Liverpool's hopes of back-to-back Champions League finals is all but over after a night to forget and an unwanted record at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp's Reds won all three of their home group games, conceding just once across a trio of fixtures against Ajax, Rangers and Napoli. Things were looking rosy for the home side when they opened up a two-goal lead, only for Real Madrid to fight back and record a thumping 5-2 victory.
Liverpool have already been eliminated from both domestic cup competitionss and will need a miracle after conceding more goals than they ever had before in a single European home game. While those watching the game were left in no doubt about the power of the visitors, the numbers paint a picture of how unexpected a result it was.
As pointed out by Opta, it wasn't just the first time Liverpool have conceded five at home in a European game. They had never even conceded four at Anfield in UEFA competition before., though Benfica did find the net three times in the second leg of last season's quarter-finals.
According to The Athletic, meanwhile, Real Madrid's five goals represent 18% of the total conceded under Klopp at Anfield in the Champions League. By way of comparison, when Liverpool won the Champions League in the 2018-19 season they conceded just two goals in six home games.
Liverpool aren't out of the competition just yet, but the damage looks to have been done. There is no away goals rule in play, but a three-goal win for Liverpool at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu looks like a very tall order.
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The result leaves Liverpool in danger of suffering a third straight Champions League elimination at the hands of the same opponents. Real Madrid beat them 1-0 in the 2022 final and completed a 3-1 aggregate victory in 2021 with Vinicius Junior scoring twice.
Brazil international Vinicius also scored two of his team's goals this time around, lashing an effort beyond compatriot Alisson before benefitting from a loose clearance from the Liverpool goalkeeper. That first-half double ensured the teams went in level at the break after early efforts from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah put the hosts 2-0 up.
Eder Militao scored Real Madrid, heading home a Luka Modric free-kick to score his first Champions League goal of the season. Then it was time for Karim Benzema to take over, with the top scorer in last season's competition also opening his account this term.
The second leg of the last-16 clash takes place on March 15, but Liverpool have league games to focus on in the interim. Klopp's side face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday, and also have meetings with Wolves, Man Utd and Bournemouth before travelling to Madrid.
