Real Madrid scored five unanswered goals in a jaw-dropping Champions League comeback against Liverpool, winning 5-2.
Anfield was left stunned on Tuesday watching a barnstorming round-of-16 first-leg tie, as Vincius Junior and Karim Benzema each scored twice either side of a bullet Eder Militao header after the hosts had taken what looked to be a commanding early lead. Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah had put the Reds 2-0 up after quarter of an hour, but somehow Liverpool imploded.
A blunder for the usually reliable Alisson Becker allowed Vincius Jr to make it 2-2, following his cracker of a first strike, before Militao and Benzema joined the fun in the second half. The result leaves Jurgen Klopp and co with a mountain to climb in the second leg, due to be held at the Santiago Bernabeu in three weeks' time.
Here are six moments which you might've missed on a thrilling night at Anfield.
Liverpool fans stage anti-UEFA protest
Not only did this match mark a reunion of two of European football's biggest clubs in the grandest club competition of all, but the game sadly evoked traumatic memories for fans caught up in the chaos of last year's final. Held at the Stade de France in Paris following a change of venue from St Petersburg in Russia, Liverpool fans were subject to tear gas and pepper spray by French police as kick-off was delayed by 37 minutes due to ticketing issues.
UEFA and French authorities attempted to blame Reds supporters, but an independent report published last week dispelled the narrative. Liverpool officially responded last Tuesday with a lengthy statement, fans staged their own protest pre-match as tensions rose inside Anfield.
Booing the Champions League anthem before chanting "f*** UEFA," it's clear that Reds fans aren't going to let the European football governing body off lightly for what they're deemed to have caused. Steven Gerrard was on punditry duty for BT Sport and called for UEFA to be "held accountable."
Salah gives Wenger perfect response
When Real triumphed last May, the finger was pointed at Mohamed Salah for not delivering when his side needed him most. Alongside Sadio Mane, playing his final game for Liverpool, the Egyptian king of Anfield was criticised by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger for his lacklustre efforts, who believed losing the Premier League title to Manchester City six days prior played a part.
"I wonder after watching that game if the disappointment of last week, being beaten [to the title] in the last game of the season had somewhere dropped a level of confidence," Wenger told beIN Sports. "You felt as well that Salah, Mane, the guys who make the difference, didn't have the same freshness, the same belief that they can make the difference."
The Reds have certainly felt disappointment in recent weeks, but two wins on the bounce gave Salah and his team-mates confidence to exact some revenge against Real. The 30-year-old winger took just four minutes to deliver, assisting Darwin Nunez for Liverpool's opening goal.
Then Salah would get on the scoresheet himself, capitalising on a howler from Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois - the Man of the Match in Paris - to make it 2-0. While this first-leg tie wasn't on the same level as last year's final, it was the soonest opportunity for Salah to respond to Wenger and he made sure to - but his happiness wouldn't last.
Anfield's slippery surface
Amid all the bizarreness of the first half, one thing was hampering both teams - the state of the pitch. A host of players found themselves slipping and sliding, with the grass seemingly watered too much ahead of kick-off or the players not electing for the right boots.
Darren Fletcher and Steve McManaman both picked up on the situation as commentators for BT Sport, questioning why so maybe players were slipping. It was the kind of playing surface capable of turning a regular game into wild one, and it proved as much.
Vinicius Jr trolls Liverpool
A true thorn in Jurgen Klopp's side since the two teams met at the quarter-final stage in 2021, Vinicius Junior didn't miss the opportunity to ridicule Liverpool and their fans once again when he bagged two goals. After his second strike made it 2-2 - albeit inadvertently after Alisson Becker's clearance cannoned back off him and into the net - the Brazilian winger pulled out Cristiano Ronaldo's celebration to rub salt in the wounds of a bewildered Kop End.
Vinicius Jr would continue to enjoy himself at the Reds' expense as team-mates Eder Militao and Karim Benzema made it 4-2 early in the second half.
Have your say! Who'll go through - Liverpool or Real Madrid? Give us your verdict in the comments section.
Nunez and Rudiger's scrap
After Real bagged their fourth unanswered goal, Liverpool began to grow visibly frustrated and Darwin Nunez summed up their anger. Jostling with Antonio Rudiger in the penalty area, Andy Robertson's blocked cross saw the the Reds' attack end but not the duo's scrap.
Nunez flung his left arm into Rudiger's face, a sign of his rising temper after such a brilliant start to the game. Imagine how angry he was once it got even worse for Liverpool...
Klopp left laughing
When Benzema rounded Alisson and made it 5-2, Anfield was left in disbelief. How had Liverpool managed this from 2-0 up?
Klopp could only laugh as Real's captain wheeled away in celebration, as the hopeful Reds fans got the stuffing knocked out of them by the side who did just that nine months ago and will face them again in three weeks' time/
