Liverpool and Barcelona overcame a difficult first leg in the Champions League thanks to the “Real Madrid formula”.
In one evening alone, there were two games where the underdogs won. Liverpool endured more than 20 shots from Paris Saint-Germain but won 1-0 thanks to their only shot on target late in the second half. Barcelona even lost Pau Cubarsí to an early red card but still beat Benfica thanks to Raphinha.
Both games saw impeccable performances from the winning goalkeepers. PSG had 10 shots on target, but all 10 were unbeaten by Alisson, who even beat the PSG striker in a one-on-one. Benfica were in the same boat, with all eight of their shots on target saved by Wojciech Szczęsny.
Liverpool won a game they should have lost, with plenty of lucky moments: Kvaratskhelia’s offside goal, Konaté’s push on Barcola that didn’t get a booking, Dembélé’s mistimed one-on-one, etc. Meanwhile, Barca were at an early disadvantage and were under pressure from Benfica, but the Portuguese side were not sharp enough to take advantage of their opportunities.
The most notable thing about Liverpool and Barca’s performances on Wednesday night was that they had very… Real Madrid-like victories. This is the kind of Champions League victory that many teams have successfully applied: solid defense, excellent goalkeeper, and making the most of the few opportunities to score.
Real Madrid in 2021/22 are a prime example, especially in the final when Thibaut Courtois thwarted Liverpool’s chances before Vinícius scored the only goal to seal victory. Further back, Chelsea in 2012 relied on Petr Čech and moments of brilliance from Drogba, Ramires and Ivanović to beat Napoli, Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively.
Applying the ‘golden formula’
Recently, both Liverpool and Barcelona have won in this style, seemingly as a calculated preparation for the European stage. Liverpool blocked all the attacking lanes in their 2-0 win over Man City, while Barca beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in mid-February in a match that saw Szczęsny make some fantastic saves late on.
Applying the Real Madrid formula shows that neither Arne Slot nor Hansi Flick are naive. Their team has the ability to dominate possession, but when they are overwhelmed, they know how to take the blows and wait for the opportunity to strike the final blow – a true art. 25 harmless shots are not worth one decisive kick.
Both Liverpool and Barca have the players to play this style, starting with two excellent goalkeepers. Liverpool’s defense excels in the air, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is often criticized for his defensive ability, was very good at dealing with Barca, and they also had Wataru Endō off the bench. The Kop’s three starting strikers were ineffective against PSG, but the two substitutes Nùñez and Elliott made a difference.
Barcelona have Raphinha, who is probably the brightest star in the Champions League this season. Not only that, Barca still had 49% possession despite playing with one less player, thanks to Pedri’s ability to hold the ball and maneuver, helping to ease the pressure on the defense.
Liverpool have beaten the champions of England, France, Germany and Spain this season without conceding a goal, with either Alisson or Kelleher in goal. Barcelona, meanwhile, have consistently dominated Real Madrid and have recently shown the right pragmatism in big games. They are both domestic title contenders, but could also be considered the two teams with the best chance of winning the Champions League if they know how to apply Real Madrid’s formula.
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