How Real Madrid rallied from two-goal deficit to thrash Liverpool 5-2 in Champions League first leg

David Alaba, who was subbed off in the 27th minute, was changed because of a right hamstring problem.

Rodrygo, who played until the 81st minute, has picked up a left gluteal muscle strain and will undergo testing in the coming days.

Premier League sides have made an inauspicious start to the Champions League knockout stages thus far:

• AC Milan 1-0 Tottenham
• Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Chelsea
• Liverpool 2-5 Real Madrid

England's fourth representative in the final 16 is Manchester City, who play their first leg against RB Leipzig tomorrow.

Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media after Madrid's victory: "Winning like this isn't easy, above all because of how the match began. We never lost confidence and little by little we won control of the ball. We were efficient up front and Vinicius Junior produced an incredible performance.

"This is only the first part of a knockout tie. It's gone our way, but we'll need to imagine that in the second leg we'll have to suffer and work hard.

"Obviously we didn't expect to start like we did but at 2-0 down I thought about the City away leg last year in the hope that we could do the same - but it turned out even better. They were doing us damage down our left but when we were better in our attacks, we moved Valverde a little bit towards that danger and we then defended better.

"Liverpool is a great team which made us suffer in the first half so I'd say that, unfortunately, this tie isn't finished. No way. I want to praise Rodrygo because he did incredible work up and down the pitch producing just what I'd asked of him."

Thibaut Courtois spoke after the match: "That second Liverpool goal was slightly bad luck that I messed it up.

"I had the ball under control and I wanted to pass it immediately but I saw that Salah had stopped so I changed my mind and tried to move it on to my right foot but it bounced off my knee.

"Vinicius Jr's goal gave us wind beneath our wings and then Alisson Becker had a moment like mine and everyone knows that, on the counter-attack, we're strong.

"We're never beaten, we always react. Those two quick goals did help us to do that. We were calm mentally and when we are on the rise we play well.

"It's my first time playing Champions League football at Anfield when fans are in the stadium and the fact that there was applause from Liverpool supporters for Luka (Modric) and Karim (Benzema) just proves that people here know how to appreciate guys who are great players."

Seven goals, a turbo-charged comeback, brilliant goals and calamitous errors.

Our experts have examined the key talking points from an unbelievable night on Merseyside, including:

• Real’s incredible spirit shines through again
• Hosts lose their shape — and the game
• Gomez’s night to forget
• A tale of two keeper calamities
• Vinicius Jr conquers Liverpool (again)
• Nunez’s art of the backheel finish
• The Kop makes its point to UEFA
• At least Klopp’s right side is clicking

Unfortunately for Liverpool, their defeat made history in a few ways as well:

• Liverpool are the first team in Champions League history to take a 2-0 lead but then lose the game by a three-goal margin.
• This is the first time Liverpool have conceded four goals in a home European match.

(Photo: Getty Images)

Real Madrid made history in several ways with their impressive performance tonight:

• Madrid have scored five or more goals in consecutive Champions League games for only the second time ever.
• Karim Benzema has scored more goals against Liverpool than any other player in European Cup/Champions League history with six.
• Madrid are only the second team in the history of European competitions to score five goals in a single match against Liverpool, after Ajax did so in Amsterdam in December 1966 in the European Cup.
• Aged 22 years and 224 days, Vinicius Jr is the youngest visiting player to score twice against Liverpool at Anfield in major European competition since Johan Cruyff in December 1966 for Ajax in the European Cup (19y 233d).

During the first half, Liverpool supporters mounted an angry demonstration against UEFA and the French authorities.

Fans around the stadium unfurled a series of banners after 36 minutes – a number symbolic because that was how long the kick-off in last season’s final in Paris was delayed due to the shambolic scenes outside.

See our story below for the full details.

(Photo: Getty Images)

Liverpool are now winless in their past seven matches against Real Madrid (D1 L6), extending their longest-ever run without a victory against a single opponent in the European Cup/Champions League.

Karim Benzema spoke to the media after the victory: "An important night for us. I want to dedicate this game to our honourary president Amancio. We did it with personality, with goals, we want to win this Champions League. It was a very nice game.

"We began a bit badly, we knew Liverpool with their fans would put us under pressure, but after the first 15 minutes we saw the real Real Madrid. One goal can change a game."

Steven Gerrard didn't mince words speaking on BT Sport after the match: "I think at any club, if you concede five goals there's got to be an inquest into why and how. Liverpool don't concede five goals here at Anfield and if they do, it's very rare. There's going to be a bit of soul-searching. It wasn't good enough."

Liverpool suffer their heaviest-ever home defeat in Europe. The night started so brightly with Nunez and Salah firing them into a 2-0 lead early on, but the wheels came off as the European champions showcased their brilliance and punished some dreadful errors.

One year after all those comebacks led Real Madrid to Champions League glory, they somehow found a way to top it tonight! What a wild game.

90+3' Liverpool 2-5 Real Madrid

This may be a brutal result for the home supporters, but they're showing their support with a rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone.