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Enforcer Vinícius Júnior (l.) Cheers with master Toni Kroos
Photo:
SUSANA VERA / REUTERS
Real Madrid have the best chance of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.
In the quarter-final first leg against Liverpool FC, Los Blancos won 3-1 (2-0), Vinícius Júnior (27th minute, 65th) and Marco Asensio (36th) scored the goals for the Spanish champions.
Mohamed Salah kept the Reds' hopes of progressing alive with his away goal (51st), but Jürgen Klopp's team is threatened with losing the last remaining title chance after the crisis in the Premier League and the FA Cup.
Both teams tried from the start to showcase their fast wingers.
Real Madrid did a much better job: Vinícius took good action early on and had the first chance of the game with a header after Ferland Mendy crossed in (13th), but the ball just missed the far post.
Shortly afterwards, the Brazilian did better with his foot.
Vinícius took a long ball from Toni Kroos from his own half, found the gap between Liverpool defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold and Nathaniel Phillips and shot the ball freely in front of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson to give Madrid the lead (27 ').
A Kroos flying ball from deep midfield also provided the second goal of the game, this time also because of an individual error by Alexander-Arnold: The Englishman carelessly headed the next long pass in the direction of Vinícius into the middle.
Asensio was there, who lifted the ball over Alisson and pushed it into the empty goal from close range (36th).
Salah scores the away goal
Liverpool FC remained without a shot in the direction of the opposing goal for the entire first half.
After the break, the Reds showed a lot more pull forward - and came through Salah to the connection: A blocked shot from strike partner Diogo Jota fell at the feet of the Egyptian, Salah overcame Thibaut Courtois (51.) from close range.
The answer for Real was again the strong Vinícius, who appeared after a Madrid combination at the height of the penalty spot and scored to 3-1 (65th).
In the final phase, Liverpool made the game open, but no longer came to dangerous conclusions.
Real Madrid will go into the second leg on Anfield Road on April 14th (9 p.m., live ticker: SPIEGEL.de; stream: DAZN) with a comfortable cushion.
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