Real Madrid manager, Xabi Alonso has admitted that Liverpool’s sharpness from set-pieces proved decisive in their 1-0 Champions League defeat at Anfield on Tuesday night.
Alexis Mac Allister’s perfectly timed header from a first-half free-kick sealed the win for Arne Slot’s men, who pressed relentlessly and punished Madrid’s defensive lapses.
After the game on Tuesday night, Real Madrid boss Alonso admitted his side were undone by Liverpool’s precision from dead-ball situations.
“Set pieces are what we concede the most goals from,” Alonso told reporters. “I think it could have been avoided today. They pressed us a lot. They have skilled forwards in executing set pieces and finishing them. They created a lot of chances because we made a lot of mistakes.”
The defeat was a rare stumble for Los Blancos, who had cruised through their first three matches in the competition. It was also the first time this season that Real Madrid failed to find the back of the net, with both Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé struggling to make an impact or register a single shot on target.
Former Arsenal star Thierry Henry didn’t hold back in his post-match analysis, taking aim at Vinicius for what he saw as a timid and predictable performance.
“I do not understand it. You have to play with what’s in front of you, you have to play the moment,” Henry said on CBS Sports. “And even if there’s nobody in the box, as you said, at least the opposing team has dropped 30 yards back and then you can give the ball to your midfielder, who might have a strike from outside the box.”
Henry was particularly frustrated that the Brazilian failed to exploit his early advantage against Liverpool’s young right-back, Conor Bradley.
“You have an opportunity at the beginning, for example, Vinicius Jr had Conor Bradley for the first five to seven minutes, and then he let him breathe. Why do you let him breathe? Have a go until he gets a yellow card and then he can’t defend in the same way, but that didn’t happen,” he said.
The former France international went on to question Vinicius’ decision-making in key moments.
“When we watched the game, Vinicius Jr received the ball in a one-on-one after a good battle in the first five minutes against Conor Bradley, and he passed it back to his left-back to receive it back… and now it was a one-vs-three,” Henry continued.
“Then he attacked alone against the three of them, and I thought, wait, do the math. You had a one-on-one, try to see what you can do with that.”
