The Sunday Times - UK (2022-05-29)

The Sunday Times May 29, 2022 3

THIBAUT 9/10

COURTOIS

Age 30 Nationality Belgian

Produced an

excellent stop

to push Mané’s

early effort

onto post.

Regularly

denied Salah.

CASEMIRO 7/10

30, Brazilian

Hoodwinked by

Mané early on.

Sat in front of

defence and

did well to

frustrate

Klopp’s side.

DANI 7/10

CARVAJAL

30, Spanish

Tried to provide

width when

Valverde moved

inside. Good

defending to

put off Díaz

after break.

LUKA 7/10

MODRIC

36, Croatian

Tried to link play

in an attempt to

coax Real

forward. Was

more

influential in

second half.

EDER 6/10

MILITAO

24, Brazilian

Produced superb

block to thwart

Mané after

forward spun

away. Rescued

by Courtois at

times.

FEDERICO 8/10

VALVERDE

23, Uruguayan

Picked for his

discipline and

ability to follow

orders.

Repaid faith

with assist

for the goal.

DAVID 6/10

ALABA

29, Austrian

Under pressure

for spells as

Liverpool

carved out

chances

but did not

take them.

KARIM 7/10

BENZEMA

34, French

Clever movement

prompted panic

in backline

before his

effort was

disallowed

for offside.

FERLAND 6/10

MENDY

26, French

Overrun, with

Liverpool strong

on the right with

Salah linking

up well with

Alexander-

Arnold.

VINÍCIUS 7/10

JUNIOR

21, Brazilian

Usually stayed

high up pitch

waiting to be

released on

the counter. It

worked a treat

for his effort.

TONI 6/10

KROOS

32, German

Did not have legs

to get around

the pitch and so

sought to

stay deep

and play

passes.

TOTAL

76/110

Substitutes Eduardo

Camavinga (for Valverde 86),

Dani Ceballos (for Modric

90), Rodrygo (for Vinícius

Júnior 90+3).

p

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REAL MADRID

PLAYER

RATINGS

By Paul Joyce

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THWARTS LIVERPOOL

DISALLOWED BENZEMA GOAL CREATES CONFUSION

Real Madrid thought

they went in front in

the 43rd minute when

Karim Benzema fired

the ball into the net,

above, after it had

made two deflections

off Liverpool players,

the second one off

Fabinho’s knee, right.

“We are all

confused why

Benzema’s goal didn’t

stand,” Rio Ferdinand

said on BT Sport after

a VAR check took the

best part of three

minutes. “If I’m a Real

Madrid player, I’m

going bananas in that

changing room!”

The former referee,

Peter Walton, though,

said: “It’s actually an

easy one. Benzema is

in an offside position

— the offence is

committed if the ball

comes back to him.

The ball deflects off

Fabinho. Because of

that, Benzema is

offside. If Fabinho

deliberately played

the ball, he is onside.

However, it is a

deflection, so he is

offside.”

Even so, the former

Arsenal manager,

Arsène Wenger, was

having none of it.

“Benzema’s goal

should’ve stood. The

ref is wrong,” he said.

John Terry, former

Chelsea captain,

agreed. “How is that

not a goal? The fact it’s

come off a Liverpool

player means it’s a

goal?”

TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER BRADLEY ORMESHER

Liverpool

goalkeeper

Alisson cannot

stop Vinicius Jr

from sneaking in

at the back post

and tapping in

the only goal