Florian Wirtz’s actions ‘communicate volumes’ as livid Liverpool ace ‘finds what was lacking’
Liverpool beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to a goal from Alexis Mac Allister and there were a number of things that caught the eye
If you’re curious about how Florian Wirtz is getting on at Liverpool, just take a look at what happened just before the half-hour mark in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Real Madrid.
After Real Madrid lost possession in their own half, freeing Wirtz to exploit space down the right, his precise cross set up Dominik Szoboszlai for a shot that was only thwarted by an exceptional save from visiting keeper Thibaut Courtois. This has been a recurring theme for Wirtz.
While he’s the first to admit he hasn’t quite hit the heights of his time under Real boss Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, the narrative could have been different if his team-mates had converted even a fraction of the numerous chances he’s created this season.
But Wirtz wasn’t disheartened. Recalled to the left wing – and sticking more rigidly to the position than during his off-target 45 minutes at Crystal Palace back in September – the 22-year-old put in a tremendous performance.
No player covered more ground, and his ability to win back possession played a key role in Liverpool’s successful press against Real Madrid.
Given Szoboszlai’s stellar form in the number 10 role, it’s likely we’ll see Wirtz featuring more on the wing in the coming weeks, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The standing ovation the German international received when he was substituted two minutes from full-time shows that his efforts were not lost on the Anfield crowd.
Alexis Mac Allister’s fiery reaction to being inadvertently blocked by referee Istvan Kovacs during a promising first-half run may not have been the most evident sign of his return to form.
However, it certainly indicated that the Argentine international’s competitive spirit is back in full force. Liverpool has undoubtedly missed a fit and firing Mac Allister this season.
His tenacity and hunger in midfield contributed to Real Madrid’s inability to find their rhythm. And for the second consecutive season in this fixture, he was instrumental in breaking the deadlock.
Liverpool will be relieved to see the old Mac Allister back in action and performing at his best.
Ibrahima Konate, in one of many such instances throughout the evening, turned to the Anfield crowd and energetically waved his arms. The Liverpool fans responded in kind, raising the noise levels even further.
The match was nearing its end when Konate made his latest move to extinguish the lingering threat of a Real Madrid attack that ultimately proved more potential than actual result.
For the first time this season, the Spanish side failed to score. This was only the third occasion in 18 appearances for club and country this term that Kylian Mbappe had failed to find the net, marking his third consecutive loss at Anfield.
For Liverpool, it was only their fourth clean sheet of the campaign, but crucially, the second in a row at a critical point in the season when even Slot’s future was being questioned by some.
