Liverpool vs Real Madrid - Post Match

[Dhav]

Andrea Dossena

I like him, principally for two reasons:-

1. His reaction to his goal tonight showed he has a lot of passion and pride in playing for the club

2. Him being here means Riise is not

[Reece]

Spearing FTW!!!11

[red g]

not being biased obviously but i dont think i have seen a better 45minutes from anyone else this season.

[Reece]

not being biased obviously but i dont think i have seen a better 45minutes from anyone else this season.

A Spurs supporting friend of mine said to me the other day that he thought the Scum's first half in Milan the other week was the best performance he'd seen from an English team in Europe. Next time I see him I'll ask him if he's changed his mind because we were ****ing awesome

[wiw]

One Jay Spearing, there's only one Jay Spearing

That was incredible, watched it again when I got in

[MrMichael]

Have UEFA made any decision yet about ensuring we don't have to play on April 15th, or were they waiting until the outcome of the last 16?

Waiting for the outcome I believe, they've said they will "do their best".....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/19/liverpool-hillsborough-20th-anniversary-champions-league

A club spokesman confirmed: "We wrote to Uefa last year pointing out the significance of April 15th if we do get to the quarter-final, especially as it is the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. We have asked not to play on that date and that April 14 should be considered instead. Uefa has replied acknowledging the significance of the date and confirming they will do their best to support our request if we progress."

http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/article.html?Liverpool_ask_Uefa_for_switch_to_avoid_Hillsborough_anniversary&in_article_id=546328&in_page_id=43

A Uefa spokesman said: 'We have received a request and we will try our best to accommodate it, but we cannot guarantee at this stage that we will be able to."

[TheElephantMan]

What aggregate score did they predict they'd beat us by, wasn't it something like 5-1? They are ****e, but we were ****ing awesome. Aurelio, Arbeloa and Mascherano were outstanding. Gerrard and Torres weren't bad either! The whole team were fantastic. That was an even better performance than against Bolton, which considering the opposition tonight is just astonishing.

[-V-]

Wooohooooooooooooooo

****ing hell, who let the monster out to play?? He was amazing, they all were but that is the best i have ever seen from Mascherano

[pondus]

From Anfield Online:

Unreal Liverpool 4-0 Real Madrid
by Anfield Online | Wednesday 11th March 2009


UEFA Champions League
Last 16 2nd Leg (5-0 on aggregate)
Tue 10th March 2009 @ 7:45pm
Anfield

Torres celebrates with Gerrard as Liverpool beat Real Madrid 4-0


If we take a mini step back in time, the talk before the tie was by just how many goals would Real Madrid thrash Liverpool by? The media were fawning over Real Madrid’s best run of results for 27 years, and the Spanish media and the club’s players, manager and officials couldn’t wait to deliver their two part demolition of Liverpool.

And even before this game, the Spanish national newspapers led with the headline (in Spanish of course) ‘This is Anfield: So What?‘

Now they know exactly ‘what‘.

So despite the hopes of the media, despite the ridiculous statements uttered by the minority Rafa-bashing contingent, Liverpool delivered another European masterclass. Another big name now fallen by the wayside as Liverpool, for the umpteenth time, demolish one of the continent’s biggest sides.

The reds were boosted by the return of Torres and Arbeloa who had been doubts for the clash. Benayoun, one of the heroes of the first leg, unfortunately missed out with injury.

But back to the game and the first noticeable change at Anfield was the atmosphere. I’ve said before that the crowd have been as guilty as the players at Anfield this season for putting in poor performances at home in the Premiership. Tonight, whilst by no means reaching the dizzy heights of the 2004/5 campaign, was a step forward in terms of ’support’.

Back to the game and the reds flew out the traps. The passing was as slick as it has been all season long, and the movement and pace confounded Real Madrid’s superstars. Iker Casillas was the man of the match according to Benitez, and within the first 10 minutes the reds could have had 4 goals. Torres was tearing the Madrid defence apart and Javier Mascherano struck two venomous strikes on goal.

Liverpool haven’t been known for their first half goals this season, so against Europe’s most decorated club they decided to hit them twice in the first half.

The first goal came from a powerful reds break, Kuyt neatly cutting back the ball for Torres to send the reds on their way.

Before the half hour the reds lead had doubled. When the cross from Aurelio came in deep the best reaction Gabriel Heinze could do to stop Kuyt’s advance was to throw his arm at the ball. No question - penalty kick, and Gerrard dispatched it with pleasure.

What would the second half bring? Liverpool taking it easy and protecting their 3-0 aggregate lead? No chance. The reds have been on the right side of one of those 3-0 reverses before, so the reds lashed a couple more past Madrid to leave them thoroughly embarrassed.

Two minutes in to the second half, Ryan Babel delivered a terrific left wing cross in which Steven Gerrard put away with a shot of pure quality.

Liverpool took the opportunity to remove the likes of Gerrard and Torres to standing ovations, and amongst the substitutes Jay Spearing came on and put in a fantastic cameo appearance. His name was sang loud and proud by the Anfield faithful and he could nearly have netted a dream goal had Torres crossed instead of shot late on.

With two minutes left on the clock another fine Liverpool move enabled Andrea Dossena, a forlorn Anfield figure, to help himself to his first Liverpool goal.

The whistle was blown early to avoid any further humiliation for Real Madrid.

The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be made on Friday. Guess which team 7 other clubs will be hoping to avoid?

Teams

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Aurelio, Alonso (Lucas 60), Mascherano, Kuyt, Gerrard (Spearing 74), Babel, Torres (Dossena 83).

Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Hyypia, Ngog, Kelly.

Booked: Gerrard, Mascherano, Dossena.

Goals: Torres 16, Gerrard 28 pen, 47, Dossena 88.

Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro (Van der Vaart 64), Pepe, Heinze, Robben (Marcelo 46), Lassana Diarra, Gago (Guti 77), Sneijder, Raul, Higuain.

Subs Not Used: Dudek, Saviola, Metzelder, Miguel Torres.

Booked: Pepe, Heinze, Marcelo.

Att: 42,550

Ref: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium).

[vonk]

I've been a Rafa critic for a long time but that was the best performance by a Liverpool side in years! We were excellent. Read the BBC thread and it's complementary of everything we did. Fans were boss and I cannot fault a single player. Begs the question why we cant do that more often but if I was Rafa I would have the EXACT same team at the weekend and say more of the same. The scum won't be as bad as Madrid but if we play like that I've every hope we'll beat them. Anyone see Nando's celebration in front on the Real fans? Pointing at his name and then a fist up to them. Delighted for him. Mascherano was outstanding as was Skrtel Stevie and Nando. Arbeloa, Babel, Aurelio, Alonso were brilliant and was delighted for Spearing. This lad should get games ahead of Lucas. Maybe Babel will get some confidence from this display. It was never a pen but it was also never a tug on Pepe for the first. He slipped and knocked it to Dirk. After the depression of the last few weeks, that was the tonic. Buzzin again. Come on Red Men. Well done Rafa.

[tommyg]

Fans were ****ing roaring especially after stevie g's superb volley!

[Reece]

One Jay Spearing, there's only one Jay Spearing

Proper chuffed for the lad. What an experience that must have been

[EwarWoo]

I'm pissed off.

I got up this morning, sat down, thought to myself, hmm, should I watch the match, or should I go to the gym before work as per usual.

Then I thought, nah, this is Rafa, we have a lead, he'll be playing defensive and it'll be a snoozefest.

I get the impression I was a wee bit wrong and should have hung around.

[Reece]

This lad should get games ahead of Lucas.

To be fair I thought Lucas played pretty well too

[TheElephantMan]

I'm pissed off.

I got up this morning, sat down, thought to myself, hmm, should I watch the match, or should I go to the gym before work as per usual.

Then I thought, nah, this is Rafa, we have a lead, he'll be playing defensive and it'll be a snoozefest.

I get the impression I was a wee bit wrong and should have hung around.

Are you actually a Liverpool supporter?