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Liverpool Surpasses Real Madrid in Champions League and Reclaims Top Spot

The English team Liverpool secured an important victory in the UEFA Champions League, overcoming defending champions Real Madrid 2-0 at Anfield. The match was held on Wednesday as part of the fifth round of the group stage.
Liverpool scored two goals in the match, the first coming from Argentine Alexis Mac Allister in the 52nd minute, followed by Dutch player Cody Gakpo, who came on as a substitute and scored in the 77th minute. Egyptian Mohamed Salah had the chance to increase the score through a penalty in the 70th minute, but he missed it, further confirming Liverpool's dominance in the competition after a series of negative results against Real Madrid, which included the finals in 2018 and 2022.
With this victory, Liverpool raised its points to 15, regaining the top spot in the group with a two-point lead over Italian side Inter Milan, which also won against German club Leipzig 1-0. Liverpool continues to shine both domestically and internationally, remaining unbeaten in their last 15 matches across all competitions, including six consecutive wins. The team's last defeat was on September 14 against Nottingham Forest, losing 1-0 in the English Premier League.
On the other hand, Real Madrid, which holds the record with 15 Champions League titles, suffered its third loss in the group, following two previous defeats against French club Lille (0-1) and Italian side AC Milan (1-3), leaving the team with six points and in fourth place, the last to qualify for the knockout stage.
The Spanish club missed the efforts of its star Brazilian player Vinícius Júnior, the team’s top scorer with four goals in the tournament, due to injury. Additionally, new arrival Kylian Mbappé disappointed expectations, missing a penalty in the 61st minute, which was brilliantly saved by Irish goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher.
Liverpool started the match strongly, with the trio of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Núñez, and Mac Allister posing significant threats to Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Núñez nearly scored in the fifth minute, but a timely intervention by Real's Raúl Asensio saved the situation, preventing the ball from entering the net.
In the second half, Liverpool opened the scoring thanks to defender Conor Bradley's pass to Mac Allister, who unleashed a shot that found the back of Courtois’ net.
Real Madrid attempted to come back into the match after being awarded a penalty for a foul on substitute Lucas Vázquez, but Mbappé failed to convert.
Liverpool extended their lead with a second goal when Andrew Robertson executed a corner kick that Gakpo headed into the net. Before the end of the match, Colombian Luis Díaz nearly scored a third goal on a counterattack, but Courtois made another excellent save.
With this win, Liverpool secured the top position in their group, while Real Madrid's chances of advancing to the next rounds are now jeopardized amid a decline in their performance in this year's continental tournament.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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