Liverpool beat Real at home as Bradley holds Vinicius Jr

The right-back shackles Brazilian as Real fail to score for first time this season

- Dhiman Sarkar

Liverpool's Conor Bradley vies with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior during the Champions League match.

(AFP)

Twenty minutes in, it was the third time Bradley had stopped Real Madrid's left-side attacker.

Two minutes later, he pushed up forcing a foul from Vinicius Jr which got the Brazilian booked. The tone for the night had been set.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold in attendance, a Liverpool right-back hitting the high notes felt more than a subplot. Having struggled to seal a place in the team, this was his third full game in 25-26, Bradley had now done well in two straight games including the 2-0 win against Aston Villa in the Premier League.

“There's one Conor Bradley,” Anfield chanted after he moved past Vinicius Jr who had five goals, including one that won a Champions League final, and two assists in five games against Liverpool. The chant became a roar when Bradley snatched from Vini-cius Jr; it crescendoed in second-half stoppage time when the Northern Ireland international retrieved a pass from Alexander-Arnold, Real’s new right-back who was roundly booed on arrival in the 81st minute, pass to no one.