Liverpool ’s upcoming trip to face Real Madrid will stir memories of one of the Reds’ most controversial European fixtures in their long history.
The Premier League giants last travelled to the Santiago Bernabeu back in November 2014 for what was a key group fixture; having started their European campaign off disappointingly. Liverpool lost to Basel, while Real had racked up a comprehensive 3-0 success at Anfield.
With the need for a win imperative, then Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers shocked many with a teamsheet that boasted seven changes and included the likes of Fabio Borini and Joe Allen. Whilst the Reds were competitive - a Karim Benzema strike deciding the tie - Rodgers’ selection’s were hugely criticised.
Spanish newspaper AS claimed that the starting XI was 'a crime against the club’s history'. Reds hero Steven Gerrard also suggested that the decision to leave him benched contributed to his decision to leave Liverpool.
"That was the night, tucked away in the depths of a dugout at the Bernabeu, when my disappointment ran so deep, I almost made up my mind it was time for a change," Gerrard said. "If Brendan’s managing of my games meant that I would miss playing against Real, it seemed as if I had seen the end. How could I go on playing for Liverpool another year if these were the kind of empty nights that awaited me? My career would never be the same again."
With that being said, Mirror Football take a look at the full XI that the Reds named...
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Simon Mignolet
Then Liverpool’s number one stopper, the Belgian was in his second season with the club. He remained as first choice for a further two seasons but a series of errors saw Rodgers’ replacement Jurgen Klopp choose to spend heavily on Brazilian stopper Alisson Becker.
Mignolet eventually left Anfield in the summer of 2019 to join Club Brugge where he has managed to somewhat restore his reputation.
Alberto Moreno
The Spanish defender was a contentious figure at Anfield with his defensive abilities regularly questioned. He spent a total of five years with the Reds before he was replaced by Andrew Robertson.
Moreno was part of the squad that lifted the Champions League in 2019 before he departed Liverpool on a free transfer to join Villarreal where he remains.
Kolo Toure
In the midst of his second season with Liverpool, the Ivorian actually performed very well in Madrid as he kept Cristiano Ronaldo quiet. Despite appearing as though he was coming to the end of his career, he stayed at Anfield for another season before signing for Celtic.
Toure hung up his boots in 2017 and acted as a coach under Rodgers with the Scottish giants and with Leicester. He recently had his first managerial stint with Wigan but was sacked after just nine games.
Martin Skrtel
With Gerrard left on the bench, Slovakian defender Skrtel was handed the opportunity to captain the Reds in Madrid. Following his Anfield exit in 2016 after over 300 appearances, he had a three-year spell with Turkish giants Fenerbahce.
A stint with Atalanta was ended after just a matter of weeks before Skrtel rounded off his career with Istanbul Basaksehir and Spartak Trnava back in his homeland.
Javier Manquillo
A former Real Madrid youth prospect, the Spaniard was actually on-loan at Anfield from cross-city rivals Atletico. The deal was originally intended to be a two-season agreement but was terminated after just a solitary campaign after just 19 outings.
Manquillo went on to have further loan spells with Marseille and Sunderland before returning to the North East with a permanent move to Newcastle in 2017.
Emre Can
Signed in the summer of 2014, German midfielder Can was a solid option throughout four years at Anfield. Despite that, he chose to wave goodbye to Liverpool at the end of his contract and joined Juventus.
He did not stay in Turin for very long as he was allowed to join Borussia Dortmund on loan before making the move permanent.
Lucas Leiva
A modern-day cult hero, Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva enjoyed a ten-year spell with Liverpool and accumulated just under 350 appearances for the Reds. He eventually departed in 2017 to join Italian giants Lazio.
He was voted the club’s player of the season over his first two campaigns and went on to enjoy five seasons at the Stadio Olimpico. Leiva signed for Gremio last year but has been forced to take a step back from the game due to a heart issue.
Joe Allen
Affectionately labelled as the ‘Welsh Xavi’ by Rodgers, the midfielder enjoyed a total of four seasons at Anfield but saw his opportunities limited with the club after the arrival of Jurgen Klopp. He left in 2016 to join Stoke City and enjoyed a five-year spell with the Midlands outfit.
A return to Swansea City was then the next on the agenda as he put pen to paper on a two-year deal at the start of the season.
Adam Lallana
The former Southampton midfielder became one of the vast array of players to arrive at Anfield in the summer of 2016. He was signed for a fee of £25m and enjoyed three relatively successful few seasons with Liverpool.
His final three seasons with the Reds were hugely hampered by injuries and Lallana eventually joined Brighton at the end of his contract at Anfield. He remains at the AMEX Stadium and recently put pen to paper on a new deal with the Seagulls.
Lazar Markovic
Whilst Lallana might be considered somewhat of a success, the same cannot be said of £20m winger Markovic. The Serb was signed from Benfica and went on to score just three goals in his first season with the club.
Loans to Fenerbahce, Sporting Portugal, Hull and Anderlecht came and went before permanent switches to Fulham and Partizan Belgrade. Markovic now finds himself with Turkish side Gaziantep.
Fabio Borini
Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres, Michael Owen: just a small selection of some of the world class strikers Liverpool have had in the Premier League era. One man that does not stand among them is Fabio Borini. In 38 appearances for the Reds, the Italian scored just three goals.
He was sold to Sunderland after a relatively successful loan spell but could not continue that form before somehow earning a move to AC Milan. He can rank Hellas Verona and Fatih Karagumruk as some of his more recent employers.
