Arne Slot hails 'outstanding' Liverpool trio after beating 'pain in the arse' Real Madrid | OneFootball

Liverpool manager Arne Slot singled out a trio of homegrown players for praise after his side's convincing 2-0 Champions League victory over bogey team Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

Right-back Conor Bradley snuffed out Kylian Mbappe's considerable threat. The struggling Frenchman offered precious little in open play and had his second-half penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher. Curtis Jones completed the triumvirate of 'outstanding' individuals highlighted by a delighted Slot.

Bradley also teed up Alexis Mac Allister's well-taken opener - which surprised his coach. "Did Conor play the ball to Macca? He was in a strange position, then!" Slot said. "It is nice for him, his family and us but also for the academy.

"Not only him... Caoimhin and Curtis were outstanding. To have three academy players doing so well is a big compliment for the academy. For Caoimhin, the penalty was a big moment. You see Mbappe behind the ball and I thought what everyone thought - this will probably go in."

Caoimhin Kelleher beat away Kylian Mbappe's second-half spot kick / Justin Setterfield/GettyImages

Liverpool had not beaten Real Madrid since a 4-0 thumping at Anfield in 2009. The Reds lost two Champions League finals to the Spanish giants over the intervening years, prompting talk of "revenge" in the build-up to Wednesday's fixture.

Slot admitted: "I wouldn't say it is the same as any other [win] because you know how special it is to play against a club that won this Champions League so many times and are the reigning champions as well, dominated Europe for the last few years and were a pain in the arse for Liverpool many times as well."

Wednesday's victory leaves them top of the Champions League table with just three league phase matches remaining. Real Madrid, by comparison, are slumped in 24th, the last available slot which qualifies for the knockout play-off round.