LIVERPOOL // As the chant goes, that is why they are champions.
Real Madrid illustrated why they won la decima last season on Wednseday night in their 3-0 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League.
Having conquered a continent, they belatedly recorded a first win against Liverpool in a fashion that was as emphatic for them as it was embarrassing for their victims. A white storm left Liverpool with red faces.
This was their record European defeat at Anfield. Five-time continental champions were demolished by 10-time European Cup winners.
The destroyer in chief, predictably enough, was Cristiano Ronaldo, who unlocked the floodgates. Karim Benzema added a swift double and Liverpool can count themselves fortunate the scoring stopped at three.
Real were devastating, bringing pace and panache. They repelled Liverpool’s early advances, coping with a high-tempo start because of the speed of their passing and then turning domination into goals.
Isco was irresistible, so impressive it was remarkable to realise he probably would not have started if Gareth Bale had been fit – such are the realities of life at Real, such is their strength in depth.
Among their many stars, though, one shines brightest. Ronaldo had never scored at Anfield as a Manchester United player. He swiftly rectified that in Real’s colours.
It was a quite magnificent goal, fashioned by two of the most expensive players in history. Indeed, the architects cost a combined £143 million (Dh843m).
It was evident why as Ronaldo and James Rodriguez exchanged passes, the Colombian dinking a ball over the Liverpool defence for the Portuguese to audaciously lob Simon Mignolet.
It was Ronaldo’s 18th goal in 10 games, no wonder he is deemed a Galactico; such statistics are out of this world.
It had taken Real 33 years – although in only their third meeting – to score a goal against Liverpool. A second came seven minutes later when Toni Kroos curled a cross to the far post and Benzema looped a header over Simon Mignolet.
If the goalkeeper was helpless then, he certainly was not blameless for Benzema’s second goal. So were several others.
This was a familiar tale for Liverpool, whose set-piece frailties have been a recurring theme.
Pepe was able to chest down Kroos’s corner as Mignolet came off his line and could not prevent the Portuguese poking the ball to Benzema, who applied the finishing touch.
Again Liverpool had contributed to their own downfall. Defensive shortcomings have been a common theme this season and they have also scored fewer goals between them than Ronaldo has mustered on his own.
On the stroke of half-time, Philippe Coutinho let fly with a swerving shot from distance that struck the post.
Apart from that, only Raheem Sterling truly troubled Real. The former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa was cautioned for a despairing lunge at the teenager.
Mario Balotelli’s evening only lasted 45 minutes before he was substituted; it was another chastening moment in an increasingly miserable Liverpool career. He swapped shirts with Pepe as he departed, a gesture that will bring condemnation for a controversial figure.
The previous time Liverpool had trailed 3-0 at half-time in a Champions League match, Carlo Ancelotti was also the opposing manager, but there was no repeat of Istanbul, no comeback to rival the 2005 Uefa Champions League final.
Mignolet twice made smart stops to deny Ronaldo a second goal and Liverpool never capitulated but it was a damage-limitation exercise and Real had already done plenty of damage.
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