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Real Madrid logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Nov 4, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

1-0

Benzema (27')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Brendan Rodgers slams critics calling Liverpool's weakened team "reserves"

Brendan Rodgers says that players including Adam Lallana and Kolo Toure deserve more "praise" following criticism of his Liverpool team to face Real Madrid.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has hit back at critics claiming that the Northern Irishman put out his "reserve" players to face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Rodgers left the likes of Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Mario Balotelli on the bench at the Bernabeu.

Adam Lallana, Joe Allen, Lucas Leiva, Fabio Borini and Kolo Toure were among the players who came into the fold for the Reds' 1-0 defeat to the reigning European champions.

Some press in Spain described the starting XI as Liverpool's "reserves", while TV pundit Gary Lineker claimed that the team was "unbefitting" of a club of their stature.

"We had a gameplan against the best team in the world right now, to stay in the game, control," Rodgers said in this afternoon's press conference. "We then opened up the game with subs.

"I was proud of the players and the supporters, over 4,000 of them there giving the team a great backing. The criticism is unfair. To call Kolo Toure, Lucas Leiva or Adam Lallana a reserve? Those players deserve more praise than that."

On Saturday, Liverpool will take on league leaders Chelsea.

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Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League group B football match Real Madrid CF vs Liverpool FC at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on November 4, 2014
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Match Analysis: Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool
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TeamPWDLPTS
1Liverpool440012
2Sporting Lisbon431010
3Monaco431010
4Dortmund43019
5Aston Villa33009
6Man City42117
7Brest32107
8Inter Milan32107
9Juventus42117
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11Lille42117
12Arsenal32107
13Celtic42117
14Dinamo Zagreb42117
15AC Milan42026
16Feyenoord32016
17Barcelona32016
18Benfica32016
19Real Madrid42026
20Atalanta31205
21PSV41215
22Stuttgart31114
23Sparta Prague31114
24PSG31114
25Bayern31023
26Brugge31023
27Girona41033
28Atletico31023
29Shakhtar30121
30Bologna40131
31RB Leipzig40040
32Sturm Graz40040
33Salzburg30030
34Red Star30030
35Young Boys30030
36Slovan Bratislava40040


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