15 March 2023 , 23:03
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Rio Ferdinand criticised Trent Alexander-Arnold for his part in Real Madrid's goal in Liverpool's 1-0 defeat at the Bernabeu.
The result means the Reds have been dumped out of the Champions League after losing 6-2 on aggregate over two legs. With the scores goalless on the night, Karim Benzema popped up in the 78th minute to condemn Liverpool to defeat.
And the Frenchman, who was all alone when he stabbed home the only goal of the match after Vinicius Junior scuffed a strike in the penalty area, revealed that he had informed his Real Madrid teammates to focus on exploiting the space between Liverpool's centre-backs.
The 35-year-old revealed: “I told Camavinga that the two Liverpool centre-backs open up a lot. As it happened in the goal. We are very happy with him. He is very young but too good.”
But while Benzema was busy pinpointing how Los Blancos exploited Liverpool's centre-halves, Ferdinand was quick to point out how Alexander-Arnold could have snuffed out the danger had he been more aware of the gap Real Madrid exploited.
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The Reds full-back had been alongside Vinicius Junior before he allowed the winger to ghost into the box. And Ferdinand, who was analysing the game for BT Sport, said: “I just want to take it back, what I want you to see is as the ball goes into the centre forward, Trent Alexander-Arnold - here he is.
"You’ve got to be thinking defensively, you’ve got to be thinking 'my two centre halves are in trouble, there’s gonna be a chance and there could be a ball coming in here at some point', or at least 'let me get myself back in to cover my defenders'. That’s got to be your first and only thought in this phase of play.
"The ball goes through, then look at the separation as the ball comes down to Vinicius there. As he touches that ball, he’s gone from being side-by-side to being five yards behind the player he was marking - that’s a world class attacking player who you can’t take your eyes off.
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Rio Ferdinand accused Trent Alexander-Arnold of switching off in the build-up to Real Madrid's goal (BT Sport)“How he’s got separation within two seconds-ish to get five yards and a chance at goal, he’ll be looking at that and thinking I could do better there, Trent, because you can’t switch off at this level.”
After criticising Alexander-Arnold for losing Vinicius Junior, Ferdinand also scrutinised the role that Liverpool's centre-backs, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, played in the goal.
He added: “Again, it’s a lovely ball; [if] I’m a centre back and that distance between one centre back and the other at this stage - with, by the way, one of the deadliest, lethal strikers [Benzema] in this position - with the midfielder actually facing play as well, I’m baffled as to why one of those centre backs doesn’t go 'I’m going to go and attach myself straight onto him, I’m gonna mark him', and the other can cover or get in front.
“Do you know who the conductors are to get Fabinho across to stop the ball there? These two [Konate and Van Dijk have to be the talkers]. They have to be the ones that have to be screaming because they can see it all from behind. They can see everything - scream. Scream and get that player across in front to stop the pass. That’s how you help the defensive midfielder to look at a better player. You move him and he looks great.”