With two goals and an assist, Vinícius Júnior was again invaluable for Real Madrid on Tuesday, coach Carlo Ancelotti also saw.
“Vinícius is the most defining player in world football today,” Ancelotti told the press conference after Real’s resounding victory at Anfield. “There is no player with the constant action that he has. He doesn’t stop and just keeps going. I hope he can continue like this. He was incredible to us again.”
“This is Real Madrid. I want to stay here, keep writing more history. This is my club,” said Vinícius himself after the match in which he scored the 2-1 and 2-2. This enabled Karim Benzema to make it 2-5.
Ancelotti also praised his veterans, “The veterans are crucial to us. Toni Kroos, Benzema and Luka Modric lead the entire team.”
Despite the difference of three goals, the experienced coach remained cautious. He adds, “The first part of this diptych went well. And in the second part we have to realize that we have to fight and suffer. It’s not done. Liverpool suffered in the second half, but we suffered in the first half. Overall I’m happy because the match was good.”
Mo Salah now the African with the most goals in the UCL
Despite Mo Salah along with Liverpool having suffered one of the most embarrassing home losses in the Champions League, it was yet another record shattered by the Egyptian. The match was dominated by a much younger winger in Vinicius but it was kind of a redemption for the former Chelsea man.
After Darwin Núñez’s opening goal, it was Mohamed Salah who doubled the score within fifteen minutes. The Egyptian attacker did that after a blunder by Thibaut Courtois.
Courtois is known as a reliable closing post and was named best in his field in October last year, but had a huge bounce in the eighth final of the Champions League against Liverpool. The Belgian misjudged a difficult pass from Dani Carvajal and pushed the ball into the feet of Salah, who finished with the outside on the left (2-0).
For Salah, that was his 44th goal in the Champions League and the Liverpool attacker equaled a record. Until today, Didier Drogba was the African player with the most Champions League goals with 44 goals. The former striker of Chelsea, among others, must share that record with Salah for the time being.
