What a day of Champions League action. Liverpool lost 5-2 at Anfield to Real Madrid in a barn burner of a match. Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah put the Reds ahead only 15 minutes into the match before braces from Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema saw Los Blancos reel off five unanswered goals to dominate the first leg. It leaves Liverpool with quite a mountain to climb if they are to have any hope of getting back into things in the second leg.
Napoli struggled in the first half with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missing a penalty to continue the team's woes from the spot during Champions League. They've missed three penalties in the tournament but it wouldn't matter with Victor Osimhen capping off a counter to put Napoli ahead before the half. Frankfurt fought but Randal Kolo Muani was sent off due to a stamp on Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa and Kvaratskhelia bounced back from his miss by assisting Giovanni Di Lorenzo for the final 2-0 score.
Follow along as CBS Sports provides updates from all the matches.
Even when they struggle, Napoli can't be stopped, rising above a tough start to their match to secure victory away to Eintracht Frankfurt. Despite being favored for good reason, the Serie A leaders knew they needed to be wary of Frankfurt at home as Randal Kolo Muani got into good spaces but was unable to find his finishing touch to evade Luciano Spalletti's defense.
The team could've folded after Kvartskhelia's missed penalty but instead rebounded to score their opening goal only four minutes later. Osimhen was close to scoring another via a counter attack but was just offside.
Jurgen Klopp has called his Liverpool side "mentality monsters" but this season that term should apply to Napoli. Led by Kvartskhelia and Osimhen, they've been able to dominate any team in their path and it's why the team is on pace to win their first Scudetto since 1990 but they don't want to stop there.
Day by day, if they can stay healthy this team are turning into contenders for a Champions League title if they keep the pace up. With Kolo Muani suspended for Napoli's home leg in Italy, it feels like they can be penciled through to the final eight leaving them potentially only five games from a shock Champions League title. But one of the teams that they could face later in the tournament also won big.
No team has been more synonymous with Champions League play than Real Madrid. But when they went behind 2-0, it felt like Liverpool were regaining their mojo, a feeling that only lasted for 15 minutes. Vinicius Jr. scored a goal in a way that only he can and Liverpool imploded when faced with the slightest pressure allowing five unanswered goals.
A lot of the implosion can be put on Alisson's shoulders as allowing the silly equalizer to Vinicius Jr. is an inexcusable offense but Real Madrid are also the comeback kings. Responding to a 3-0 deficit to surpass Chelsea in last season's edition of the tournament, Los Blancos are no strangers to doing this. Despite their La Liga form, Real Madrid know how to advance in a knockout tournament and Carlo Ancelotti is able to keep his teams believing in a way that few managers in the world can.
There's a chance that we could be headed for a Real Madrid vs. Napoli final which would be quite an affair based on results so far this season.
(All times U.S./Eastern)
Nine goals were scored between the two games with Real Madrid hitting the high fives. It was quite a response to going behind to Liverpool while Napoli continued their excellent season. Both teams will head into the second legs of their ties with multi goal advantages but that doesn't mean that these are over.
Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are withdrawn as six minutes remain in the match.
Alisson has been caught out on three goals and while there's a second leg to go in these, a three goal deficit will be quite tough to overturn.
Rafael Borre and Ansgar Knauff enter for Jesper Lindstrom and Buta. Can they nab a consolation goal?
It's Di Lorenzo following an assist from Kvaratskhelia and it's hard to see a way back in for Frankfurt.
BENZEMA! It take s a deflection and goes past the keeper to put Real Madrid ahead 4-2 oh my, my, my!
Kolo Muani is sent off for a stamp on Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa and Napoli will now play 30 minutes up a man. Frankfurt not only losing their best attacker but also a man in defending is massive.
That's a third unanswered goal as this time Eder Militao scores from a header following a free kick to Real Madrid. All of the momentum is shifting to Los Blancos.
Napoli are ahead and looking to add more to their advantage. Frankfurt has been plucky in the match but they've yet to break their defense but that could quickly change.
For Liverpool and Real Madrid, while it will reach the half at 2-2, it could've easily seen six or more goals. But after going ahead 2-0, Liverpool quickly squandered their lead due to incredible performances from Vini Jr.
He was just off but had the ball in the back of the net as Napoli wanted a second goal immediately from kickoff.
Lozano plays Osimhen in and he won't miss on an empty net. It has been a struggle of a first half but Napoli leads.
Alisson mishits his clearance and it goes right into the patch of none other than Vini Jr. who is gifted a goal to run the game to 2-2.
This is Napoli's third miss from the spot in Champions League play as Kvaratskhelia's take is saved by Kevin Trapp.
Lozano hits the post but Osimhen is clipped in the box trying to go for the follow up. It will be checked by VAR but Kvaratskhelia is up to take it.
With three goals within 25 mintues, this game has had everything. He couldn't score again but there will be more goals before the game is out.
Out of nothing he beat Joe Gomez and slots the ball into the bottom corner of the net. You can't look away or you'll miss something!
Camavinga slipped but a bad bounce ate Courtois up as he played the ball into the path of Salah who finished accurately.
Liverpool were that close to a second goal but he couldn't dance into the box to finish the chance. Real Madrid's defense is looking vulnerable and they also can't cope with Liverpool's press so far.
Kolo Muani is causing all kinds of trouble in the box but he went down following a challenge from a Napoli defender. The corner that followed was cleared but Napoli has yet to take a single shot in the match almost 15 mintues in.
Fabinho goes down under a challenge from Camavinga but it won't result in a penalty. Liverpool are controlling the game early as they want to add more to their lead before Real Madrid wakes up.
Four mintues into the match, Liverpool has their opener as Bajcetic starts the move and Nunez finishes with a confident back heel finish! He's finding his feet in a big way fo the Reds.
