[Source: Real Madrid/Twitter]

Real Madrid crushed Liverpool 3-1 in the quarter-final first-leg of the UEFA Champions League.

Liverpool will need to produce another huge European display at Anfield if they are to reach the last four of the Champions League.

The Reds were largely second best throughout an entertaining game in Spain against a Real team missing their first-choice centre-back pairing, but packed with impressive attacking talent.

Vinicius Junior took down a brilliant long-range pass from Toni Kroos on his chest before firing the opener past Alisson.

Marco Asensio doubled the lead, taking advantage of a lose header from Trent Alexander-Arnold to chip the ball over Alisson and then tap into an empty net.

Liverpool came out fighting after the break, pulling a goal back through Mohamed Salah’s close-range finish off the crossbar to spark their best 20-minute spell of the contest.

But they were stung when Vinicius found the net via a first-time shot following a fine attacking move with 25 minutes to go.

⚽️?? @vinijr: Hello madridistas, I’m very happy to have been chosen as the best player of the match and happy for the team’s performance! Thanks so much, we still have 90 minutes left. Hala Madrid!#HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/oN5Vso75jS

— Real Madrid C.F. ???? (@realmadriden) April 6, 2021

It leaves them with a mountain to climb in the return leg at an empty Anfield on 14 April.

In another first leg quarter-final match played this morning, Manchester City defeated Dortmund 2-1.

[Source: BBC]