Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real Madrid made Liverpool pay for defensive errors with a 3-1 victory putting them in sight of the Champions League semi-finals.
Vinicius and Marco Asensio both profited in the first half after darting behind Liverpool's makeshift back-line before a simple move from a throw-in gave Vinicius a simple finish in the second period.
Mohamed Salah's strike shortly after the interval briefly made it a contest at Valdebebas, with an away goal certainly a significant consolation for Liverpool to take into the second leg at Anfield next week.
But without fans and with a miserable recent record at home, manager Jurgen Klopp will know his side have it all to do to avoid his team's season becoming solely about scraping into the Premier League's top four.
"We didn't play well enough, that's my first concern," said Klopp. "We didn't deserve to win tonight, but the good news is that there is another match.
"We are going to fight, 3-1 is not good, but we have a chance."
Player ratings from the match can be seen in the picture gallery above. To view the next image, click on the arrows or swipe if on a mobile device.
