Liverpool Stars Shine Bright as Reds Demolish Real Madrid in Stunning Upset Victory

Liverpool dominated throughout the evening and secured a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid at Anfield, claiming consecutive wins for the first time since September.

Despite Thibaut Courtois's valiant efforts to keep Liverpool at bay, Alexis Mac Allister managed to power a header beyond the Belgian keeper just past the hour mark, delivering what would become the decisive goal.

Arne Slot fielded his strongest lineup and outmaneuvered Xabi Alonso tactically, inflicting the Real Madrid manager's first Champions League loss since taking charge of Los Blancos.

The electric atmosphere at Anfield perfectly complemented the energy Slot's squad displayed on the field throughout the match. The Premier League leaders secured a thoroughly deserved victory following several exceptional individual displays.

Next up for the Reds is a home fixture against Nottingham Forest ahead of the November international window.

Individual player assessments from the match are listed below.

Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Real Madrid (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili—7.6: An untroubled evening for Mamardashvili. Performed admirably when required to step up.

RB: Conor Bradley—8.0: The youth product delivered another outstanding display against Real Madrid for the second consecutive campaign. He executed an excellent job neutralizing Vinícius Júnior.

CB: Ibrahima Konaté—7.3: Ibou appeared assured at the back, effectively containing his in-form France teammate Kylian Mbappé across the entire match.

CB: Virgil van Dijk—6.9: Liverpool's captain seldom needed to step in, cruising through the contest with minimal effort.

LB: Andy Robertson—7.4: A composed display from the Scottish defender patrolling the left side, although Real Madrid seldom challenged him on that flank.

CM: Ryan Gravenberch—7.3: Always positioned correctly and his six successful ball recoveries led all players on the field.

CM: Alexis Mac Allister—8.3: He controlled the midfield battle, neutralizing Arda Güler and capped his display by netting against Los Blancos for the second consecutive campaign.

RW: Mohamed Salah—7.4: Álvaro Carreras consistently outdueled Salah throughout the evening, limiting his impact on Liverpool's offensive play.

AM: Dominik Szoboszlai—8.1: Another exceptional showing from the Hungarian midfielder. Despite being thwarted by Thibaut Courtois's goalkeeping excellence, he provided Liverpool's match-winner with a superb cross.

LW: Florian Wirtz—7.9: An encouraging performance from the summer signing, departing the match after generating the most threatening opportunities of the night with five chances created. Possibly his finest display in Liverpool kit.

ST: Hugo Ekitiké—6.3: A challenging evening for the striker, wrestling with Madrid's central defenders throughout without any clear scoring opportunities. He also showed poor touch when in possession.

Unused substitutes:Kornel Misciur (GK), Freddie Woodman (GK), Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo, Rio Ngumoha.

Real Madrid (4-1-4-1)

Starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Federico Valverde, Éder Militão, Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras;Aurélien Tchouaméni;Eduardo Camavinga,Arda Güler, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior; Kylian Mbappé.

Substitutions made: Rodrygo, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Brahim Díaz.

Player of the Match: Alexis Mac Allister

Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid: How Events Unfolded at Anfield

Arne Slot implemented only one modification to the team that concluded Liverpool's poorest domestic streak in over seven decades with a 2-0 triumph over Aston Villa the previous weekend. Gakpo was replaced by Wirtz in the starting eleven against former boss Xabi Alonso.

The opening half-hour featured intense competition with minimal action in either penalty box. Szoboszlai created the evening's first significant opportunity when played through on goal, but Courtois reacted swiftly to preserve the deadlock with an outstanding stop.

A disputed call prevented Liverpool from earning a possible penalty. Tchouaméni seemed to handle a shot, but the official ruled the Frenchman's contact insufficient for a spot kick following an extended VAR review.

Mac Allister and Szoboszlai persisted with attempts from distance before halftime, but the Belgian shot-stopper maintained his impressive form between the posts.

The Courtois masterclass continued immediately after the restart. This time van Dijk saw his close-range attempt denied by the Real Madrid keeper with another spectacular save.

Liverpool's persistence finally yielded the breakthrough goal. A precise delivery from Szoboszlai was met aerially by Mac Allister, who powered a header past Courtois 63 minutes into the contest.

The Reds continued neutralizing Real Madrid's attacking threats. Slot's team defended with determination and composure. Liverpool actually created the most dangerous chances in the closing stages.

The substitution of former Liverpool star Alexander-Arnold only energized the passionate Anfield supporters during the final 10 minutes.

Ultimately, Mac Allister's header proved sufficient to end Real Madrid's flawless record in the 2025-26 Champions League group stage, beating Los Blancos at Anfield for the second straight season.

Liverpool vs. Real Madrid Halftime Statistics

Liverpool vs. Real Madrid Final Statistics