27 May 2018 19:25:39
Been reading this forum for years and never really been bothered to register to comment, but after last night I just had to add my two-cents. As you can guess by my name, I'm living here in Madrid, where I can now hear a helicopter going over my apartment, following Real's celebratory parade.

Although last night was obviously not the result we wanted, I can only describe my experience of Madrid before, during, and after the game. Before the game, there was a definite sense of arrogance across the city, that the result was a foregone conclusion, and that Madrid need only turn up to get the 'decimotercero'. However, after the first five minutes the city was silent, and the bar I was in (only Liverpool fan) was dead, there seemed to be the realisation that Liverpool weren't just there to make up the numbers, but were actually going to be competitive, and could even defeat the Merengues. When Firmino and Salah linked up in the area, before TTA's shot was incredible, not a sound. Casemiro, Kroos, and Modric being run ragged, passing to no-one brought reactions I've never seen from these fans, total exacerbation and frustration that Liverpool were harrying these untouchables and causing such mistakes. They just couldn't believe it. It was just a case of incredulity of how dare this be happening.

Unfortunately, when Salah went down, there was shock (and applause), Ramos is regarded as being a professional thug, willing to do anything for the cause. From that moment, everything changed, there was a sense of inevitability, that those first 30 minutes were just a fog. That those faces of genuine fear of what might happen, were lifted and that Real Madrid would get their thirteenth. As we all know what happened after that, I won’t go any further. Needless to say I was draped in Madrid flags and scarves, but I held my head high as I knew we had them, but circumstance intervened.

What I'm trying to say with this rather meandering post is that in the 7 years living in Madrid, I've never seen their supporters so subdued (whilst not playing Barcelona) and with genuine fear in their eyes. Something I only ever see when Messi is running at their, agricultural, defence. We need to put things into perspective, after the debacle of 2014, being a Liverpool fan here isn't the laughing stock it once was, we had one of the best teams in Europe, who have an unerring ability to win, on the ropes.

Liverpool has definitely placed itself back in the consciousness of European football. Although the result flattered them greatly, my mates are crowing, and the Spanish press is insufferable. Liverpool are on a positive trajectory and are only a few pieces of the puzzle away from something special.

YNWA.

1.) 27 May 2018
27 May 2018 19:50:41
A good post, and I'm sure all Liverpool supporters are looking forward to seeing who the new pieces to the puzzle are going to be, as I mentioned in an earlier post, let us hope they will be top quality players with the attributes to take us to the next level.
I hope this window we do not have fringe players being referred to as 'dead wood 'as these are players who have represented our great club and deserve respect. Let us thank them for their efforts and wish them well.
Again thank you to the players and manager for the fantastic moments from last season and the unforgettable memories of the electric atmospheres of the European nights at Anfield.
I thank the editors for their hard work and wish them well as the transfer window gets into full swing.

2.) 27 May 2018
27 May 2018 20:19:35
Thanks, MR. Greta to know the perspective from Madrid itself. I know their fans are smug and arrogant but knowing that they were peeing their pnts in the first half hour shows to some extent why Ramos had to take out Salah. I watched the game again (I know, glutton for punishment) and in the first 25 mins, RM were left in tatters. We had them on the rack and IMO, Ramos prolly said (this is just me now), "If I have to chase Salah all over the pitch tonight, we will get embarrassed". Then, he does Salah deliberately and boom goes the dynamite. We will be back.

3.) 27 May 2018
27 May 2018 21:16:04
Great post MRed it was exactly the same as our league game away to City, keep Salah on the pitch and 11v11 and 9 out of 10 times we beat Madrid, like we would City. Madrid are not special however they do have a couple of special players, we are a special team with 2 or 3 special individual players to add to the group in the summer and we will beat all comers. I believe on our day we are the best team in Europe but we are also the most inconsistent of the top 10 teams in Europe at present hence our league position and defeat last night. We must not lose Mo and then next season we can be champions of England, champions of Europe again will come after that. QED.

4.) 28 May 2018
28 May 2018 02:49:16
Really, Koppite? Madrid ain't special but you lot are? Come off it. I will admit you played some fantastic football this season, but to suggest that you are a special team and Madrid ain't is just ludicrous. Enroute the Final, the not so special Madrid eliminated the champions of France, Germany and Italy and have won the last three UCL. If that ain't special, I don't know what is!

5.) 28 May 2018
28 May 2018 05:48:53
Did you watch their games at all Pee?

6.) 28 May 2018
28 May 2018 19:44:04
Pee, RM were dreadful in la Liga this season, going from 1st to third which based on RM standards, is going from first to midtable fodder. They pretty much gave up on the league in Dec. to focus on the CL based on what we all saw, they were crapping their pants before Salah came off. We shut them out want NO shots on target in the first half. We shut out their front line who had one post and one shot on target up until Bale scored a worldie. If that was a special perf. from a special team then feel free to dwell in your own bubble.

{Ed025's Note - come on brover give madrid a bit of credit, i dont think they were great or anything but on saturday they were the better side and deserved to win, ok there was nothing in it before mo went off but i think that says more about the lack of depth in the liverpool squad than anything else mate, please dont compromise your integrity by being biased my friend..