2008-2009 UEFA Champions League – Round Of 16: Liverpool Stun Madrid 1-0 At The Bernabeu
March 1st 2009 01:47
Similarly to the game opposing Manchester United and Inter Milan, the match between Liverpool and Real Madrid was a story of halves with each team dominating a part of the game.
Like Inter, Liverpool were unable to build anything from the midfield due to the tenacious work of Diarra and Gago. However, the Reds did a great job in containing Madrid's attack by preventing Robben from cutting to the inside where he is the most dangerous. Every time Robben started his run down the wing, a defender would follow him while a midfielder hovered near by so that the Dutch winger couldn't come back to the middle. With this simple adjustment, the visitors considerably reduced the threat of Madrid's offense. I think that Raul was trying too hard to go for headers in every set-piece situation. Sometimes, a chest control and a good first touch could be a lot more effective than diving in an impossible angle.
At the other end, with Gerrard on the bench, Liverpool relied too much on Fernando Torres, hoping that the striker would make some sort of magical move that would give them a goal. Unfortunately, in Madrid's back-four, Pepe was probably playing his best game of the season with well-timed tackles and a good sense of anticipation.
With Robben isolated from the action by Liverpool, Juande Ramos decided to replace Marcelo by Guti in order to have a playmaker on the field instead of relying too much on attacks from the flanks. Ramos also brought an adjustment to Robben's situation. When he had the ball, Sergio Ramos slipped past behind him to either draw a defender or cross the ball himself. Still, the substitution threw Madrid's offense off-the-kilter for awhile. Indeed, from the start of the second half, they really had only one 'functional' wing. The absence of Marcelo's speed on the left side provided a gaping hole for Yossi Benayoun who could easily use his pace to get by Heinze.
It was that same Benayoun who silenced the Santiago Bernabeu with a powerful header at the 81st minute on a free-kick. Casillas had already started his exit when the ball was struck, but Benayoun somehow found himself free in the players' movement inside the box, and crucified the goalkeeper.
So without Gerrard, the Reds have done the most important work on this leg, leaving no choice to Madrid when they'll travel to Anfield.
Real Madrid's line-up: Iker Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Fabio Cannavaro, Gabriel Heinze; Arjen Robben, Fernando Gago, Lassana Diarra, Marcelo (Guti, h-t); Gonzalo Higuain, Raul.
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