Real Madrid and Naples opened their way to the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday February 21, winning respectively at Liverpool (5-2) and Eintracht Frankfurt (2- 0). The Spaniards and the Italians will be able to calmly approach the return match at home on March 15th as they have left their mark on the first leg.
In Liverpool, Real Madrid once again showed how much the Champions League is their favorite playground. The Spanish club, defending champion and holder of fourteen “Big Ears Cups”, offered an insolent demonstration of efficiency to Anfield against a stunned Liverpool in this remake of the final of the previous edition.
A match at the Stade de France last May, which Liverpool supporters, accused by UEFA and the French authorities of having been at the origin of the violence before and after, had obviously not forgotten. The official competition anthem was played at a very low volume by the stadium sound system as the teams entered and covered with boos. Banners against UEFA − “UEFA, liars! » and others less polite – or to the French ministers of the interior, Gérard Darmanin, and of sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castera, represented in Pinocchio, also flourished at the start of the match.
On the ground too, Liverpool had decided to settle their sporting accounts with Real, which they have not beaten for seven games. Everything had started ideally thanks to Mohamed Salah, decisive passer on the opener, with a brilliant backheel by Darwin Nunez (1-0, 4e), before doubling the lead by taking advantage of a blunder from Thibault Courtois, who had disgusted the Reds attackers in Saint-Denis (2-0, 14e).
The Egyptian Salah has become with his goal the most prolific African player in C1 with Didier Drogba (44 goals) but also the best director of the Reds in European competition in history (42).
A strong message from Real
But Liverpool are not eighth in the Premier League for nothing this season and the inability of this team to keep from one game to another, and even over a whole game, their level of play has again been obvious. The composure of the reigning European champion, trailing 2-0 after almost a quarter of an hour, in a stadium in fusion, is of course also to be underlined, when he once again displayed its ruthless realism.
Vinicius Jr first took advantage of a very slight lack of aggressiveness from Joe Gomez to roll up a powerful strike from the right and close the gap (2-1, 21e), before countering a clearance from Alisson for a lucky equalizer (2-2, 36e).
The second period only confirmed that the dynamics had definitively swung towards Real, left behind in the Spanish league by their rival, FC Barcelona. From the 47e minute, on a free kick provoked by Vinicius, Luka Modric shot halfway up for an easy header from Eder Militao from six meters (2-3). Top scorer in the competition last year, it was then Karim Benzema who woke up, seeing his shot deflected by Gomez to take Alisson on the wrong foot (2-4, 55e). He then killed almost all suspense with his usual lucidity and technical mastery, at the conclusion of a high-speed counter (2-5, 67e).
“We suffered a lot at the beginningrecognized the coach of Real, Carlo Ancelotti. We can’t start matches like that. Fortunately, this team knows how to keep a cool head. We were very effective up front.”
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“ We made too many mistakes and when we make those kinds of mistakes, Real Madrid punish you and they punished us at every opportunity tonight.”replied, in echo, the captain of Liverpool Jordan Henderson.
With this impressive and amazing performance, Real, even deprived in the middle of Aurélien Tchouaméni, forfeited, and Tony Kroos, on the bench at kick-off, sent a very clear message to European football: to take back his trophy, you will have to be very strong.
Naples close to the top 8 for the first time in its history
Also impressive in control, Naples made an excellent operation by winning easily in Frankfurt and could discover the European top 8 for the first time in its history.
The Neapolitans have confirmed their very good European course – a single defeat in group against Liverpool in a match without stake – leaving little space for German players. Half an hour into the game, on an action where Hirving Lozani’s shot hit the post, Victor Osimhen obtained a penalty, after a foul at the edge of the penalty area by Aurélio Buta which mowed him . But Kevin Trapp repelled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s attempt, however only delaying the deadline for Eintracht.
At the 40e minute, the elusive Lozano served a wonderful cross for Osimhen in the box, who perfectly concluded the action at the far post to score his second goal in the Champions League (0-1), he who had missed three games of the group stage, injured a thigh. In the second half, Napoli completely deprived Frankfurt of the ball (66% possession). The German club even saw its French striker Randal Kolo Muani expelled for an excessive commitment on a tackle (58e). The Italian club was thus able to manage its match, and Kvaratskhelia delivered its fourth assist this season in C1, for the goal of captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the 65e minutes (2-0).
“Let’s stay calm, very calm”
Despite the unwavering support of the 47,500 spectators at the Waldstadion, Frankfurt failed to create a chance in the second half. Only Daichi Kamada at the 82e minute framed a shot, without too much fear for Alex Maret.
“Let’s stay calm, very calmwanted to temper Luciano Spalletti, the Italian coach. There is still a rematch. We have to play it first. We have a good lead, but everything is back to zero. »
Eintracht, winner of the last Europa League, is however well and truly forced into a phenomenal feat in Italy for the return match where it will be deprived of Kolo Muani, its offensive master asset. “We are not going to the Maradona stadium as tourists, nevertheless warned Oliver Glasner, the Austrian coach of Frankfurt. At 2-0, the game can be turned around. There are small details that are immediately sanctioned against a team like Napoli. »