November 5th 2025.
Former professional footballer Thierry Henry recently shared his thoughts on Real Madrid's performance in their recent Champions League match against Liverpool. The Frenchman criticized the team's attack as being too predictable and scripted, particularly pointing out the lackluster performance of winger Vinicius Junior.
In the match, Real Madrid suffered a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool thanks to a goal from Alexis Mac Allister in the 61st minute. This was the first loss for Madrid in the Champions League this season, and they also failed to score a goal for the first time. Henry noted that the team struggled to create chances, with both Vinicius Junior and star player Kylian Mbappe failing to register a shot on target.
Speaking to CBS Sports, Henry expressed his frustration with Vinicius Junior's performance, specifically his reluctance to take on Liverpool defender Conor Bradley. "I do not understand it. You have to play with what's in front of you, you have to play the moment," Henry said. He added that even if there were no options in the box, at least passing the ball to a midfielder for a long-range shot would have been a better decision.
Henry also pointed out that Vinicius Junior had an opportunity to take on Bradley in the first few minutes of the match, but failed to do so. He believed that if the young Brazilian had continued to put pressure on Bradley, he could have eventually forced him into making a mistake or even getting a yellow card. However, Vinicius Junior did not take advantage of this opportunity and instead passed the ball back to his left-back, leading to a one-on-three situation.
Former Madrid player Gareth Bale, who was also watching the match, agreed with Henry's assessment. He noted that there was a lack of creativity and magic from Vinicius Junior and Mbappe in the final third of the pitch. "It was a bit disappointing that in that final third there really wasn't that kind of quality that you expect from Real Madrid players," Bale said.
Bale also suggested that the team may be overcomplicating things and not taking advantage of their speed and skill. He believed that having a focal number nine player in the box could have helped create more chances for the team. In the end, Madrid's lack of attacking prowess proved to be their downfall as they suffered their first defeat in the Champions League this season.
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