Liverpool's forgettable season

The English club's turbulent season came to a predictable end as they suffered a resounding defeat against Real Madrid at Anfield.

By: Leey

03/16/2023 08:56

Liverpool's Champions League campaigns have consistently been thwarted by Madrid-based clubs. In four out of the last five seasons, "The Kop" have faced either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the knockout rounds and have been left with a sense of resentment. The only season in which Liverpool did not encounter either of these teams in the Champions League knockout stages was the season they went on to win the tournament (2018-19).

There is no mirace

Coach Jurgen Klopp's team went into the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 with a fragile belief that they could stage a comeback. If any team was ready to turn the tide at the Bernabeu, it was Liverpool. However, as many had predicted, the pressing and attacking style of the Port City club once again faltered against Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid.

For the first time in thirty years, Liverpool lost by such a large margin in the knockout stage of the Champions League. They exited the competition this season after being eliminated by "Los Blancos" with an aggregate score of 2-6 over two matches. Real Madrid played cautiously in the second leg and only managed to score one goal, mostly because they had won 5-2 at Anfield.

Liverpool have been in an unstable form this season

Liverpool once pulled off a remarkable comeback after losing 0-3 to Barcelona in the semi-finals of the 2018/19 Champions League. However, that was when Klopp's team was at their peak, and they played the second leg at Anfield, buoyed by the passionate support of their home fans.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, are a different proposition altogether. Coach Ancelotti's team played a pragmatic style of football and completely dominated the match. If the Spanish giants did not waver when they were trailing 0-2 to Liverpool in the first leg, it will be difficult for them to squander their advantage of winning 5-2 in the second leg.

The second leg lacked any exciting score chase as Real Madrid's pragmatism and sobriety suffocated the visitors' hopes of staging a comeback. Coach Ancelotti understands the importance of navigating through the unpredictable nights of European football. It was 18 years ago when Liverpool famously beat Ancelotti's AC Milan in the unforgettable Champions League final in Istanbul.

That "fanciful Istanbul night" will forever be etched in the memories of Liverpool fans when their team staged a miraculous comeback, equalizing and winning on penalties after being down 0-3. Coach Ancelotti once stated that it was one of the nightmares he never forgot throughout his career. That experience led the Italian strategist to approach the Champions League round of 16 second-leg match with an emotionless demeanor.

"Los Blancos" defended tightly, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack against Liverpool. It was a boring and predictable scenario, but Real Madrid is a team that specializes in such tactics.

Liverpool's problems

Losing themselves

The current Liverpool team is a far cry from the one that faced Barcelona four years ago. They can no longer maintain the same level of passionate and attacking football that they displayed during their heyday. This current version of "The Kop" appears sluggish and lifeless.

Liverpool is no longer maintain their form

Just three days before their defeat at the Bernabeu, Liverpool suffered a 0-1 loss to Bournemouth. Even with coach Jurgen Klopp fielding their best strikers, Liverpool still struggled to create any meaningful chances and lacked inspiration throughout the match. As a result, they do not appear to pose much of a threat to the reigning Spanish champions.

Only Salah is not enough

Salah could not score to help Liverpool in the 0-1 defeat against Real Madrid

Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota are both safe, so Mohamed Salah alone cannot save the team. In contrast to Roberto Firmino, Cody Gakpo exhibits immaturity. The individual deterioration of Liverpool's offensive players is a symptom of a bigger issue.

Coach Klopp is powerless

Coach Klopp is struggling to inspire his team this season. The vibrant and passionate football that became his trademark has become blurred, and Real Madrid's defense had little trouble handling Liverpool in the second leg. Their style of play has become too monotonous and predictable.

Coach Klopp

Klopp's eighth season at Liverpool is likely to end on a sad note. The team's focus will now shift to securing a place in the Champions League for next season. If "The Kop" fails to finish in the Premier League's top 4 by the end of the season, Klopp's future at the club may be called into question.

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Written by: Leey

Leey is the reporter for Betimate. She currently has a series of articles about football. She specializes in researching football data to come up with evaluations about the tournament and predictions about the matches.