Real Madrid routs Liverpool 5-2 in Champions League last 16 clash at Anfield

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Real Madrid came back from a deficit to secure an incredible 5-2 win over Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg in England on Tuesday.

Hosts Liverpool scored an early opener at Anfield as the Reds' Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez beat Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois by flicking a backheel in the area.

Liverpool doubled the gap in the 14th minute when their Egyptian star Mohamed Salah took advantage of Courtois' huge mistake.

Courtois had time to clear the ball, but the Belgian goalkeeper didn’t do it. Salah struck the loose ball to finish.

In the 21st minute, Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior was in the box to fire a right-footed shot that beat Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker, making it 1-2.

Real Madrid's Austrian left-back David Alaba was injured to go off. Nacho replaced him.

Vinicius made it 2-2 in the 36th minute as Alisson aimed to pass to one of his teammates but the ball bounced off the Brazilian attacker before going into Liverpool's net.

Visitors Real Madrid came back in the first minutes of the second half with a close-range header by Brazilian defender Eder Militao, making it 3-2.

In the 55th minute, the Spanish club's French forward Karim Benzema scored in the box and made it 4-2 for the Whites to stun Liverpool.

But the Spanish powerhouse did not stop. On a quick counterattack, Real Madrid scored their fifth goal in the 67th minute.

Croatian midfielder Luka Modric started the Madrid team's attack to find Vinicius. After a pass by Vinicius, Benzema skipped past Alisson to make a calm finish even though there were three Liverpool players standing in front of the French forward, making it 5-2.

Real Madrid came from 2-0 down to dominate Liverpool 5-2 in the away match.

UEFA confirmed that Vinicius was named the Player of the Match.

In a post-match interview, Real Madrid star Benzema said they started "a little poorly" but turned the tables then.

"We knew that the Anfield fans were going to put us under pressure, but after those first 15 minutes, we saw the true Real Madrid. Football at this level is hard. They started better than us, but this was a big game and we were ready," he said, and thanked Real Madrid fans for their support.

"We'll need them (Real Madrid fans) again in the second leg, and we'll need to produce a great match in the Bernabeu," he added.

For the first time since 1966, Liverpool conceded five goals in a single European competitions match. Dutch club Ajax previously hammered Liverpool 5-1 in a European Cup match in that year.

Joyous Real Madrid returned home with a big advantage and confidence.

However, Jurgen Klopp's men will seek a miracle in the second leg to be held at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on March 15.

Before the kickoff at Anfield, a minute's silence was observed for those who died in the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.

Meanwhile, Italy's Napoli beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in Germany in another Champions League last 16 first leg.

Victor Osimhen and Giovanni Di Lorenzo were the scorers for the Naples club.

Eintracht Frankfurt will visit Napoli on March 15 in Italy.