Karim Benzema on target as Real Madrid ease past Liverpool in Champions League

Liverpool’s impossible job against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu proved exactly that as they lost 1-0 and were lamely knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday.

All the damage had been done in the first leg but even with a 5-2 deficit there remained the romantic notion among the die-hards and dreamers that Jurgen Klopp’s side could fashion a performance to rival that of Istanbul 2005 or Anfield 2019 against Barcelona.

Klopp gave his side a one per cent chance ahead of the game but had it not been for the brilliance of goalkeeper Alisson Becker all hope would have been extinguished in the opening quarter, before Karim Benzema settled the round of 16 second leg.

“Being 5-2 down is not a great result if you want to got through,” Klopp told BT Sport. “You ned to have a special performance and we couldn't do that tonight.

“Real Madrid had the best chances, Alisson made two fantastic saves. The right team went through, we have to admit that. Knockout stages are like this. It's not what we wanted but it's what we got.

“You need moments in a game like this, if we scored in the first half it could have given us the spark but this is hypothetical. They were the better team in three halves of this tie and that's how you go through.

“If we draw at home and play like we did tonight, we probably go out as well. We cannot come here and hope that we get something. We prepared for a special performance tonight but it didn't happen.

“Nobody thinks 'how could Liverpool go out' and that's probably the best sign that the right team went through and that's how it is in the knockout stage.”

This was the 14-time winners’ 300th Champions League match and all that experience showed with a balanced and controlled display of sharp attacking