CLICK HERE to read Martin Samuel's full match report Brendan Rodgers' decision to field a weakened team for Liverpool's Champions League clash against Real Madrid was not the unmitigated disaster many predicted. The Reds lost by a smaller margin than their 3-0 home defeat to the reigning champions - but Karim Benzema's match winning strike still leaves Liverpool's European hopes in the balance. Sportsmail's Ian Ladyman was at the Bernabeu to pick out a few points... Karim Benzema celebrates scoring the opening goal as Liverpool's defence appeal for offside One of the few surprises was that Cristiano Ronaldo did not get on the scoresheet
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Liverpool lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in their Champions League clash
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Karim Benzema scored the match winning goal with a first-half strike
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Brendan Rodgers rested players incl. Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling
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Simon Mignolet kept his place in goal but looked far from convincing
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Lazar Markovic was at the heart of the Reds' best moves at the Bernabeu
Lazar Markovic almost got through on a couple of occasions but all that did was make you wonder what may have happened had the lightening @placeholder been playing.