UEFA Champions League
Result: Liverpool 0-0 Real Madrid (1-3 agg.)
Date: 14 April 2021
Venue: Anfield
Real Madrid advanced to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League after with a 3-1 aggregate win over Liverpool after the second leg ended goalless at Anfield.
The Reds made two changes from the 3-1 loss in the first-leg, as James Milner and Roberto Firmino were recalled while Los Blancos had only one alteration from that match, with Federico Valverde taking the place of the injured Lucas Vazquez.
Mohamed Salah came very close to giving Liverpool a dream start in the second minute with a first-time strike inside the box from Sadio Mane's square pass but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a great save with his feet.
The hosts took the game to Madrid but Karim Benzema almost got the opener for Zinedine Zidane's charges in the 20th minute with a deflected toe-poke at the near post that came off the base of the post.
Georginio Wijnaldum should have given Jurgen Klopp's troops the lead four minutes before the break after receiving a cut-back from Trent Alexander-Arnold unmarked inside the box but he curled his shot over the bar as the sides went to the break goalless, with Madrid still leading 3-1 on aggregate.
Firmino had a chance to inject life into the contest for Liverpool two minutes from the break with a close range strike at the near post that was saved by Courtois/
Klopp responded with a double change on the hour-mark by bringing on Thiago Alcantara in place of Milner and Diogo Jota replaced Ozan Kobak, in a tactical move.
Madrid nearly killed off the tie as a contest six minutes later after Vinicius Junior went clear inside the box but his attempted chip was heroically saved by shot-stopper Alisson, who again denied Toni Kroos from the rebound.
Zidane also made a double change 18 minutes before time, as he surprisingly took out Kroos and brought on Alvaro Odriozola for tactical reasons and Rodrygo came on for Vinicius Junior for fresh legs.
Benzema had a chance to break the deadlock for Los Blancos in the last ten minutes with a free header inside the box from Odriozola's cross that bounced slightly over the bar before Courtois denied Salah at the other end in stoppage time as Madrid held on to confirm a semi-final meeting against Chelsea.
Click through the gallery to view the highest-paid stars in the Champions League:
