The Real Madrid players have faced harsh criticism from the Spanish press following their defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League. Alexis Mac Allister's second-half strike secured a 1-0 victory for the hosts, though goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois prevented a heavier defeat with several outstanding saves. The Spanish side arrived at Anfield in exceptional form, boasting a perfect European record and 10 victories from 11 La Liga fixtures.

Liverpool, by contrast, had been struggling for weeks - vulnerable after suffering six defeats across all competitions within a month. However, Arne Slot's side thoroughly deserved their triumph, with Conor Bradley neutralising Vinicius Jr whilst Ryan Gravenberch effectively stifled Jude Bellingham. Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo particularly criticised Kylian Mbappe, claiming the French forward "went missing" - especially during the opening 45 minutes.

"All the mystique and epic nature that the match showed minutes before the ball started rolling, began to fade as the minutes passed and the game of the two teams became more physical than anything else," they wrote. "Especially [Real Madrid], who had a lot of the ball but without decisiveness.

"Although players like Vinicius or...