Liverpool Shines In Champions League, Dumping Real Madrid Down The Table. Dortmund Rises To 4th

Liverpool is 100 on top of the Champions League after dumping title holder Real Madrid into an almost unbelievable 24th place in the 36-team standings on Wednesday.

No one felt the embarrassment of Madrid's 2-0 loss at Anfield more than Kylian Mbappe, the superstar added in the offseason by the storied club that also was European champion against Liverpool in the finals of 2022 and 2018.

Mbappe had a penalty saved in the second half and was earlier dumped on his behind by Conor Bradley's superb tackle in an instant viral moment.

Only Liverpool has started the new Champions League format with five wins and first-year coach Arne Slot's team is two points clear of Inter Milan. Barcelona is third, trailing Liverpool by three points.

Madrid is, remarkably, with three rounds left just one place above being eliminated. The top eight teams at the end of January go direct to the round of 16 in March, and teams placed from ninth to 24th enter a round of two-leg playoffs in February.