Real Madrid’s Champions League campaign suffered a minor setback at Anfield as they fell 0-1 to Liverpool in what proved to be a tightly contested encounter between two European giants.
Despite the defeat, there was no shortage of perspective from Jude Bellingham and Alvaro C arreras, both of whom emphasised the importance of staying grounded and learning from the loss.
Bellingham admitted that his side were second-best in key moments, particularly in the second half.
"I think the score reflects the game. In the second half, they created more chances, and we didn’t defend well on set pieces."
"In the first half, we controlled it well, but in the second half, not so much," the Englishman said.
Reflecting further on the defeat, the midfielder admitted that Real Madrid lost composure after going behind.
"When they scored in the second half, we wanted to push hard and lost possession a lot, giving them many more opportunities when we were at our most vulnerable," added Bellingham.
Despite the setback, Bellingham insisted that the team must not lose sight of their overall progress.
He also commented on the Anfield crowd’s hostile reaction to his close friend and teammate, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was booed throughout the game.
"I heard it, but it’s one of those things in football. The fans have shown how they feel to try to distract him, but I’m sure they know what the club means to him."
"It’s one of those things that can happen in football. When the league ended, I remember they gave him a big send-off," Bellingham explained.
Meanwhile, Alvaro C arreras, who was tasked with marking Mohamed Salah, also shared his post-match thoughts.
The young full-back was quick to praise his formidable opponent. "I like good duels, and today’s was against a much more experienced player."
"Salah is a legend for Liverpool. You learn a lot from these duels. We have to keep working to be able to continue stopping players like him," said C arreras
C arreras felt that the result hinged on fine margins, echoing his teammate’s sentiment. “We came to a difficult stadium and we knew it was going to be a tough game.
"In the end, the game was decided by a small detail. They scored from a free kick, but in the end it’s a goal that counts and gives them the victory," he said.
Finally, the defender stressed the need for improvement while maintaining focus on upcoming challenges.
"We should have played a little more aggressively, more into space, more forward."
"The defeat shouldn’t break the good momentum we had. We have a very tough game coming up in Vallecas and we’re completely focused on that, which we have to win," he concluded.