From 6-1 to 0-1
Posted on 01. Mar, 2009 by Borris Becker in Real Madrid Football Club, UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
This is exactly what happened to Real Madrid. Though we performed well in both matches yet lost the second game against Liverpool (home match in Champions League) which puts us a in a difficult situation right now as we will now have to beat Liverpool at Anfield (Liverpool’s home ground).
Last week, Real Madrid played perfect football, we created chances, scored and defended well though Casillas did not have the best of the nights back then. Huntelaar scored, Higuain, Raul, Ramos, it was all going well and Real Madrid looked to be well prepared for Liverpool as Juande Ramos used his substitutions to save his men for the Liverpool clash.
Before the match agaisnt Liverpool, I thought to myself that, Real Madrid are atleast going to get a draw here as Liverpool were withought Gerrard and a fully fit Torres (looked tired and jaded throughout the match, may be its just me, because he has never played well against Real Madrid, even when he was at liverpool).
Real Madrid attacked in the game against Liverpool throughout the game and Liverpool just sat back and played such a dirty game. All they know is how to defend and kick players. Robben was marked very tight and even when he dribbled past one or two players, Macherano (Liverpool’s midfield defensive dog) hacked him down to the ground.
There were many reasons why Real Madrid lost to Liverpool. Major ones were playing Heinze in this match (I do not know how many times Heinze has cost us big games because of his stupid mistakes). Heinze made a needless and silly foul in a very dangerous position on the 80th minute mark and Liverpool scored from it.
The defense was not the best at marking on that particular situation but Heinze did no favors to Real Madrd by giving away the free kick. It was just pure absurdity. The ball was high up in the air with Heinze fighting for the best position to head the ball and instead of trying to head the ball, he fouled the opponents player.
I changed the channel as I knew that Real Madrid always get into trouble whenever there is a late free kick in a important match near to their penalty area. 1 minute later when I switched back on, it was 0-1 and guess what, of all the tall people in the world Benayoun scored for Liverpool from a free header.
The commentator rightly said that Heinze must be livid with himself as what he thought as a harmless last minute foul, turned into a goal for Liverpool who defended all night and did not create any chances at all. Real Madrid missed 2 sitters, if we assume that Van Nistelrooy had the ball in those moments.
I was not impressed with Robben, though he did make some fabulous runs down the right hand side but I think Rafa Benetiz must have breifed Liverpool players of Robben’s tendency to drift inside the right flank and Macherano was always waiting for Robben to make that move so that he could lash at him to take the posession.
Apart from Robben, Real Madrid did not pose an attacking threat and I do not think that Real Madrid will be able to beat Liverpool at their own backyard with this team. If Sergio Ramos and Sneijer come up with some extra ordinary performances then that is another thing.
Liverpool just have so much quality and desire. I do not think that they will get complacent and allow Real Madrid to get back into the tie, they are too good for that and I think Steven Gerrard will also be fit for that match so it is going to be a little more difficult than it already is.
For me, Diarra was Real Madrid’s man of the match, he really put in some hard strides there. Physically, only Diarra was the one who could match Liverpool’s physical game on the pitch.
One more thought, I thouhg Juventus played some ugly football (actually, they did play some ugly football) but Liverpool have given a new meaning to the word UGLY. Man, they bored me to death. No attack, just defend and smack people of the ball.
I have never seen such hideous and unsightly, football on the pitch than last night save for the Liverpool Chelsea clashes and what was even more ugly, was that after the match Benayoun said they came to Madrid to win the match. Yeahhh, riggght….. one chance throughout the match and that too on a ugly header. That certainly does not sound like a team who played attacking football.
I was watching this match on SuperSports and the commentators there were really really biased. I know Real Madrid are not the strongest side in Europe at the moment and the remarks made by these english commentators did not impress me at all. What’s the name of that fella…….oh yeah, Andy Grey I think it was.
He talking real crap about Real Madrid and how Liverpool dominated the game. Real Madrid had the better chances throughout the match while Liverpool played 90 minutes inside their own half and his remarks were that Real Madrid did not pose any serious threat on Liverpool’s goal and that Liverpool should give less respect to Real Madrid.
Do not know, why these people hate Real Madrid so much, is it because Real Madrid has won this tournament 9 times and Liverpool have just won it 5 times or is it because they want to damage the brand that is Real Madrid.
Anyway, the bottom line is that we lost the match and now we must focus on our league games rather than mourn about the missed chances against Liverpool. One thing that can and SHOULD be learned from this game is that Heinze should be kicked out of Real Madrid. His average rating would be 1 out of 10. Performs well in a 1 match out of 10.
Which sucks, I mean, literally, it was because of Heinze that we lost the game.
I hope Real Madrid can win against Espanyol tonight so that we can put some more pressure on Barcelona by narrowing the gap to 4 points. One more news is that Liverpool lost 2-0 against Middlesbrough in EPL today.
Haha, that is what I call a sucker punch. Liverpool must have thought that Middilebrough was probably the only team they could attack, they tried and failed horribly. 2-0 for Middlebrough and this puts Liverpool out of the league title race OFFICIALLY.
HALA MADRID.
