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Conor Bradley basked by the full force of the home crowd's love, whereas Trent Alexander-Arnold – the local boy who departed the club – was given a brutal and hostile reminder about his diminished standing.

Bradley was earmarked as Alexander-Arnold's heir apparent after the transfer was finalized to exit Anfield towards the Spanish giants, when destiny brought the two European superpowers competing in the tournament, all was ready.

And what a contrast with the Northern Irish defender from Northern Ireland emerged as the standout figure in a Liverpool performance which reminded everyone from their dominant seasons while Real Madrid were overwhelmed.

Alexander-Arnold, who started on the bench, all the while was left an unmistakable indication of the fans who once sang his local hero status presently perceive him.

It was a day of unrelenting ill-feeling aimed in Alexander-Arnold's direction, starting with his public artwork damaged bearing negative messages ahead of the match and the stadium's fury caused by behavior which supporters consider as a breach of trust.

The young defender amplified the fury and scorn aimed in Alexander-Arnold's direction with a magnificent display which minimized the threat of Vinicius Jr to a passenger, only able to offer theatrics – unconvincing antics – in the face of the defender's superior strength.

Each defensive challenge drew loud applause, every pass greeted with Anfield's approval, vocals celebrating him passionately, not just for his own efforts but as a voluble reminder towards Trent that there was a new kid in town, that he was now firmly from a previous era.

Naturally, the defender, even won the admiration of head coach Arne Slot.

Conor Bradley was outstanding, commented Slot. To be up against Vinicius so many times one against one is not for everyone, but he was outstanding.

Assuming the vandalized messages on Alexander-Arnold's mural failed to warn him about the reception awaiting, he received clear confirmation during his warm-up alongside Real Madrid's substitutes before kick-off, negative reactions filling the air, the critical response occurring once more during announced.

And just when it looked he could avoid the total criticism, the visiting team's manager sent him in as a late replacement while attempting to equalize the home team's advantage, deservedly given to them the midfielder's aerial finish during the 61st minute.

The response to Alexander-Arnold's arrival proved brutal, including derisive boos that greeted a late cross that floated without purpose beyond the boundary.

Trent's disappointing appearance occurred alongside supporters recalling of those who had stayed loyal through potential moves to exit the club, namely former captain Steven Gerrard, observing from the seats.

The evening belonged to Liverpool, the defender's showcase – a classic Anfield atmosphere amid the comeback of their past hero became extra fuel to amplify the support.

The Reds, previously struggling after multiple losses before Aston Villa were beaten on Saturday, responded with a performance that represented their peak in recent months, a crucial indication of the quality that saw them secure the trophy.

Slot appreciated the response to successful results, saying: Winning matches proves more enjoyable compared to defeats for a coach. Losses demand extensive focus because you so badly want to reverse the trend, but you also try to maintain your approach and person that you are when you are winning.

Merely the presence of the talented shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois that threatened prevented Liverpool from achieving their deserved result, with a stunning individual performance which recalled previous encounters of how he defied them in the previous final loss the 2022 Champions League final in the French capital.

The Belgian made a string of magnificent saves, including four from Dominik Szoboszlai plus an incredible reaction save from the defender's headed attempt, before finally being beaten from Mac Allister's headed goal after the midfielder's delivery.

The close scoreline barely represents their complete control throughout, these important points elevating them to sixth in the Champions League table, a placement that would guarantee in the last 16 without the need to resort of extra games if continued.

Szoboszlai and Mac Allister ruled the engine room, with Wirtz contributing elegant moments during his German career. Ekitike posed continuous threats throughout the match.

Liverpool were, unlike so often this season, rock solid defensively while Mbappe became ineffective, showing poorly with multiple errors. Vinicius had been beaten by the defender early on.

If it was a miserable night for Trent, the situation proved similarly challenging for the English midfielder, given the Liverpool setting to demonstrate again his ability before England head coach selects his roster in the coming matches following his previous omission.

The midfielder produced one opportunity in the first half when he forced Giorgi Mamardashvili to save with his legs, but offered little else {as Real failed to establish|