Liverpool boss Arne Slot opened up about the tactical blueprint that helped his side contain Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior in their UEFA Champions League win over Real Madrid at Anfield.
In an electric night at Anfield, two of Europe’s most storied clubs went head-to-head. Liverpool triumphed thanks to Alexis Mac Allister’s precise header in the second half, overcoming several saves from Thibaut Courtois to secure a narrow victory. Slot’s strategic adjustments proved decisive as Real Madrid’s attacking stars struggled to make an impact.
During his post-match media interaction, Slot detailed the approach he used to minimize the threat of Madrid’s frontline.
“I told the players today that I wanted them to either press really high or go to a low block because Vinicius and Mbappe are – for so many reasons – incredible players, but their timing of deep runs, their pace is next level,” the Liverpool boss said.
“So don’t give away any space in behind, and that’s what our last line did very well.”
The data backed his observation — Mbappe and Vinicius failed to record a single shot on target, with only one notable fast break between them.
Bradley’s Brilliant Defensive Shift
One of the standout performers of the match was Conor Bradley, who excelled defensively against both wide threats. The right-back delivered a flawless 100% tackle success rate and handled every 1v1 situation with composure beyond his years.
“Conor was outstanding,” Slot said. “Last season he was outstanding against Real Madrid but he had to go off after 87 minutes because of an injury.
“And now three days after he played 90 minutes against Aston Villa, again he played 90 minutes with an incredible intensity against Vinicius.”
Slot also reminded his squad before kickoff of Real Madrid’s lethal attacking numbers. “I told the players before the game they [Real Madrid] have scored 26 goals in La Liga, and Mbappe and Vinicius have 24 goal contributions together.
“So if you want to have any chance of winning a game you should defend your set-pieces well, because that’s a way teams score. But great individuals can score goals as well, and these two definitely can. Conor defended very good against Vinicius.”
How Slot’s Strategy Made the Difference
The Dutch coach admitted that shutting down Mbappe and Vinicius completely is almost impossible, but felt his team delivered close to perfection.
“I didn’t even tell them [his players] that in the Champions League he [Mbappe] scored two goals against Marseille and three against Kairat. I don’t think you can ever control these two completely, but you can do a few things well.”
He also acknowledged Real Madrid’s overall quality, noting how Vinicius’s pass to Jude Bellingham created their only real opening.
“It is difficult to control them completely because Mbappe was more than a few times in dangerous zones. But I think we did almost the maximum you can do against these two individuals.”
Liverpool’s disciplined defensive structure and Slot’s tactical clarity ensured that Real Madrid’s star forwards remained ineffective throughout. The performance not only secured a vital Champions League victory but also highlighted Slot’s growing reputation as a tactically astute manager.
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