and reaplay a few quick passes before liverpool take possession back and hooves if out for a throw.
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Vinicius gets the ball in what looked like an offside position but he maraudes inside the Liverpool box, gets his shot away and now there's a flag.
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Another shot from near the Liverpool box and this time it was a rocket from Modric. It flies over the bar though. Liverpool are playing with fire at the moment, giving Real so much space near their goal.
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Ohhhh!!! Camavinga has a shot from near the edge of the Liverpool penalty box and that has hit the bar. Might have had a touch of Alisson's fingertips as well. Liverpool breathe easy again.
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Vinicius is proving to be quite a handfull for Liverpool to manage as he weaves and eludes past the Liverpool players leading to them fouling the sprightly Brazilian.
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Real with a dangerous move again as a Liverpool set piece turns into a Real counter. Vinicius lobs the ball straight at Benzema whose control lets him down as he gets pushged wide for a corner. Vinicius almost scorees from it but Alisson saves.
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A little bit of pinballing going on near the Liverpool penalty box with the ball making its way to Kroos who hits a voley first time and it's gobbled up by Alisson.
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Real Madrid look dangerous as Liverpool lose the ball in their third of the field. Vinicius gets the ball, gives it to Kross whose cutback is behind Benzema and Liverpool can clear.
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Huge chance for Liverpool as Salah takes the ball off Rudiger, feeds it to Darwin Nunez who shoots straight at Courtois. That';s more like it from the Merseyside outfit
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Real Madrid keeping the ball as Liverpool struggle to get a foot in. Not what Liverpool wanted in these initial stages. They concede a corner. Nothing off it.
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Benzema is fed straight away. One on one with Alisson. Looked miles off but no flag at the momet. He gets his shot away and here comes the flag finally.
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The toss is done and Benzema and Milner shake hands. And here we go!!! Liverpool get us rolling.
The players are out of the tunnel. They now line up side by side as the air fills with the iconic music of the Champions League theme. There's something about this theme that makes you sit up and take notice.
The players are all warmed up and are heading towards their dressing rooms. They'll be back soon dressed in their war armour as the kick off time grows closer and closer.
Karim Benzema will be making his 129th UCL appearence for Real Madrid tonight tying him with Sergio Ramos. Only Iker Casillas (150) and Raul (130) have played more Champions League games for Real Madrid
James Milner will be the oldest Englishman (37d 70d) to start in a Champions League match since David Beckham in April 2013 (37y 335d)
Real's last ten-year European record: 2021/22: winners, 2020/21: semi-finals, 2019/20: round of 16, 2018/19: round of 16, 2017/18: winners, 2016/17: winners, 2015/16: winners, 2014/15: semi-finals, 2013/14: winners, 2012/13: semi-finals
Liverpool's ten-year European record: 2021/22: runners-up, 2020/21: quarter-finals, 2019/20: round of
16, 2018/19: winners, 2017/18: runners-up, 2016/17: did not take part in UEFA competition, 2015/16: UEFA Europa League runners-up, 2014/15: UEFA Europa League round of 32 (having transferred from UEFA Champions League group stage), 2013/14: did not take part in UEFA competition, 2012/13: UEFA Europa League round of 32
The players are in the middle now warming up for one hell of a contest. If Liverpool can repeat the feat of scoring twice in the first 20 mins, like they did in Anfield, we have got a game on our hands.
“Three weeks ago after the game I said that with that result, Madrid were through to the next round,” Klopp told a news conference on Tuesday. “Now we know there’s a game to play. “(Even) if there’s only one percent chance (for us to overturn the result), I’d like to give it a try."
Liverpool beat Madrid 5-0 on aggregate in the 2008/09 round of 16. Rafael Benítez's Reds won the first leg 1-0 in Spain before completing a comfortable aggregate victory with a 4-0 success back on Merseyside – still Madrid's biggest UEFA Champions League defeat.
The only time Real Madrid have failed to advance in the Champions League after winning the first leg on the road was in 2019 when it was eliminated by Ajax in the round of 16.
Liverpool did manage a huge comeback at home in the 2019 semifinals, rallying against another Spanish club, Barcelona. It had lost 3-0 at the Camp Nou before pulling off a 4-0 win in the second leg at home to keep alive a run that eventually ended with the team winning the trophy. Only three other teams overcame a deficit of three or more goals — Barcelona, Roma and Deportivo La Coruña.
No away team has ever erased a three-goal loss from the first leg in the Champions League. Only five times the team that lost at home rallied in the second leg, with Manchester United the only one to overcome a two-goal deficit in a round-of-16 matchup against Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp does not have a favourable record against Real Madrid with the German losing 6 times in their 11 meetings. He has managed to win 3 and tie 2 against the Los Blancos.
This is Liverpool's 15th UEFA Champions League campaign; they have reached the final five times, lifting the trophy in 2005 and 2019.
This is Madrid's 27th UEFA Champions League campaign, a record they share with Barcelona – and an unrivalled 26th in a row. All 27 have now extended into the knockout rounds.
Carlo Ancelotti has faced Liverpool 17 times (W10 D4 L3) as a manager, including in two UEFA Champions League finals during his time in charge of AC Milan. His side lost the 2005 final in Istanbul on penalties having led 3-0 at half-time but beat the Reds 2-1 in Athens two years later. Ancelotti's Napoli side were also paired with Klopp's Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2018/19 and 2019/20 (W2 D1 L1).
Real Madrid have made 2 changes from the team that demolished Liverpool 5-2 at the Anfield with Tony Kroos and Nacho preferred in place of Rodrygo and David Alaba.
Liverpool have made 3 changes with Ibrahima Konate, Cody Gakpo and James Milner in the vteam in place of Jordan Henderson, Stefan Bajcetic and Joe Gomez.
Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Militão, Rüdiger, Camavinga, Nacho, Kroos, Modri?, Benzema, Valverde, Vinícius Júnior.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Gakpo, Nunez, Salah, Jota.
After playing Liverpool, Real Madrid have a tough few matches in their hands with them facing eternal rivals Barcelona on Sunday as well as on April 6 for a La Liga encounter and the Copa del Rey 2nd leg clash.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will be travelling to the Etihad to play Manchester City on April 1, then travel to Chelsea on April 5 and then to league leaders Arsenal on April 9. April might yet be the cruellest month for Jurgen Klopp's men.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, have had their share of problems outside the UCL where they have dropped points to Real Betis and Atletico Madrid while losing to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey 1st leg. They recently defeated Esapanyol 3-1 but will be wary of a wounded Liverpool team who have nothing to lose.
Liverpool has had a rather curious season thus far with their last two matches the embodiment of their inconsistent campaign. They thrashed Manchester United 7-0 in one week but lost 1-0 to lowly Bournemouth in the next. The factor of unpredicatability may play for them or against them as they take on the Los Blancos in a do or die UCL clash.