Heading into the game, Liverpool had struggled against the European giants, and with Madrid’s injury concerns, they knew this was an opportunity for a statement win.

Second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo sealed the victory, with Mohamed Salah even having a penalty saved in front of the Kop.

There were several standout performances for Liverpool, including Conor Bradley’s excellent job of keeping Kylian Mbappe in check.

Gakpo, who came on in the 68th minute, also made a notable impact. After scoring a crucial goal in the Champions League, the Dutch forward seemed to take a subtle swipe at both Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid following the match.

Gakpo’s appearance was timely, as Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez had struggled to make an impact in the first half.

With Nunez substituted and Diaz moved to a central attacking position, Liverpool’s play became more fluid, culminating in Gakpo’s header past Thibaut Courtois after getting the better of Luka Modric.

While Madrid has a legendary ability to fight back, Gakpo’s goal effectively sealed their fate.

The forward, clearly thrilled by the result, shared a post on Instagram early Thursday morning featuring a quote: “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble,” accompanied by a photo of Gakpo and Bellingham standing side by side. What that might imply is open to interpretation!