“He has done really well”: Former Real Madrid ace hails one Liverpool player who really stood out
Liverpool secured a narrow but crucial 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, and one of the brightest performers on the pitch was young full-back Conor Bradley.
The 21-year-old defender was handed an extremely difficult task — dealing with Vinícius Júnior, a world-class winger who has been a constant menace to Liverpool in recent years. Yet Bradley handled the challenge with incredible maturity and composure.
Throughout the entire match, the Northern Irishman stayed focused, disciplined, and aggressive when needed. He tracked Vinícius tightly, stepped into tackles with confidence, and prevented the Brazilian from having any real influence on the game.
For a player with so much pace, trickery, and big-game experience like Vinícius, to be kept quiet for 90 minutes is a rare occurrence. Bradley ensured that one of Real Madrid’s most dangerous threats had little joy down the left flank.
Former Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate was among those impressed by Bradley’s level of performance.
Speaking on BBC coverage after the match, Woodgate noted that the Liverpool youngster defended that side superbly and rose to the big occasion against a top-tier opponent. His praise reflects how noticeable Bradley’s defensive dominance was on such a massive European stage.
What made the performance even more significant was the atmosphere inside Anfield. Trent Alexander-Arnold, the club’s established right-back, endured a difficult night and was booed off by sections of the Liverpool support. With the club legend struggling in the spotlight, Bradley stepping up and thriving in the very same position highlighted his hunger and readiness to compete for a starting role.
The Reds signed Jeremie Frimpong over the summer, a quality player expected to be a major figure in the squad.
That transfer increased the competition for places at right-back, meaning Bradley has no choice but to maintain elite standards if he wants consistent minutes under head coach Arne Slot. Performances like the one against Real Madrid prove he is fully capable of meeting that challenge.
This is not the first time Bradley has delivered impressively against a dangerous attacker. He previously earned attention for standing tall against Kylian Mbappé — another superstar forward few defenders handle comfortably.
These displays show that Bradley has the mentality and talent required to nullify players at the very highest level of the sport.
For Liverpool, this could be the beginning of something special. With more opportunities and continued development, Conor Bradley may very well establish himself as one of the most reliable modern full-backs in Europe — and a long-term defensive presence at Anfield.
