Real Madrid News
Arne Slot brutally exposes Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid – ‘They did what we expected’
There is no denying the fact that it could have been a long and painful night for Real Madrid at Anfield if not for Thibaut Courtois.
Despite his heroics, though, Alexis Mac Allister eventually found a way through, scoring the decisive goal that sealed victory for Liverpool.
The contrast between the two sides coming into the clash could not have been sharper, as Real Madrid arrived in England on the back of a strong domestic run.
They were sitting comfortably at the top of La Liga, having suffered only one defeat all season.
Liverpool, however, were in the middle of a crisis. Six defeats in their last eight games had thrown Arne Slot’s ambitious million project into question.
The pressure was mounting, and the Dutch coach desperately needed a spark to turn things around.
That spark came against Aston Villa, and it seems to have carried over into the clash with Madrid.
How did they beat Real Madrid?
💥 SLOT tacha de PREVISIBLE al REAL MADRID:
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) November 7, 2025
😮 "Hicieron lo que esperábamos". pic.twitter.com/8JMMeNgDeA
Speaking recently, Slot offered a revealing explanation for Liverpool’s resurgence and, in doing so, cast doubt over Alonso’s tactical flexibility.
“We have achieved that level of performance in other games when the opponent’s style of play was comparable to that.
“We always knew we could do it; I have shown them many times that when the styles of play were similar to ours, we could do the same against Madrid.
“I was not surprised by how the two games went; it was helpful for us that the other team (Real Madrid) did what we expected them to do.
“Madrid and Aston Villa did what we could expect, and I think that’s always useful,” said the defending Premier League manager.
Slot’s remarks were not just a reflection on his team’s performance, they also carried a subtle jab at Xabi Alonso.
By suggesting Madrid were predictable, the Liverpool boss implied that his side had prepared specifically for Alonso’s tactical setup and exploited it with precision.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
