Liverpool knew back before the World Cup that continuing their European adventure was an improbability. It wasn’t that Real Madrid are an infallible side, nor the fact that the Reds had lost to them in the Champions League final only months earlier, but more the fact Jurgen Klopp’s side were in disarray, struggling to find consistency and with large and regular defensive concerns.
Beating the Spanish side across two legs would be a big task, which was only reinforced by Karim Benzema and Co producing a second-half masterclass at Anfield in the first leg.
