Alexander-Arnold jeered as Liverpool sinks Real Madrid
Real Madrid suffered its first Champions League defeat of the season as Liverpool claimed a 1-0 win at Anfield, where Trent Alexander-Arnold received a frosty reception.
LaLiga leader Madrid went into the match having lost just once across all competitions in 2025-2026, while Liverpool only snapped a four-game losing streak in the Premier League on Sunday.
But the Reds made it back-to-back Champions League victories in confident fashion, as Madrid manager Xabi Alonso lost once again on his return to his former stomping ground.
Alexis Mac Allister's 61st-minute header made the difference, though Liverpool was unfortunate not to score plenty more, with Thibaut Courtois making a string of excellent stops throughout.
While in-form Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, who became the youngest player to reach 50 Champions League appearances, were kept quiet at the other end, Arne Slot's team peppered Madrid's goal, with Courtois having to make eight saves in total.
Liverpool was also denied a possible penalty when a VAR check deemed that Aurelien Tchouameni's handball should not count.
Mac Allister, though, met Dominik Szoboszlai's inch-perfect free-kick to get on the scoresheet just as he did in Liverpool's win over Madrid in November 2024.
A flat cameo from Los Blancos substitute and former Anfield favourite Alexander-Arnold, who was loudly jeered whenever he touched the ball, only buoyed the jubilant home faithful.
