Liverpool supporters know better than anyone about both sides of sensationalist headlines but the ones written in the past 24 hours by Spanish newspaper MARCA will have afforded a good number of Kopites a wry smile.
Yesterday their front page adorned a picture of Real Madrid's players warming up at Anfield on the eve of last night's game accompanied by the headline that translated as 'This is Anfield...AND WHAT?' Juande Ramos added his voice to the Spanish war of words by saying, “Coincidentally I never took Spurs to Anfield so it will be my first time on the bench there. But Anfield just isn’t a bigger deal than the Bernabeu, the San Siro or the Camp Nou - and I’ve seen all those before.” This morning that image and headline has been replaced with another sensationalist headline: 'LIVERPOOL 4-0 R. MADRID. TOTAL HUMILIATION FOR MADRID.'
The heavyweights of European football, well and truly humbled. Mission accomplished for Rafael Benitez and his Liverpool side, or so some would believe. The Reds' manager's trademark detractors are taking the result with a very large pinch of salt and you cannot blame them. Some would argue that Real are a spent force who are, like Liverpool used used to be, living off their illustrious past and breaking even in a sub-standard La Liga. A club who make the doubts over the Benitez's future look minor with three managers arriving at the Bernabeu in this and the previous two seasons.
Others would point to the Spaniard's obsession with conquering the Champions League again and again to the point that he has neglected the task he was brought to Anfield for - to end a 19-year wait for the league championship. Benitez may be a tactical mastermind in European competitions but he is faltering domestically and the games either side of the the away leg showed where Liverpool's priorities appear to lie. A lacklustre one-all draw at home to Manchester City and an embarrasingly poor performance in the 2-0 defeat away to Middlesbrough shows that there is still work to be done and fast as Manchester United appear to be sweeping all before them both domestically and on the continent.
Last night's should be taken at face value - a win is a win, regardless of the scoreline. Admittedly it did make the headlines on the back pages but, to quote a Benitez-ism, "I am focused on the next game". That is the mentality Liverpool as a whole need to have. Supporters and fans should not bask in the limelight of what took place at Anfield less than 24 hours too much. The next round and the next game are the priority so, in the words of the famous Kop ditty, "Bring on yer Manchester United..."
