Real Madrid fans have been left fuming after footage emerged appearing to show one of Liverpool’s medical staff refusing to give Arda Guler a bottle of water during their match
Liverpool sealed a 2-0 victory over the European champions in their Champions League clash at Anfield on Wednesday thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.
Their focus has switched back to Premier League matters with a huge showdown against Manchester City awaiting on Sunday. But three days after their win over Real, previously unseen footage has emerged showing a bizarre altercation between a member of the Liverpool staff and Turkey international Guler.
Liverpool’s medical staff had just run onto the pitch to tend to Darwin Nunez who required treatment.
A member of Liverpool’s staff, believed to be head of medicine and performance Jonathan Power, is seen in the crowd clutching his medical bag with 19-year-old Guler reaching over to try and grab a bottle.
While players are regularly seen helping themselves to water bottles during breaks in play, Power was having none of it on this occasion.
The clip appears to show him quickly snatching the bag away out of his grasp, leaving the Real Madrid star, recently linked with a move to Arsenal, looking rather perplexed.
The clip prompted a furious reaction from Real Madrid supporters across social media with Spanish daily AS describing it as an ‘ugly gesture’.
One fan on X wrote: ‘1st win in 15 years and this is how they act, imagine if they have won in 2018 or 2022. I really respected Liverpool and didn’t expect something like this from them.’
Another wrote: ‘This is the reason why nobody likes Liverpool.’
Wednesday’s result leaves Liverpool top of the Champions League’s new league format, well on course to automatically qualify for the knockout stages in the New Year after winning five out five.
Having lost three games in Europe already this season, Real’s place is less certain, currently slumped in 24th place.
The top eight teams automatically qualify for the knockout phase with teams finishing between ninth and 24th entering a playoff.