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Large winner in the first leg (2-5), Real Madrid resisted and beat Liverpool at home to win a place in the quarter-finals (1-0). Benzema scored the only goal of the match.
The club king of football triumphs again. In a remake of the Champions League-2022 final, Real Madrid triumphed over Liverpool at home, confirming their first-leg superiority (1-0, aggregate score 6-2).
“We are here to try to win this match. As difficult as it may seem, it is possible. Not probable, but possible,” Jürgen Klopp had said in a pre-match press conference. Despite the mountain to be overturned due to the 5-2 home defeat in the first leg, the Reds manager assured him : qualification remained possible.
An intense first half
On the field too, his players show a conquering face in the first moments. Salah leads by example and will press the Madrid defense very high. Salah takes over Rüdiger who finds himself on the ground. The Egyptian plays in the axis for the race of Nunez who stumbles on Courtois in the box on his attempt with the right foot (7th).
Real, however, do not want to be content to wait for their opponent in the evening. The defending champion is gaining momentum and begins to impose his law. Allisson shines : first by capturing a shot from 25 meters from Toni Kroos (13th) then by saving on his line a shot from Vinicius (15th). It is then the crossbar that keeps the Reds in the game on a powerful strike from Camavinga (25th).
Thibaut Courtois also must shine in a match that goes from one goal to another. He blocks a header from Darwin Nunez (31st) then places magnificent horizontals to deflect the horizontal shot from Daniel Carvajal (33rd) and Gakpo (36th).e).
As the minutes pass, hopes of a comeback dwindle for Liverpool. But when they returned from the locker room, it was Real Madrid who failed to take the lead. Left in the back of the defense, Vinicius gives the ball to Benzema with the outside of the foot but Van Dijk comes back from nowhere (51st). Valverde then Benzema then collided with the Alisson wall (53rd).
129 – Karim Benzema will make his 129th appearance for Real Madrid in the Champions League, equaling Sergio Ramos for third place in appearances for Los Blancos behind Iker Casillas (150) and Raúl (130). Sir. #RMALIV pic.twitter.com/bYltFAvMYI
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) March 15, 2023
Jürgen Klopp throws all his forces into battle: Roberto Firmino replaces Darwin Nunez while the young Eliott takes the place of Diego Jota. But the Reds remain powerless to change their destiny. It is even Benzema who ends up finding the fault in this match. While the Frenchman is back to goal, the ball is intercepted by Van Dijk. Vinicius recovers and hands over to Benzema who concludes (78th, 1-0).
The remake of the 2022 Champions League final therefore comes to the same conclusion: a clear victory for Real Madrid which advances to the quarter-finals of its favorite competition which it has already won 14 times.