Revealed: the Liverpool player who IMPRESSED Real Madrid in 5-2 drubbing

Stuart Telford

• 22 Feb 2023 15:15 CST
• 3 min read

Liverpool were thrashed 5-2 by Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, but one of the Reds came away with their reputation enhanced as far as the victors were concerned.

Liverpool raced into a two-goal lead at Anfield with Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah finding the target early on, but Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema bagged a brace each as Jurgen Klopp's men capitulated.

Reds midfielder Stefan Bajcetic was the youngest player on the pitch at 18, and Klopp said before the game it was win-win including him - "if he plays well, great, if not, it's my fault." - but there could be a greater loss for Liverpool having done so.

READ: Who is Stefan Bajcetic? Liverpool's next wonderkid

He may have tired before making way for Harvey Elliott late on, but Bajcetic still completed eight of his 12 long ball attempts and successfully sent seven passes into the final third, and Real top brass have picked up on his talent.

The Real deal

"It is never nice to bring you a report that one of Liverpool's most exciting talents is attracting interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona - Reds fans know only too well how this sort of thing normally ends," writes Liverpool journalist Tom Beattie.

"Unfortunately, it is my job to do so and so in fear of being the bearer of bad news, it has been claimed that Barcelona and Real Madrid are now tracking Stefan Bajcetic. According to Calciomercato, the Clasico rivals have been impressed with the 18-year-old during his spectacular rise at Anfield in recent months."

READ: Why Spain want to stop Bajcetic becoming the next Garnacho

Klopp wants Bajcetic to be a cornerstone of his Liverpool rebuild next season, but Real Madrid has proved an impossible destination to turn down for many a Red over the years, with Michael Owen and Xabi Alonso among those to have made the move.