The once-mighty Liverpool now stands at a crossroads, facing the specter of mediocrity as the ghosts of past glories haunt Anfield and the weight of expectation crushes ambition.
Liverpool Football Club, once the titan of English and European football, finds itself in a precarious position a year after a remarkable triumph over Real Madrid and Manchester City. The echoes of their glorious past resonate faintly amidst the stark reality of their current struggles. The club that once boasted of being the best team in the world now grapples with a disheartening record of six defeats in eight matches. This stark contrast raises questions about the trajectory of a team that once seemed invincible.
The fixture list has presented Liverpool with a déjà vu moment, facing the same formidable opponents in Real Madrid and Manchester City once again. However, the context has shifted dramatically. A year ago, Liverpool’s confidence was sky-high, bolstered by a string of victories. Now, they are not at the summit of either the Premier League or the Champions League, a far cry from the dominance they once exhibited. Arne Slot, the manager, has noted the significant changes since last season. The absence of key players due to injuries and the overall evolution of the team have contributed to their current plight.
Real Madrid enters this reunion with a remarkable record of 13 wins in 14 matches, showcasing their resilience and ability to adapt. A year ago, they were plagued by injuries, missing stars like Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, which played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s success. Now, with a fully fit squad, Real Madrid poses a formidable challenge, while Liverpool finds itself without key players such as Alexander Isak, Jeremie Frimpong, and Alisson Becker.
Interestingly, the previous encounter at Anfield saw Liverpool’s understudies shine, with Caoimhin Kelleher making a crucial penalty save and Conor Bradley delivering a standout performance. This time, however, the stakes are higher, and the pressure is palpable. Trent Alexander-Arnold, once a central figure, now faces scrutiny as he returns to Anfield. His relationship with the fans has soured, and it remains to be seen how he will be received in the colors of Real Madrid.
Slot’s emphasis on the importance of fitness for young talents like Bradley highlights the ongoing evolution of Liverpool’s squad. The pressure to perform is mounting, especially with the looming specter of potential replacements for established players. The comparison between current players and their predecessors is inevitable, particularly when considering the impact of former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is now making waves at Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso’s ability to extract the best from his players is evidenced by the success of Florian Wirtz, who has struggled to find his footing in the Premier League but has showcased his talent on the European stage. The juxtaposition of Liverpool’s current form against their previous successes raises questions about the club’s recruitment strategy and the expectations placed on high-profile signings.
Mohamed Salah, a veteran of these high-stakes encounters, has had a mixed history in matches against Real Madrid. While he recently celebrated reaching 250 goals for Liverpool, his recent performances have raised eyebrows. The decision to bench him for crucial Champions League fixtures may indicate a shift in strategy, but it also reflects the pressure on players to deliver consistently.
As Liverpool prepares to face Real Madrid once again, the stakes are higher than ever. The next few days will serve as a litmus test for the team’s resilience and ability to rebound from a difficult spell. Slot’s assertion that every match is a test of where the team stands rings true, but this time, the match represents more than just a contest; it embodies the struggle for identity and purpose in a club that once defined excellence in football.
The specter of regression looms large over Anfield. The club’s storied past, filled with triumphs and iconic moments, now serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by teams that once ruled the footballing landscape. As Liverpool stands at this crossroads, the path forward remains uncertain, and the echoes of their glorious past may serve as both inspiration and a haunting reminder of what once was. The pressure to reclaim their place among football’s elite is immense, and the journey ahead will be fraught with challenges that test the very fabric of the club.
Liverpool faced Real Madrid and Manchester City in a week and, at the end of it, it was reasonable to conclude they were the best team in the world at that point.
The statement requires the use of the past tense because it was a year ago, when Liverpool beat the reigning champions of Europe and England in a heady few days. No such claims could be made now. Not after victory over Aston Villa merely reduced their recent record to six defeats in eight.
It is a quirk of the fixture list that, in another autumn, Liverpool have the same doubleheader. Now, however, they are not top of either the Premier or the Champions League. Arne Slot identified other differences.
“It is not the same because last season we played them both at home and now one of them is away. It is not the same because last season we faced a Real Madrid who had many injuries and now they haven’t. It is not the same because last season we were a different team than now,” he said.
If the short response is that they were both a better one and a cheaper one, with the £450m refit yet to reap a footballing dividend, Real come into a reunion with 13 wins in 14 games.
A year ago, Liverpool boasted the same record. A year ago, Real’s absentees included Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Aurelien Tchouameni, David Alaba and Dani Carvajal. Now Liverpool will be without Alexander Isak, Jeremie Frimpong and Alisson Becker.
And yet one of the credibility-defying elements of Real’s dismembering at Anfield was that it came partly at the hands of understudies. With Alisson sidelined, Caoimhin Kelleher saved a Kylian Mbappe penalty. A barnstorming, man-of-the-match performance came from Conor Bradley, symbolised by a thunderous challenge on Mbappe that has entered Anfield folklore.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was returning from a spell on the sidelines, was an unused substitute for Liverpool that night. He may assume a similar role for Real on Tuesday.
The right-back was booed in April by a section of the support when he announced he would leave. It will be instructive how he is received in Real white. “He gets a warm welcome from me, that’s for sure,” said Slot. “I have great memories of the player and the human being.”
For Slot, the key for Bradley, if he is to establish himself as Alexander-Arnold’s successor, can be summed up in two words – “stay fit” – but this will be an examination of his credentials. The Liverpool head coach launched into a eulogy about Vinicius. “He is lightning fast, one on one he is very special,” he said. Both Slot and Bradley’s predecessors could testify as much. The Brazilian used to be the scourge of Alexander-Arnold.
Another comparison could come in the technical areas. Slot’s path to the Liverpool job was smoothed when Xabi Alonso said he wanted to stay at Bayer Leverkusen for a further year. Perhaps Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League-winning midfielder sensed there would be a vacancy at the Bernabeu in 2025.
He nevertheless returned to Anfield in European competition last season. His Bayer Leverkusen side departed demolished 4-0. Their principal tormentor, however, was Luis Diaz and the scorer of a hat-trick was one of the summer departures from Anfield.
Then Liverpool boasted the 100 per cent start to the Champions League. Now Real do. “Xabi is doing an incredible job in Madrid but Carlo Ancelotti did the same,” added Slot.
Alonso’s capacity to bring the best from players is highlighted by one of Liverpool’s £100m men. Florian Wirtz was named the best player in the Bundesliga when Leverkusen became German champions in 2024.
He has begun four recent Premier League matches on the bench. He has neither scored nor made a goal in the English top flight, though he did get two Champions League assists in his homeland during the 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt. His better displays have tended to come amid the different demands of continental competition.
“He’s been unlucky with the end product either by himself or his teammates,” said Slot. “For me, he’s already brought exactly what was expected. He creates a lot for the team and will have his goals.”
It will, though, be instructive if Wirtz is recalled against Real. They were among his suitors in the summer before Liverpool signed him. He may wonder how he would have fared under Alonso again.
It is notable, too, that Mohamed Salah began Liverpool’s last two Champions League games on the bench. The Egyptian is a veteran of this fixture but with decidedly mixed memories: famously injured by Sergio Ramos in the 2018 final, he also missed a penalty in Liverpool’s 2-0 win last year.
But he brought up 250 goals for the club on Saturday. Salah seems to have returned to form. The next few days will be an examination if Liverpool have, or if they enter the international break with eight defeats in 10.
“Every single time is always a test to see where we are,” said Slot. It was the case when Real last came to Anfield. But that match was a barometer of progress. Now it may a barometer of regression.